3.2 upgrade woes

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Yesterday I attempted to upgrade from 13.1 to 13.2 using the zypper dup method by following the steps in SDB:System Upgrade and I’ve hosed my system. I did all the preliminary’s and when I ran zypper dup, it started, ran for a few minutes and the screen went blank. I waited for a long time but there was no screen activity and little disk activity. I assumed it was hung and rebooted it (mistake). I tried it twice more (more mistakes) with the same results and decided to run a zypper dup –download “in-advance” and go out to dinner. When I came back the screen was still black but there seemed to be disk activity. I hit the ESC key and the logging showed up. It finished, I installed the video driver and rebooted. The first thing I noticed was that it was booting 3.1 instead of 3.2 and then it stopped booting because it couldn’t mount an external drive /dev/external. I edited the fstab, after backing I up, to add nofail to the options for that drive, rebooted and then it failed trying to mount a logical partition, /virtuals. I restored the fstab, rebooted and it still fails on mounting /virtuals and drops me into the emergency console. I then tried to run a dvd update which started but when it came time to configure the network, it hung. Selecting the yes button didn’t do anything.

Where did I go wrong?

I could spend a lot of time trying to recover but have decided to do a dvd install using the currently defined partitions and editing in some mount points. The install suggested partitioning shows only /boot and /root will be formatted and I assume the rest of the partitions will be left alone. I’m hoping /dev/external is recognized because that’s where I backed up /home and /virtuals (my virtual machines).

Are my assumptions correct and does this seem like a reasonable approach?

2
  1. how is the machine configured ie RAID external drive network drives??? Video, video drivers??? We have to assume all is standard install unless you tell use different

Is the /virtuals a separate partition? And I assume /home is on a separate partition. Just reinstall and DO NOT format the virtuals and home partition just mount them at their proper places. You must take control of the partitioner do not accept anything until it is completely right in the scheme screen. It is good to backup home and virirtuals before proceeding but hopefully you won’t need the backup

Don’t have a clue what went wrong, not being able to look over your shoulder in the past. My time machine is broken :stuck_out_tongue:

Did you remove/disable all non-basic repos and move all to the new version numbers?? Mixing 13.1 and 13.2 repos is sure to mess up something. Also haveing random repos active can also lead to problems. Also 13.1 should have been full updated before proceding. But I’m just guessing.

3

On 2015-05-18 01:26, DonMLewis wrote:
>
> Yesterday I attempted to upgrade from 13.1 to 13.2 using the zypper dup
> method by following the steps in SDB:System Upgrade and I’ve hosed my
> system. I did all the preliminary’s and when I ran zypper dup, it
> started, ran for a few minutes and the screen went blank.

It is best to run zypper dup in text mode.

> driver and rebooted. The first thing I noticed was that it was booting
> 3.1 instead of 3.2

Are you sure?

Or do you say that because of the grub message? The grub message is not
updated. You have to edit it yourself.

By the way, 3.1 and 3.2 versions do not exist. There was a version 3/94
back in 1994, though (different naming). I assume you are not upgrading
something that old? There was no zypper back then.

Maybe you are using 13.1 and 13.2? Then please say so.

> and then it stopped booting because it couldn’t mount
> an external drive /dev/external. I edited the fstab, after backing I up,
> to add nofail to the options for that drive, rebooted and then it failed
> trying to mount a logical partition, /virtuals. I restored the fstab,
> rebooted and it still fails on mounting /virtuals and drops me into the
> emergency console.

You should comment out both external and virtuals and try again.

> I then tried to run a dvd update which started but
> when it came time to configure the network, it hung. Selecting the yes
> button didn’t do anything.
>
> Where did I go wrong?

Who knows?

I assume then than the dvd upgrade procedure did not write anything to
the hard disk, then.

> I could spend a lot of time trying to recover but have decided to do a
> dvd install using the currently defined partitions and editing in some
> mount points. The install suggested partitioning shows only /boot and
> /root will be formatted and I assume the rest of the partitions will be
> left alone.

Do not assume, verify.

> I’m hoping /dev/external is recognized because that’s where
> I backed up /home and /virtuals (my virtual machines).

Is /dev/external an actual device, or is it a mount point?

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.

(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” (Minas Tirith))

4

Did this:
Removed all OBS repo’s
Enabled repo-update
Disabled all but oss and non-oss repositories
zypper refresh
zypper update
Backed up /etc/zypp/repos.d
sed -i ‘s/13.1/13.2/g’ /etc/zypp/repos.d/* Note this command syntax is incorrect in the documentation
zypper ref
init 3 in terminal session
zypper dup

5

I don’t know why I kept typing 3.1/3.2, it is of course 13.1/13.2.

The dvd update procedure did not write anything to disk. It was doing the setup, got to the network configuration to get the repos and hung

The current partition scheme is:
device - /dev/sda a 700GB HD for Windows
device - /dev/sdb a 1.36TB HD with a 156MB partition for /boot and the rest as a LVM

6

Try again, I timed out.

The current partition scheme is:
device - /dev/sda a 700GB HD for Windows
device - /dev/sdb a 1.36TB HD with a 156MB partition for /boot and the rest as a LVM
device - /dev/sdc a 300GB HD for /media/external
device - /dev/sdc a 75GB HD for a Windows backup
/dev/system/apps,home,root,swap,virtuals are all LV’s

I want to use this same scheme. When I run the install dvd, select custom partition, import and add mount points, I am left with a partition scheme that says only /dev/sbd1 (/boot) and /dev/system/root (/) will be formatted. That works for me. I’m not sure what the status of /media/external will be at the end of the install. I hope I don’t have to rely on it because it’s got all my backups.

7

Don’t configure the network or refresh the repos if you are using the install DVD, just run the update and skip that step.

After the DVD update is finished, boot up and run the online updates.

8

When you select custom partition, and you have imported and added mount points, in the Expert Partitioner, click on the Hard Disks entry in the left panel. In the right pane, if you scroll to the right, the column after Label shows the Mount points. This will show you what will be mounted, and where it will be mounted.

If you want to change any of that at this point, select the partition you wish to change and click on the Edit button. There you can decide to format or not, and whether or not you want the partition mounted when you boot, as well as where you want it mounted. You can also, in there, decide how you want it mounted (Disk by ID, by Label, or …).

You need to check these over to make sure what you expect and what you want is what you are going to wind up with. Do not just assume that the partitioner and/or installer has made all the right choices.

If you like, go here:
https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/496752-Dual-boot-Windows-7-OpenSuse-13-1?p=2634938#post2634938
and scroll down to the line that says:

Select Custom Partitioning (for experts). Do not let the “experts” warning scare you.

Check the rest of that partitioning guide to see what to expect and get some ideas before you try again.

9

On 2015-05-18 04:26, Fraser Bell wrote:
> DonMLewis;2710427 Wrote:

>> I don’t know why I kept typing 3.1/3.2, it is of course 13.1/13.2.
>>
>> The dvd update procedure did not write anything to disk. It was doing
>> the setup, got to the network configuration to get the repos and hung

> Don’t configure the network or refresh the repos if you are using the
> install DVD, just run the update and skip that step.
>
> After the DVD update is finished, boot up and run the online updates.

I concur.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.

(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” (Minas Tirith))

10

On 2015-05-18 03:46, DonMLewis wrote:
> robin_listas;2710422 Wrote:
>> On 2015-05-18 01:26, DonMLewis wrote:

>>> and then it stopped booting because it couldn’t mount
>>> an external drive /dev/external. I edited the fstab, after backing I up,
>>> to add nofail to the options for that drive, rebooted and then it failed
>>> trying to mount a logical partition, /virtuals. I restored the fstab,
>>> rebooted and it still fails on mounting /virtuals and drops me into the
>>> emergency console.
>>
>> You should comment out both external and virtuals and try again.

Have you done that, before attempting to reinstall or upgrade using the DVD?

You have to stop, consider, ask, wait for response, do.
Not do do do all the time new things.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.

(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” (Minas Tirith))

11

use the dvd BUT be prepared for issues

I have been using opensuse for many years and i was having SO MANY little issues
lib mismatches with the .pc files and header mismatches
issues with m4, issues with programs crashing
– all fixable , but after way too many of them …
I just REINSTALLED

13.2 is a rather BIG software jump

going form 13.1 to 13.2 reminded me of using Fedora
( never in 5 years did i have a upgrade work well )

12

What I do is have 2 root partitions one for the current version and one for then next. I do a clean install in the next partition, not mounting home or other partitions . Once I’m happy with the install I then will mount home and any other partitions and start using the new version. Yes I need to reinstall the programs I use but that does not really take all that long and special configs can be referenced from the old OS in the old root if needed. With the special bonus of not installing things I no longer need, thus cleaning out the garage. I never have to deal with the odd stuff that “updates” can cause and if I have a problem I can simply wait to change over until it is fixed.

13

On 2015-05-18 06:16, JohnVV wrote:
>
> use the dvd BUT be prepared for issues
>
> I have been using opensuse for many years and i was having SO MANY
> little issues
> lib mismatches with the .pc files and header mismatches
> issues with m4, issues with programs crashing
> – all fixable , but after way too many of them …

I haven’t. And my main machine has been upgraded since 1998 till now, in
steps. You just have to learn the ropes.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.

(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” (Minas Tirith))

14

Thanks for the suggestion. Is there a particular reason for not configuring the network during the install or is it just to reduce the number of things that can go wrong?

15

If you network hardware is a little off the standard it is a lost cause. You my need special drivers that are not loaded at install time. You do not need th network at install it is just an option not a necessity.

16

On 2015-05-18 17:36, DonMLewis wrote:

> Thanks for the suggestion. Is there a particular reason for not
> configuring the network during the install or is it just to reduce the
> number of things that can go wrong?

Exactly :slight_smile:

There is a link on the wiki with a lonnnnng explanation of how to do an offline upgrade, aka dvd upgrade. A lot of it does not apply to your case, as it is a same version upgrade. But the rest does.

Online upgrade method
Offline upgrade method
Chapter 16. Upgrading the System and System Changes
Chapter 16. Upgrading the System and System Changes
openSUSE 12.3 Release Notes
openSUSE 13.1 Release Notes
openSUSE 13.2 Release Notes

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.

(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” (Minas Tirith))

17

The dvd install is complete, up and running. There were just a couple of bumps: the latest nvidia driver install doesn’t handle blacklisting nouveau correctly, one of my wireless printers was reluctant to get configured, normally the driver install also configured it but this time I had to do it manually. All in all, a pretty easy install. The one thing I noticed was that I was not given the option to configure the network, it was done automatically. Thanks for everybody’s help.

18

There is no problem with the NVIDIA driver how did you install?

19

First I downloaded the latest driver, NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-346.72.run, from Nvidia. Then, since I’m still old school and have used the LNVHW (Load Nvidia the Hard Way) script from JD McDaniel for years, I used it again. That was the problem because to blacklist nouveau, in /etc/modprobe.d, it created a file ‘nvidia-installer-disable-nouveau.conf’ rather than add ‘blacklist nouveau options nouveau modeset=0’ to 50-blacklist.conf. Once I edited 50-blacklist.conf and ran mkinitrd then LNVHW ran to eoj. The problem was not with the driver, it was with LNVHW. In the future I will use the repo, zypper methodology.

BTW, I didn’t have a flash of inspiration to solve this. It took a lot of searching the forum and other googling but the information is there if you’re diligent enough. I did the same to solve the problems I had configuring my old Canon wireless printer. Nobody had the exact same issue but I could piece the solution together from a number of posts with similar problems. The forum is a great resource.

20

ok maybe a problem with some old script but if you use the repoos you get a proper install and also you don’t have to reinstall on kernel upgrades. Not at all sure why you want to do it the hardway then use a script to make it easy??? Also if you just run the hardway’s installer it should set all things right. You really don’t need a script anymore. Just be sure the kernel devl package is installed. Or better yet use the repo and not to have to worry about it any more at all.