Upgrading an arch linux installation from 2011 on a VPS

NorfairKing · 2014-07-28 15:55:40

I have recently started renting a VPS (a cloudbox from versio.nl)
This means I can't just clean install.

The version of arch linux that's currently on it is from 2011.
This was before changes to the filesystem (and more).

If I just try to run

pacman -Syu

Pacman tells me that I should upgrade pacman first.
To upgrade pacman, I need to upgrade these first:
archlinux-keyring-20140220-1
bash-4.3.018-3
filesystem-2014.07-1
glibc-2.19-5
libarchive-3.1.2-6
linux-api-headers-3.14.1-1
readline-6.3.006-1
pacman-4.1.2-6

This gives this error:
Proceed with installation? [Y/n] y
error: failed to commit transaction (conflicting files)
filesystem: /bin exists in filesystem
filesystem: /etc/profile.d/locale.sh exists in filesystem
filesystem: /lib exists in filesystem
filesystem: /lib64 exists in filesystem
filesystem: /sbin exists in filesystem
filesystem: /usr/sbin exists in filesystem
filesystem: /var/lock exists in filesystem
filesystem: /var/run exists in filesystem
Errors occurred, no packages were upgraded.

Is there any way to upgrade this old system? I will document the solution on the arch wiki if I get it.

Last edited by NorfairKing (2014-07-28 15:57:07)

karol · 2014-07-28 16:08:53

See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Vi … ate_Server

Check the news https://www.archlinux.org/news/ and figure out how best to fix it.

Scimmia · 2014-07-28 17:32:48

Honestly, I doubt it's possible without extreme measures unless you have a rescue system available.

clfarron4 · 2014-07-28 18:04:14

karol wrote:

Check the news https://www.archlinux.org/news/ and figure out how best to fix it.

That, and potentially the use of the Rollback Machine and you maybe able to do it if you are extremely careful.

(In response to below) @Trilby: I'm pretty sure we've both participated in discussions like these, but before your moderating days.

Last edited by clfarron4 (2014-07-28 20:13:07)

Trilby · 2014-07-28 18:09:39

I think it was previously determined (can't find the links ... I'll leave that to "Karol the link machine") that such an old system would absolutely need intermediate steps via the arch roolback machine to make it successfully.

Even at that - I suspect the odds of unrecoverable failure are high. Without somesort of recovery boot option, this would not be a good idea (IMHO). If you do have the option of some recovery boot system, then there might be a much better way: install arch to target drive from within the recovery boot option.

Although the best suggestion would be to contact the service provider and see if they could provide a reasonably recent base system.

clfarron4 · 2014-07-28 20:23:04

Trilby wrote:

I think it was previously determined (can't find the links ... I'll leave that to "Karol the link machine") that such an old system would absolutely need intermediate steps via the arch roolback machine to make it successfully.

Do you mean this: [Solved] Updating nearly 7 month old installation (except that arm.konnichi.com is not the Rollback Machine anymore).

Or maybe this: Upgrading Old Arch Image on VPS Hosting

Basically, just search "upgrade old installation" through the BBS search function and you'll find the threads.

Last edited by clfarron4 (2014-07-28 20:24:17)

Arch Linux

#1 2014-07-28 15:55:40

Upgrading an arch linux installation from 2011 on a VPS

#2 2014-07-28 16:08:53

Re: Upgrading an arch linux installation from 2011 on a VPS

#3 2014-07-28 17:32:48

Re: Upgrading an arch linux installation from 2011 on a VPS

#4 2014-07-28 18:04:14

Re: Upgrading an arch linux installation from 2011 on a VPS

#5 2014-07-28 18:09:39

Re: Upgrading an arch linux installation from 2011 on a VPS

#6 2014-07-28 20:23:04

Re: Upgrading an arch linux installation from 2011 on a VPS

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