Migrate FreeBSD to a new hardware without installation media

E

enzote84

Hello everyone!

I have a 6.2-RELEASE FreeBSD server running on a very old hardware and I don't have any installation media of this version of the operating system or the applications on it. I should migrate this system to a new hardware. I've read some post but I'm not sure about the procedure to do this.

I tried to dump and restore the filesystems under a new 7.2-RELEASE FreeBSD but it didn't work. I followed this steps:

  1. Install a standard 7.2-RELEASE FreeBSD.
  2. Export a NFS filesystem /export on the new server.
  3. Import the NFS on the client side.
  4. dump of /usr, /var and /.
  5. restore of /usr, /var and / on the new server.

After that, I rebooted the new server and I couldn't mount /.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Enzo
 
Use dump(8) on the old system to make backup files on a different disk or some other media. Disconnect the old disk. Install a new disk, and install FreeBSD 9.1 on it. Install applications from ports. Reconnect the old disk, and copy configuration settings across.
 
Don't set up a "new" server with FreeBSD 7.2. It's been end-of-life since June 2010. I wouldn't pick 7.4 either as that will be end-of-life by the end of this month.

On the old server check what's installed:
# pkg_version -vI

Install those packages/ports on a new 8.3 or 9.1 server. Migrate the data from the old server to the new one. Just the data, nothing else.
 
Hi again.

I managed to migrate the server using Clonezilla and correcting the device paths, according to this thread.

I did that because I needed a quick way to change the hardware. Now I can update this server to a newer version.

Thanks.

Enzo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top