[mythtv-users] mysql 5.1 -> 5.5 upgrade

[Michael T. Dean]

On 08/13/2014 07:47 PM, Robin Gilks wrote:
> Greetings all
>
> Gentoo have just put mysql-5.5 into the stable tree which updates from
> mysql-5.1.70 to mysql-5.5.39.
>
> The upgrade page at mysql
>   http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/upgrading-from-previous-series.html
> recommends dumping all tables and then restoring them after the upgrade.
>
> Is this really necessary? It's not something I've had to do in the past
> and this box has been running for over 5 years now starting from version
> 5.0.70!
>
> Cheers

It's not at all necessary.  Similarly, it's not necessary to store your 
data on a reliable drive or to do backups of important data.  It all 
boils down to the fact that the data itself isn't necessary.  In the 
case of MythTV, you can always start over from scratch with an empty 
MythTV database and no history.

FWIW, MySQL has always recommended creating a proper SQL-based backup of 
your databases before upgrading and performing various steps (including 
running mysql_upgrade) before starting a new-version MySQL server 
against old-version MySQL binary data files.  Never has "just upgrade 
and start the server" been a valid approach.  If they're now suggesting 
a backup/drop/restore approach, I'd guess there's good reason for the 
suggestion.  (That said, backup/delete/mysql_install_db/restore--which 
goes one better than backup/drop/restore--has always been the easiest 
way to ensure everything works properly after an upgrade and that you 
get all the features of the new version of MySQL working properly, too.)

But, hey, what do the MySQL developers know about MySQL, anyway?  I 
mean, really, what makes them think they're the experts?

:)

So, more seriously, is saving yourself 5 minutes instead of doing it 
right really worth the risk?

Mike