[mythtv-users] Recommendations for Upgrade from 0.27 at 14.04?

Sun Feb 18 16:17:53 UTC 2018

Am 18.02.2018 um 11:40 schrieb Mike Perkins:
> On 18/02/18 00:15, Nicolas Krzywinski wrote:
>> -------- Ursprüngliche Nachricht --------
>> Von: Peter Bennett <pb.mythtv at gmail.com>
>> Gesendet: 17. Februar 2018 19:12:51 MEZ
>> An: mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>> Betreff: Re: [mythtv-users] Recommendations for Upgrade from 0.27 at 14.04?
>>
>>
>>
>> On 02/17/2018 10:39 AM, Nicolas Krzywinski wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> my MythTV system runs for a long time now on semi-heavy duty and
>>> provides excellent service. Thanks to all people that ever
>>> participated in making this possible!
>>>
>>> While I run this system for a long time in a version-freezed state on
>>> purpose, I am planning to upgrade now. The reason for the version
>>> freeze was the demand of time and skills, any upgrade requested from
>>> me - as I am not good in this and always struggled with these
>>> challenges, I decided to stop doing any upgrades.
>>>
>>> Now I wonder of the best upgrade strategy:
>>>
>>>   1. 16.04 --> 0.28 --> 0.29
>>>   2. 0.28 --> 16.04 --> 0.29
>>>   3. 0.28 --> 0.29 --> 16.04
>>>   4. 16.04 --> 0.29
>>>   5. 0.29 --> 16.04
>>>
>>> where:
>>>
>>>    * 16.04 means upgrading to Ubuntu 16.04
>>>    * 0.28 means upgrading to MythTV 0.28
>>>    * 0.29 means upgrading to MythTV 0.29
>>>
>>> each from the respective system state.
>>>
>>> Bringing the current system to the most recent state of 14.04.x always
>>> is the prerequisite step zero, of course.
>>>
>>> Pausing or stopping at one intermediate step are options as well, if
>>> there are some reasons.
>>>
>>> As for all my upgrades on all of my systems, I will do a full system
>>> backup on an external ssd prior to the upgrade process (and will test
>>> if the system is able to directly boot from this backup), cause
>>> loosing MythTV services would be a medium catastrophe! ;-)
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance for any recommendations, experiences or warnings,
>>> regarding the upgrade procedure from these versions and/or when having
>>> my hardware devices (see below).
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Nicolas
>>>
>>> MythTV fixes/0.27 [v0.27.4-30-g3b43903]
>>> Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS (GNU/Linux 3.13.0-45-generic x86_64)
>>> Digital Devices GmbH Octopus DVB Adapter via ddbridge kernel module
>>> 15c2:0036 SoundGraph Inc. LC16M VFD Display/IR Receiver (imon) via 
>>> LIRC/devinput
>>> Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 
>>> 12)
>>>
>> I would recommend waiting until April for the next Ubuntu Long Term
>> release 18.04, that will mean you have 5 years before you need to
>> upgrade again.
>>
>> What I normally do is create an extra partition of 30 GB to install the
>> next Operating system version, so that the current version is still
>> available until you have everything working. I prefer not to upgrade the
>> operating system in place.
>>
>> You can install the new operating system version and MythTV version 29
>> in a new partition. You do not need to upgrade MythTV from 0.27 to 0.28
>> and then to 29. You can go direct from 0.27 to 29.
>>
>> If you set up a new partition and install the Operating system there,
>> grub will create a boot menu with both systems and the new one starting
>> up by default. I recommend reinstall grub into the original partition so
>> that one boots by default and the new one is available for selection.
>> Once you are ready to switch to the new one, reinstall grub into the new
>> partition, so that it boots by default and the old one is available for
>> selection.
>>
>> You can take a database backup from the old partition and restore it
>> into the new partition. Run mythtv-setup to upgrade the database to
>> version 29. You can do testing in the new partition and then reboot to
>> switch to the old partition for recording. Once you are happy with the
>> new system you can backup and restore the database again in case there
>> were more recordings made on the old system.
>>
>> It is important to make sure the mythtv user name keeps the same numeric
>> id in the new partition, or else change your recordings
>> permissions/ownership so that the new system can access them.
>> Hi Peter,
>>
>> waiting for 18.04 is an interesting option as well.
>>
>> May I ask why your prefer a new installation of the operating system? 
>> Is it because of trouble of an os upgrade?
>>
>> My personal preferation would be an in place upgrade, cause of all 
>> the work that went into setting everything up.
>>
>> Appreciating your strategy of handling the database. Even when doing 
>> an in place upgrade, using my full system backup strategy, I can use 
>> this idea to sync the database of the two instances.
>>
> (Fixed top posting)
>
> In my experience doing in-place upgrades of OS releases has always 
> caused problems. I have done it a few times but nearly always it has 
> resulted in me abandoning that installation after a few weeks of weird 
> issues and rebuilding from scratch.
>
> The issue is that the old installation often leaves cruft around and 
> this can get picked up by the new OS, causing obscure problems that 
> are difficult to analyze and fix.
>
> It is much easier, not to mention quicker, to just format a spare 
> partition, install the new OS and mythtv version, and then upgrade the 
> database as the original responder suggested. Bonus is that you can 
> always go back if something isn't set up correctly.
>
Yes, I know these upgrade problems as well - which is why I asked for 
experiences with especially these version upgrades (and maybe negative 
influences on the MythTV environment).

My first Linux that I used seriously was Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala. Since 
then I spread Linux as operating system on 6 physical systems inhouse 
(plus some virtual systems that run constantly on my home server) and on 
additional 5 physical systems in my family.

Upgrades often are a challenge and I tend to always try an in-place 
upgrade first (depending on the degree of customization that went into 
the respective system). Having a full backup is crucial to all upgrade 
attempts, of course. But there were upgrades that succeeded without the 
slightest problem. Because of this, I always want to give this option a 
chance.

Now Gerald told of a desaster when upgrading from 14.04 to 16.04. If 
there are more experiences like this, I would be happy to hear from.

Additionally you and Peter emphasised the option to go for a fresh 18.04 
as well.

Thank you for all your recommendations until now. They will let me 
analyse the customization grade of my MythTV installation. I can 
remember that I spent months to set everything up - but nowadays some 
things may work better out of the box and for the other things I have 
the existing system as template.

-- 
Nicolas

MythTV fixes/0.27 [v0.27.4-30-g3b43903]
Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS (GNU/Linux 3.13.0-45-generic x86_64)
Digital Devices GmbH Octopus DVB Adapter via ddbridge kernel module
15c2:0036 SoundGraph Inc. LC16M VFD Display/IR Receiver (imon) via 
LIRC/devinput
Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 12)