[mythtv-users] Planning an upgrade

[Michael T. Dean]

On 06/29/2011 02:13 AM, Jason But wrote:
> I am planning on an upgrade in the near future and though this would be the
> best place to get information on the proper approach
>
> I currently run a combined BE/FE where the BE is scheduled to auto-wake and
> sleep using mythwelcome, but the FE is XBMC. This is an awkward setup in
> that it doesn't work as consistently as my old put myth BE/FE box.
>
> However I am about to upgrade my central server and am planning to move the
> BE to this box as it is on 24/7 and I don't have issues of having to power
> up the BE/FE if I want to watch something in another room. I am not planning
> on asking basic system config questions for my server, mostly about the
> migration process.
>
> 1) I run gentoo linux, which is currently stable at myth 0.22-fixes, I will
> be going unstable and moving to either 0.23 or 0.24 during the upgrade
>
> 2) I don't mind if I lose any recordings, I move all permanent recordings to
> MKV and separate storage after transcoding anyway, I would however like to
> keep both my recording rules *AND* the list of recorded shows (so they don't
> get recorded again)
>
> 3) I DO want to lose any other and old information in the DB which can get
> re-created on my new install
>
> What I really want to know is how to best go about this:
>
> 1) Backup DB, install new myth on new box, get working, restore parts of DB
>
> 2) Backup DB, install old myth on new box, restore parts of DB, upgrade myth
>
> 3) Upgrade myth on old box, backup DB, install on new box, restore parts of DB
>
> 4) Something else:
>
> I would appreciate a guide as to WHICH parts of the DB are important for my
> main goal (recording rules and previously recorded shows), how to back up
> and restore these bits only, and what the best step-by-step approach will be


The best approach is to just restore the existing DB in full.  There's 
absolutely no benefit to doing a partial restore--it just removes /all/ 
configuration, meaning you have to configure every setting on every 
single host and every capture card and every video source and every 
input connection and every channel all over again.

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Backend_migration

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Database_Backup_and_Restore

If you decide you want to waste several hours of your life for 
absolutely no gain, whatsoever, please at least use the restore script 
to properly perform a partial restore:

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Database_Backup_and_Restore#Partial_restore_of_a_backup
(which means in your case, you'll also have to do)
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Database_Backup_and_Restore#Partial_restore_when_upgrading_MythTV

and note that you'll be expending significantly more effort, will take a 
/lot/ more (10x or more) time on the upgrade, and will end up with no 
benefits from the effort (no performance or speed or database size or 
... benefits).

Mike