Need Guidance Regarding Updates
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@guardian Updates of packages are safe to do as long as you don't change the "Branch" under System > Update.
If you want to upgrade pfSense and stay within the Community Edition, you can go to 2.7.0 if you like. Otherwise you need to get a license key from Netgate and register your pfsense. Then you will get the option to move over to the Plus version, still free for personal use.
It's suggested to uninstall both packages (at least pfBlocker) before you upgrade. And then reinstall them once you are on the new branch. This will bring you to the latest version of each package, whilst retaining their settings.
You should of course make a backup of your config before any such modifications.
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Updates of packages are safe to do as long as you don't change the "Branch" under System > Update.
I’d describe it differently, per my sig. If you are on the current release (2.6) then having the branch =current is correct and is OK to install packages.
If they release 2.7 and you have 2.6 then you’re a version behind. Change the branch to Previous. Now it’s ok to install packages on 2.6.
If the router shows 2.7 is available , you’re on 2.6, and install/upgrade a package then it may install dependencies for 2.7, for instance PHP 8, and break your router.
Basically, keep branch=version.
Edit:2.6 is the latest CE. 2.7 will be out after 23.01.
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Yes, as long as the update branch matches the installed version it's always safe to install package updates. They will be compatible with that version.
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@steveits and @stephenw10 thanks for the reply. Looks like I'm good then, and I'll run my update.
@stephenw10 said in Need Guidance Regarding Updates:
Yes, as long as the update branch matches the installed version it's always safe to install package updates. They will be compatible with that version.
Follow up question - hypothetical at this point:
Lets say that when 2.7 drops, I first backup my config file, change to the 2.7 branch and run an update. Then let's assume that there is an issue with 2.7. How can I get back to 2.6? -
@guardian Have to reinstall to downgrade, sorry. Or Plus has boot environments on ZFS.
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@steveits said in Need Guidance Regarding Updates:
@guardian Have to reinstall to downgrade, sorry. Or Plus has boot environments on ZFS.
I had heard that once 2.7.0 drops, they ditch all the 2.6.0 packages/install media.
I keep a copy of the install media, and would have made a backup of the config, so reinstall would not be a problem.
What about the packages? I have no way of keeping a copy of the install files for the plugins.
Am I missing something, or am I correct that there is no way to go back to the original install if I want my packages back? -
@guardian Install 2.6, change the update branch to Previous (2.6) and you can restore a 2.6 backup, or install packages.
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@guardian BTW, for a couple prior versions go to https://www.pfsense.org/download/, leave Architecture blank, and click Download.
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Yup, that. And the repo branches are still present. You can still reinstall packages etc.
ZFS BE are available in CE there just isn't a GUI front end on it. You can still use bectl.
However you cannot roll back to a BE snap of 2.6 or 22.01 because the loader from newer versions will not be compatible. Code was added in 22.05 to allow that so you can roll back from 23.01 to 22.05 but not to earlier versions.Steve
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@steveits said in Need Guidance Regarding Updates:
@guardian BTW, for a couple prior versions go to https://www.pfsense.org/download/, leave Architecture blank, and click Download.
Thanks.... I did't know that. I've made a note for future references.@stephenw10 said in Need Guidance Regarding Updates:
Yup, that. And the repo branches are still present. You can still reinstall packages etc.
So just for clarity -- If I reinstall an old version and the old config, it will still have access to / be able to download/reinstall the packages that were installed when the config file was saved. Is that correct?
ZFS BE are available in CE there just isn't a GUI front end on it. You can still use bectl.
However you cannot roll back to a BE snap of 2.6 or 22.01 because the loader from newer versions will not be compatible. Code was added in 22.05 to allow that so you can roll back from 23.01 to 22.05 but not to earlier versions.I am not currently using a ZFS boot -- but maybe I should consider a full wipe / reformat with ZFS and use the licensed verion (I'm a home user, so I guess I qualify for a free license). Any feeling for how much CPU load/memory usage the ZFS filesystem adds? I'm currently running a J1900 with 4GB. OpenVPN and pfBlocker are likely the biggest CPU drains other than routing a bunch of VLANS. It's a home network, so there aren't a lot of simultaneous heavy traffic streams.
Thoughts?
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pfSense 2.7.2-RELEASE -
@guardian said in Need Guidance Regarding Updates:
If I reinstall an old version and the old config, it will still have access to / be able to download/reinstall the packages that were installed when the config file was saved. Is that correct?
I would set the update branch version before doing the restore, though.
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@guardian said in Need Guidance Regarding Updates:
So just for clarity -- If I reinstall an old version and the old config, it will still have access to / be able to download/reinstall the packages that were installed when the config file was saved. Is that correct?
Yes. Just set the repo branch to match the installed version.
I would not expect to see any issues running ZFS on that hardware.
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@guardian said in Need Guidance Regarding Updates:
I am not currently using a ZFS boot -- but maybe I should consider a full wipe / reformat with ZFS and use the licensed verion (I'm a home user, so I guess I qualify for a free license). Any feeling for how much CPU load/memory usage the ZFS filesystem adds? I'm currently running a J1900 with 4GB. OpenVPN and pfBlocker are likely the biggest CPU drains other than routing a bunch of VLANS. It's a home network, so there aren't a lot of simultaneous heavy traffic streams.
Thoughts?
Nothing measurable. It will use slightly more memory but nothing to worry about if you have 4Gigs available. However: 'm not sure how ZFS is brought to use when licensing + from CE.
ZFS is an option at install time, and you start out on CE. -
@keyser New installs of CE use ZFS. The boot environment GUI is in Plus.
