2.3.3.1> 2.3.4 OK; but now unable to check for updates / wrong OS

hackinate

I am trying to upgrade to latest version, having been using 2.3.3.1 for a long time.
Hardware is PC Engines APU2 - which I gather will support later versions.
Initial upgrade to 2.3.4 worked fine - all systems working.
However now it shows
"unable to check for updates"
and
"unable to retrieve package information."

I followed suggestion in update troubleshooting, received following error:

Ran "pkg-static clean -ay; pkg-static install -fy pkg pfSense-repo pfSense-upgrade"
and
"pfSense-upgrade -d -c"

Similar errors

Updating repositories metadata...
Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...
pfSense-core repository is up to date.
Updating pfSense repository catalogue...
pkg-static: Repository pfSense has a wrong packagesite, need to re-create database
Fetching meta.conf: . done
Fetching packagesite.txz: .......... done
Processing entries:
pkg-static: Newer FreeBSD version for package pfSense-pkg-RRD_Summary:
To ignore this error set IGNORE_OSVERSION=yes

package: 1103504
running kernel: 1003000

pkg-static: repository pfSense contains packages for wrong OS version: FreeBSD:11:amd64
Processing entries... done
Unable to update repository pfSense
Error updating repositories!
ERROR: Unable to compare version of pfSense-repo

Update settings offers latest stable version (2.4.x) or previous stable version (2.4.4 Depecated)

I seem unable to move ahead with any upgrades - any suggestions / help appreciated.

Thanks

rcoleman-netgate

@hackinate Running such an old OS is a horrible idea on a security standpoint.

The APU2 should, IIRC, run 2.6-RELEASE. I would back up your config, download the CE image from pfsense.org, and do an offline upgrade/installation and restore your configuration afterwards.

Staging from 2.3.x to 2.4.x to 2.5.x to 2.6-RELEASE will take quite a bit of time.

hackinate

Unfortunately I don't have a config backup - and concerned that if I take a current one it may be corrupted in some way - caused by whatever is affecting the ability to upgrade / view packages.

I am happy to spend the time to follow the upgrade path - if I can only resolve the current issue.

What puzzles me is that the upgrade to 2.3.4-Release-p1 seems to go perfectly - I am struggling to understand what went wrong and how to overcome it.

Any thoughts on how to overcome the issue and start an upgrade to to 2.4?

Thanks

rcoleman-netgate

@hackinate Plug a USB into one of the ports and copy it off?

Just have to copy the entire /conf/ directory to a flash drive, or offload using SCP.
One of the (30) backups statistically should be OK. If you don't have a good backup, though, upgrading like this isn't going to solve that problem.

hackinate

I am, as most would have guessed, inexperienced.
Originally the PC Engines APU2 came preconfigured with pfSense.

Ideally I would like to follow the upgrade path:

Should I simply set IGNORE_OSVERSION=yes and run pkg-static update -f
Is there some other way to force an update to version 2.4 ?
I have a conf backup - If I cannot upgrade - is there a simple way to do a fresh install of version 2.4?

Thanks

johnpoz

@hackinate said in 2.3.3.1> 2.3.4 OK; but now unable to check for updates / wrong OS:

is there a simple way to do a fresh install of version 2.4?

No not really, 2.4 isn't even available for download any more.. Just do a clean install of 2.6

hackinate

Thanks - unfortunately that leaves the question of how to do a fresh install of 2.6?

(And will I be able to reload the current config into the newer version?)

Thanks

johnpoz

@hackinate

https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/install/download-installer-image.html

hackinate

Thanks - understand the process, but don't have a serial cable.

Still hoping that someone will be able to suggest a way to force an upgrade - as everything else is working well.
Tempted to go ahead and try the ignore_osversion=yes
Has anyone run this previously - with a similar issue?

Thanks

rcoleman-netgate

@hackinate Null Modem cables can be picked up relatively inexpensively and you never know when you'll need it again in the future (I have one I purchased for my ATI Geode ALIX 2D3 [remember those?!] appliance in 2009 and I've used it multiple times a year since with various devices, typically old switches and ASICs).

$20-30 here in the US, YMMV elsewhere, though.

hackinate

Appreciate the help - I will look to buy a suitable cable.

In the meantime I am still hoping that someone may be able to suggest how I can overcome the upgrade issue - would much prefer following that route.

It seems as though the last upgrade (to 2.3.4) added some files that should belong to 2.4.x - which include the OS upgrade. If I was able to remove them it seems likley I could then upgrade normally.

Any help appreciated.

johnpoz

@hackinate where are you finding that you should do something with ignore_osversion?

https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/troubleshooting/upgrades.html

But until you can install clean, I wouldn't mess with an update of such an old version - if its working.. I would wait til you have the cable, that way if something goes wrong you can recover.

hackinate

@johnpoz

The response to trying to update pkg:
Updating repositories metadata...
Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...
pfSense-core repository is up to date.
Updating pfSense repository catalogue...
pkg-static: Repository pfSense has a wrong packagesite, need to re-create database
Fetching meta.conf: . done
Fetching packagesite.txz: .......... done
Processing entries:
pkg-static: Newer FreeBSD version for package pfSense-pkg-RRD_Summary:
To ignore this error set IGNORE_OSVERSION=yes

Will wait until I have cable, but hoping there is a way to remove the offending files and do a regular update.