Help with simple upgrade from 2.0.3p1 to 2.1

[alieas]

Thanks for reading!  I have a NetGate FW-7541 currently on 2.0.3p1 and would like to upgrade.  Whatever NetGate had as the stock update URL was not working.  I put in the pfsense.org URL (http://updates.pfsense.org/_updaters/amd64) and then I got the update alert:

A new version is now available

Current version: 2.0.3p1-RELEASE
      Built On: Fri Jun 28 16:22:01 EDT 2013
    New version: 2.1-RELEASE

Update source: http://updates.pfsense.org/_updaters/amd64

Am I safe to run this update or do I need a NetGate specific version?

[stephenw10]

What URL was it looking at? Netgate specific updates for the 7541 appear to be here:
https://firmware.netgate.com/updates/FW-7541/

Steve

[alieas]

Thank you Steve, I punched in that URL and yes still see the update available.

Is there any precautions I should take for a possible rollback if necessary?  Supposedly there are dual partitions on the CF card on this unit to allow to upgrade and boot off another partition.

….................

A new version is now available

Current version: 2.0.3p1-RELEASE
      Built On: Fri Jun 28 16:22:01 EDT 2013
    New version: 2.1p1-RELEASE

Update source: https://firmware.netgate.com/updates/FW-7541/

[phil.davis]

Yes, you should be fine. As always (upgrading or not) have a saved copy of your config. The CF card has 2 copies of pfSense/FreeBSD. You can easily go back either from the webGUI Diagnostics->nanoBSD, choose to select the other boot slice and reboot, or if there is real disaster and you cannot access the webGUI, use the console to select which slice to boot from.
Having said all that, 2.0.n to 2.1 upgrades work.

[jimp]

For reference, the actual update URL for that device should be:
http://firmware.netgate.com/auto-update/FW-7535-7541/

That's what the default update URL is for that model in current shipping versions.

As others mentioned, with any upgrade you should make a backup of the config first.

Worst case scenario, you may have to re-image the CF but it shouldn't be necessary.

[alieas]

Awesome thanks everyone!  Unfortunately I found out it has an SSD and not the CF.  I took a look at the partitions and it looks like there is only one partition on the SSD.  This will make seemingly make it harder to "roll-back" as there is only one bootable partition?

Do I have any other saftey net options with the SSD?  Thanks again

-Joe

[jimp]

@alieas:

Awesome thanks everyone!  Unfortunately I found out it has an SSD and not the CF.  I took a look at the partitions and it looks like there is only one partition on the SSD.  This will make seemingly make it harder to "roll-back" as there is only one bootable partition?

This should be the update URL then:
http://firmware.netgate.com/auto-update/full_install/amd64/

@alieas:

Do I have any other saftey net options with the SSD?  Thanks again

It generates a fair amount of disk activity, but there is always /etc/rc.create_full_backup

[alieas]

It generates a fair amount of disk activity, but there is always /etc/rc.create_full_backup

Thanks that's a nice option… except I don't know how to do a fresh install so I guess I'll have to learn that first.  I'm thinking the SSD might be setup in the same dual-boot partitions as the CF.  I guess I would go about that through the console to see if a boot option comes up?

[jimp]

@alieas:

except I don't know how to do a fresh install so I guess I'll have to learn that first.

You can use the serial memstick from Netgate for that (http://firmware.netgate.com/firmware/memstick/) but it shouldn't be necessary.

@alieas:

I'm thinking the SSD might be setup in the same dual-boot partitions as the CF.  I guess I would go about that through the console to see if a boot option comes up?

It's not setup that way. If it were, it would be running NanoBSD, not a full install.