For the past couple months I've been working on finding a way to
successfully upgrade Fedora x86(32-bit) to x86_64(64-bit). I had almost
given up because nothing seemed to work despite dozens of different
approaches. Then a couple days ago I started a new set of experiments
and now I have successfully cross-upgraded three different systems using
this technique. On the three machines that I used, all the configs that
I set up were still in place after the upgrade. The machines behaved
normally and I have not found any sign of problems yet. But, it would
be difficult to see how this technique could ever be fully automated
because it requires a certain amount of manual inspection in a number of
places. And it's probably something that could not be officially
supported. But at least it appears there may now be a technique to
perform a successful 32-bit => 64-bit upgrade. And for those who have
heavily configured machines this may be worth a try. Anyway, here's the
technique:
======================================================================
CROSS-UPGRADE FEDORA x86 => x86_64 USING PREUPGRADE
(BACKUP EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU TRY IT)
EXAMPLE: F10(x86) => RAWHIDE(x86_64)
PRE PREUPGRADE:
su - # do all as 'root'
cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.beforeupgrade # merge these
after the upgrade, if necessary.
echo "x86_64-redhat-linux" > /etc/rpm/platform # make yum
prefer x86_64 packages
cd /tmp # install a
x86_64 kernel into your F10 i386 installation:
rpm -ivh --force
http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/releases/10/Fedora/x86_64/os/Packages/kernel-2.6.27.5-117.fc10.x86_64.rpm
PREUPGRADE:
yum install yum-fastestmirror
yum update yum\* rpm\*
yum update # update all F10
preupgrade
# when preupgrade finishes downloading it will ask you to reboot
(anaconda mode is next).
# click Yes on the anaconda architecture warning.
# after anaconda finishes, shutdown. (may just hang at the end
since rpmdb is confused at this point, upgrade is still good.)
POST PREUPGRADE: (perform all these actions in F10/F11 Rescue Mode in
the chroot)
BOOT INTO RESCUE W/DHCP NETWORKING
chroot /mnt/sysimage
REBUILD RPMDB
rm -rf /var/lib/rpm/__db*
rpm --rebuilddb
REMOVE/REINSTALL SELINUX (SELinux gets hopelessly confused
through all this so just remove and reinstall later)
yum remove selinux-policy selinux-policy-targeted
policycoreutils-gui setools
UPDATE KERNEL
yum update kernel # update the kernel
INSTALL AVAILABLE MATCHING x86_64 PACKAGES FOR ALL i386 'DEVEL'
PACKAGES THEN REMOVE ALL i386 PACKAGES:
pkgs_devel="$(rpm -qa --queryformat '%{name}\n' | sed -n
'/devel/p')"
test ! -z "$pkgs_devel" && yum install $pkgs_devel
pkgs_i386="$(rpm -qa --queryformat '%{name}.%{arch}\n' | sed -n
'/i386$/p')"
test ! -z "$pkgs_i386" && yum remove $pkgs_i386
INSTALL AVAILABLE MATCHING x86_64 PACKAGES FOR ALL i586 PACKAGES:
pkgs_i586="$(rpm -qa --queryformat '%{name}.%{arch}\n' | sed -n
'/i586$/p')"
test ! -z "$pkgs_i586" && yum install $pkgs_i586
NOTE ANY CONFLICTS (generally because both packages install to
the same filepath)
we had two packages in conflicts: mono-core and gdm
NOW FORCE INSTALL ANY x86_64 PACKAGES IN CONFLICT (mono-core and
gdm shown as examples only)
rpm -ivh --force
http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/development/x86_64/os/Packages/mono-core-2.4-17.fc11.x86_64.rpm
rpm -ivh --force
http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/development/x86_64/os/Packages/gdm-2.26.1-1.fc11.x86_64.rpm
NOW RERUN INSTALL COMMAND (you should have no conflicts this time)
test ! -z "$pkgs_i586" && yum install $pkgs_i586
CHECK CONSISTENCY:
yum install package-cleanup
package-cleanup --problems # should show no problems
package-cleanup --dupes # should show no dupes
rpm -Va --nofiles --nodigests # should show nothing
yum update # should show no packages
vi /boot/grub/grub.conf # check your bootloader, remove
entry for Upgrade to Rawhide/F11
exit # exit chroot
exit # exit Rescue Mode which reboots
FINAL STEPS
# now boot into your new cross-upgraded Fedora(x86) =>
Fedora(x86_64) system.
su - # do all as 'root'
yum install selinux-policy selinux-policy-targeted
policycoreutils-gui setools
find / -name "*.rpmnew" -o -name "*.rpmsave" # merge new
configs; all existing configs should be working.
rpm -qa --whatrequires boost # binary data:
handle (32-bit v. 64-bit) issues in boost apps.
======================================================================
I would hope that there might be a few out there to help test this
technique. Please let me know if you find anything that needs updated.
Regards,
Gerry
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