upgrading from stretch to buster

[akaodin]

Updated and upgraded my stretch, made all necessary changes in /etc/apt/serial.list from 'stretch' to 'buster' and re-updated and re-upgraded.
After reboot the splash screen did not appear and it left me in a command window. Previously in 'stretch' the splash screen appeared automatically.
Also, I received the error:
DBI object version 1.642 does not match bootstrap parameter 1.636 at /usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/perl/5.28/DynaLoader.pm line 204.
I tried to get the right DBI version with
perl -MCPAN -e 'install Bundle::DBI'
However all it did was up the DBI version to 1.643

Any and all help would be appreciated. Otherwise I am stuck with stretch since I don't want to load a fresh buster os and start over again.

[rpiMike]

Why not a fresh install of Bullseye?

[B.Goode]

Why not a fresh install of Bullseye?

The usual -

Wanted to preserve all my modifications.

Ref: viewtopic.php?p=2079214#p2079214

[B.Goode]

Updated and upgraded my stretch, made all necessary changes in /etc/apt/serial.list from 'stretch' to 'buster' and re-updated and re-upgraded.

Can you cite any documentation to support changing the content of /etc/apt/serial.list ?

What is the content of that file, as modified?




See the very old Release announcement in June 2019 here - https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/buster ... -raspbian/

In particular the section How to get it

We do not recommend upgrading an existing Stretch (or earlier) system to Buster – we can’t know what changes everyone has made to their system, and so have no idea what may break when you move to Buster. However, we have tested the following procedure for upgrading, and it works on a clean version of the last Stretch image we released. That does not guarantee it will work on your system, and we cannot provide support (or be held responsible) for any problems that arise if you try it. You have been warned – make a backup!

[akaodin]

Maybe I will next try from 'stretch' to bullseye.
Also changing the serials.list was documented in the article I googled describing the upgrading method.

[akaodin]

To sum up my dilemma, I am pretty much stuck with stretch, and therefore unable to install onto Raspberry Pi 4 which requires bullseye. My alternative is to live with stretch and sell my new Raspberry Pi 4 (useless to me).

[B.Goode]

Maybe I will next try from 'stretch' to bullseye.
Also changing the serials.list was documented in the article I googled describing the upgrading method.

Given that Raspberry Pi do not recommend a single-step upgrade, from Stretch to Buster, or Buster to Bullseye, you seem to be on very shaky ground thinking you can do TWO hops!

Clearly your Googling has found third-party documentation, not from Raspberry Pi. Take its advice with a large dose of scepticism about its reliability.

[akaodin]

You're right. I am not even going to try to upgrade from stretch to bullseye. If stretch to buster didn't work then why waste my time. I have just resolved to stay with stretch and forgo any hope of ever moving up to Raspberry Pi 4. Besides, because of the shortage, it's a no-brainer.

[rpiMike]

What is it on Stretch that you can't just re-install or re-setup?

[pidd]

You're right. I am not even going to try to upgrade from stretch to bullseye. If stretch to buster didn't work then why waste my time. I have just resolved to stay with stretch and forgo any hope of ever moving up to Raspberry Pi 4. Besides, because of the shortage, it's a no-brainer.

I think all of us have been start-from-scratch averse at some time or another, its usually not as bad as you think and once you've re-created your system as you want it, it is much easier to do another time and gives you ideas how not to make it so complicated in the future.

All you need is another SD card to give it a go without losing anything from your existing setup. Take your time, there's no rush.

[akaodin]

Good advice. Maybe I'll give it a try. Just not yet.

[BigRedMailbox]

Why not a fresh install of Bullseye?

The obvious answer is: Because I have a lot of work invested in the setup and can't afford the time/bother/expense of re-doing everything from scratch.

Yes, I know that people who have very simple setups - like maybe just one or two Python scripts to move over - can do this pretty easily. But for those of us who have very complex, involved setups, with lots of customizations, not so much.

Anyway, when you get right down to it, there is really no good reason (other than academic interest/fun) to do a major-system-to-major-system "upgrade" at all. The only good reason to "upgrade" is if you have just acquired a new model Pi board - say, your first Pi 4 - and find that, as is usually the case, prior versions of RpiOS do not "support" the new board. I.e., you have to run the latest OS for it to work on the new(est) board. Well, in that case, since you are presumably starting over from scratch anyway (since you have a brand new board, you are presumably starting a new project with it), then you just go ahead and install the latest OS and go from there. No need to "upgrade" the old system at all (which can presumably continue to run just fine on the old board and the old OS).

[pidd]

Anyway, when you get right down to it, there is really no good reason (other than academic interest/fun) to do a major-system-to-major-system "upgrade" at all.

Stretch no longer has security updates.

[jamesh]

Anyway, when you get right down to it, there is really no good reason (other than academic interest/fun) to do a major-system-to-major-system "upgrade" at all.

Stretch no longer has security updates.

Stretch no longer has ANY updates.

[jeremym]

Why not a fresh install of Bullseye?

The obvious answer is: Because I have a lot of work invested in the setup and can't afford the time/bother/expense of re-doing everything from scratch.

You could try to tweak the RonR's script (from viewtopic.php?t=317888) to upgrade straight from Strech to Bullseye, but it's probably best to try that using a new SD card, with copy of your primary SD card's contents.

Also, I'm not sure it's true that Bullseye is the only version of Raspberry Pi OS that can run on a 4B. I was definitely running Buster before upgrading to Bullseye, using RonR's script.

[rpdom]

Also, I'm not sure it's true that Bullseye is the only version of Raspberry Pi OS that can run on a 4B. I was definitely running Buster before upgrading to Bullseye, using RonR's script.

The bootcode/firmware in the older images doesn't support the later revisions of Pi 4. They will give a message something like "This system requires later firmware".

Of course you can update the various files in /boot and it will then boot a later 4B.

I personally run Wheezy on a 4B because of something that will probably break if I try moving it to a newer OS. One day I'll do it...

[jeremym]

Also, I'm not sure it's true that Bullseye is the only version of Raspberry Pi OS that can run on a 4B. I was definitely running Buster before upgrading to Bullseye, using RonR's script.

The bootcode/firmware in the older images doesn't support the later revisions of Pi 4. They will give a message something like "This system requires later firmware".

That can be fixed by adding:

Code: Select all

sudo rpi-eeprom-update -a

before line 74:

Code: Select all

echo ""
echo "Reboot required"
echo ""
echo -n "Reboot now (y/n)? "

I've attached a tweak of RonR's buster2bullseye.

Make sure stretch's sources, listed in

Code: Select all

/etc/apt/sources.list

&

Code: Select all

/etc/apt/sources.list.d/raspi.list

(or wherever stretch's source lists are) match the sources in the file.

[rpdom]

Also, I'm not sure it's true that Bullseye is the only version of Raspberry Pi OS that can run on a 4B. I was definitely running Buster before upgrading to Bullseye, using RonR's script.

The bootcode/firmware in the older images doesn't support the later revisions of Pi 4. They will give a message something like "This system requires later firmware".

That can be fixed by adding:

Code: Select all

sudo rpi-eeprom-update -a

That's not the bit that needs the update. The eeprom code is already installed on the Pi 4B and is correct for that revision.

Anyway, I was talking about running earlier images on a Pi 4B, not tweaking an existing setup with some script which does update the /boot files.