Upgrade path FreeNAS to Current

TrueNAS General
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I have a HP Proliant Microserver N36L currently running FreeNAS 11.0-U4

I want to update FreeNAS, either to the latest TrueNAS core or to whatever would be
best for my hardware.

Have a few questions/concerns…
1.) What upgrade path should I take?
11 → 11.2 → 11.3 ->12 ->12.1 ->…-> 13
Or
11.0 → 11.3 → TrueNAS

Also, the first few updates I would need to manually do as 11.0 is not detecting any updates anymore, not linking to the correct download/update repository
Is there anyone that can step me through which versions to install.

2.) I used to have a Jail with a plex server running on it (its still all there but for some reason I can’t get to the plex server anymore from a web browser), I know that in 11.2 FreeNAS started moving away from Warden to IOCage and I read that there are scripts or ways to convert the jails

Question is, with my older version of FreeNAS should I try recover my Jail and Plex server… or just start from scratch?

All help and info is greatly apreciated

2

As a first step, I’d recommend you document your set-up.

Is it simple or complex with many shares?
Do you need to preserve you config or just your data?

To preserve configs and make upgrades easy… we generally recommend stepping through each major release. However, its a long path.

If the goal is just to preserve the data, the OpenZFS pool can be imported into a recent release. Rebuild the Plex App and reimport its data.

if you can describe your setup and needs, you’ll get better advice.

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In particular, if you’re still using Warden it’s easier and faster to recreate the jails rather than trying to hack together a migration path.

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If you are using legacy encryption, do note it’s no longer supported.
Also, things changed regarding datasets and ZFS encryption.

Yeah, lots of stuff about encryption happened: worth searching the old forum. Oh, and DO NOT use PLUGINS: they are half dead.

5

Very Simple setup…
HP Proliant Microserver N36L
Updated Bios to allow 5th drive
4x 3TB drives, 1x 6TB Drive, 1x SSD (OS)

Basic file share so 1 volume RaidZ2, running SMB
no encryption (nothing on it is sensitive information)

Then as an addition, a jail running Plex.

I don’t mind the long upgrade path if it gets me to the right destination, I just need to know WHICH versions I am installing. (and where to grab them)

I’m going to probably need help with rebuilding the Plex app and importing.
otherwise… if need be, will have to scrap and start fresh on that front

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When you say do not use plugins… which in perticular? and as apposed to what?

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As opposed to self-maintained jails.
Plugins are no longer maintained (possibly never were…), and if they are half-dead I’m unsure what the half-living part is.

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What would be each major release then?

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I think we’ve agreed it is best to go to the final release and then rebuild the Plex App.

I would recommend using SCALE and Apps. You could use SCALE 23.10.2 or the new Dragonfish. 24.04.0

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If you decide to go SCALE, I suggest going Dragonfish: lots of fixes and improvements over 23.

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I don’t think we actually agreed on anything.
you noted that to keep configs and data intact, would be best to upgrade through each major release.

And Davvo did say not to use apps

Sorry to also ask… what is Dragonfish?

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Plugins! Apps are a SCALE thing, plugins are a CORE vestige.

SCALE’s version 24.04.xx – iX’s likes to use fish names for their new releases.

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i guess some clarification is needed here: iX announced that in time, they will abandon TrueNAS Core (you have FreeNAS which is basically now TrueNAS Core) and put all their money on TrueNAS Scale. The big difference is Core is based on FreeBSD and Scale is based on Linux.

For Core, you would be able just to upgrade to the latest level upgrading through every major release, as mentioned before. As far as i know, you might be able to save Plex by upgrading the jail with the iocage upgrade command but i am unsure if this is a reliable process. When it is stated, “don’t use plugins” this refers to Core as the original plugin section has been unmaintained for quite some time now. It would be better to use a script (like @dan 's scripts to get that done)

For Scale, you could migrate from Core to Scale through the GUI but bear in mind, your Plex instance (plugin or manual jail) will cease to run and would need to be set up from scratch in Scale.

Does this help?

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Ah… Apps not Plugins… gotcha. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

does this mean jails are not needed then?

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SCALE does not have jails. Well, we found a way to have them anyway.

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It does clear some things up, but does not entirely help…

My FreeNAS GUI is not showing any update paths…so this is not going to help.
Why I asked what update path I should follow, then I was told to update through the major releases, I then asked what the major releases are, and there was no answer.

Does anyone have an actual link to Dan’s script?

Thank you so far for the information guys

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I believe a major update is a change in .number, like from 11.1 to 11.2. @Captain_Morgan please confirm this.

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For Plex? Sure:

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Its recommended as a 2 step process to SCALE:

Upgrade to 13.0-U6.1

You do have option of staying on 13.0 and using Dan’s jail/plex script.

Sidegrade to SCALE

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Okay… Thank you again for the answers guys, I appreciate the help.

Sorry for being a pain about all of this, but I would rather be sure than screw it all up.

So I’m going directly to 13.0?
(will my shares and configs be kept in place?)

Then im using dans script to convert the Plex jail?