Github #9382 - Issue User guide for upgrading 4.1 → 4.2 is outdated
Few hours ago, Warthog-Capital writes:
When following the user guide for “clean installation” at How to upgrade to Qubes 4.2 | Qubes OS step by step, the script
qubes-dist-upgradereturns an error: “ERROR: Cannot continue to STAGE 4, dom0 is not R4.2 yet. Any error happened in previous stages?”
I am on Qubes 4.1.2 and followed the instructions at How to upgrade to Qubes 4.2 | Qubes OS to the “T”. Here is the resulting console log:
log
[user@dom0 ~]$ sudo qubes-dom0-update qubes-dist-upgrade
Using sys-firewall as UpdateVM to download updates for Dom0; this may take some time...
Qubes OS Repository for Dom0 2.9 MB/s | 3.0 kB 00:00
Qubes OS Repository for Dom0 65 kB/s | 918 B 00:00
Dependencies resolved.
================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
================================================================================
Installing:
qubes-dist-upgrade noarch 4.1.6-1.fc32 qubes-dom0-cached 13 k
Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Install 1 Package
Total size: 13 k
Installed size: 23 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Running transaction check
Transaction check succeeded.
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded.
Running transaction
Preparing : 1/1
Installing : qubes-dist-upgrade-4.1.6-1.fc32.noarch 1/1
Running scriptlet: qubes-dist-upgrade-4.1.6-1.fc32.noarch 1/1
Verifying : qubes-dist-upgrade-4.1.6-1.fc32.noarch 1/1
Installed:
qubes-dist-upgrade-4.1.6-1.fc32.noarch
Complete!
[user@dom0 ~]$ qubes-dist-upgrade --template-standalone-upgrade
ERROR: This script must be run with root permissions
[user@dom0 ~]$ sudo qubes-dist-upgrade --template-standalone-upgrade
INFO: Please wait while running pre-checks...
INFO: Found sys-usb providing input devices. It will be kept running.
WARNING: /!\ MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MADE A BACKUP OF ALL YOUR VMs AND dom0 DATA /!\
-> Launch upgrade process? [y/N] y
---> Allow shutdown of unnecessary VM (use --keep-running to exclude some): xxx yyy zzz? [y/N]
[user@dom0 ~]$ sudo qubes-dist-upgrade --template-standalone-upgrade
INFO: Please wait while running pre-checks...
INFO: Found sys-usb providing input devices. It will be kept running.
WARNING: /!\ MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MADE A BACKUP OF ALL YOUR VMs AND dom0 DATA /!\
-> Launch upgrade process? [y/N] y
ERROR: Cannot continue to STAGE 4, dom0 is not R4.2 yet. Any error happened in previous stages?
Then writes:
There should be no unexpected interactions not covered in the user guide
The script should upgrade the templates as described in the user guide
The following interactions are unexpected deviations from the user guide:
requirement to run the script as sudo
requirement to shut down all AppVMs (including the AppVM that is used to display the user guide), since otherwise the script will exit
The script does not do what is described in the user guide. Instead of upgrading the templates, it simply exits with an error message.
Instead of downgrading the qubes-dist-upgrade tool as suggested in the forum (link above), the user guide should be fixed to work with the most recent version of the tool.
Analysis and Diagnosis
- Comparing the logs provider by user with the official upgrade guide, stage 1 & 2 appear to be missing. Is user missing the initial steps?
- The official guide clearly mentions that sudo is to be used:
After installing the tool, before-reboot stages can be performed at once with:
sudo qubes-dist-upgrade --all-pre-reboot
- Upgrade script prints the below message:
Allow shutdown of unnecessary VM (use --keep-running to exclude some): xxx yyy zzz? [y/N]
Initial conclusion
Considering that R4.1 is officially End-of-Life and only receives security support at the moment which also ends in two days, it is recommended to advise user to refer to the forum for troubleshooting to be able to upgrade to the supported release.
Requirements
Proper public relation and language skills to communicate with user professionally and politely.