AlmaLinux Wiki

# ELevate Testing Guide

WARNING

Before beginning, we HIGHLY recommend that you follow system administration best practices and make sure you have backups and/or snapshots of your system before you proceed. It is recommended to do a trial run in a sandbox to verify that migration worked as expected before you attempt to migrate any production system. Please report any issues encountered to the AlmaLinux Bug Tracker (opens new window) and/or AlmaLinux Chat Migration Channel (opens new window)

Currently, the following migration directions are available:

image

* - migration to CentOS Stream 9 is currently in process and will be available later.
** - migration to Oracle Linux 9 is available with the Oracle Leapp utility (opens new window) and will not be supported by ELevate project.

You need CentOS 7, AlmaLinux 8, EuroLinux 8 or Rocky Linux 8 system installed to use this guide.

  • Fully updated system is required to accomplish the upgrade. So, install the latest system updates first, and reboot.
sudo yum update -y
sudo reboot
  • Download the elevate-testing.repo file with the project testing repo.
sudo curl https://repo.almalinux.org/elevate/testing/elevate-testing.repo -o /etc/yum.repos.d/elevate-testing.repo
  • Import ELevate GPG key
sudo rpm --import https://repo.almalinux.org/elevate/RPM-GPG-KEY-ELevate
  • Install leapp packages and migration data for the OS you want to upgrade.
    Possible options for migration are:
    • leapp-data-almalinux
    • leapp-data-centos
    • leapp-data-eurolinux
    • leapp-data-oraclelinux
    • leapp-data-rocky
sudo yum install -y leapp-upgrade leapp-data-almalinux
  • Start a preupgrade check. In the meanwhile, the Leapp utility creates a special /var/log/leapp/leapp-report.txt file that contains possible problems and recommended solutions. No rpm packages will be installed at this phase.

WARNING

Preupgrade check will fail as the default OS doesn't meet all requirements for migration.

sudo leapp preupgrade

This summary report will help you get a picture of whether it is possible to continue the upgrade.

TIP

In certain configurations, Leapp generates /var/log/leapp/answerfile with true/false questions. Leapp utility requires answers to all these questions in order to proceed with the upgrade.

  • The following fixes from the /var/log/leapp/leapp-report.txt file are the most often, but you can also review the rest of them if needed.
sudo rmmod pata_acpi
echo PermitRootLogin yes | sudo tee -a /etc/ssh/sshd_config
sudo leapp answer --section remove_pam_pkcs11_module_check.confirm=True
sudo leapp answer --section check_vdo.no_vdo_devices=True

Check the ELevate Frequent Issues page for known and frequent issues and guidance steps to solve them.

  • Start an upgrade. You'll be offered to reboot the system after this process is completed.
sudo leapp upgrade
sudo reboot

  • A new entry in GRUB called ELevate-Upgrade-Initramfs will appear. The system will be automatically booted into it. See how the update process goes in the console.

  • After reboot, login to the system and check how the migration went. Verify that the current OS is the one you need.

cat /etc/redhat-release
cat /etc/os-release
rpm -qa | grep el7 # for 7 to 8 migration
rpm -qa | grep el8 # for 8 to 9 migration
cat /var/log/leapp/leapp-report.txt
cat /var/log/leapp/leapp-upgrade.log

TIP

Report your feedback to AlmaLinux Chat Migration Channel (opens new window). We're especially interested in packages left from previous OS version. This information will allow us to improve ELevate configuration files.

# Demo Video

Check Demo of a CentOS 7.x to AlmaLinux 8.x migration using the software and data provided by the AlmaLinux ELevate Project.

← ELevate NG Testing Guide →