[bjames]

Hi All,

Dumb question, If I do a clean install of IRIX 6.5.8 (using the 6.5.8 overlays) installed from the system miniroot software installation (to a clean disk), is upgrading to 6.5.27 as easy as opening the 3 overlay CDs using software manager? Can this be done to any maintenance stream i.e. 6.5.12m, 6.5.24,, etc

[dexter1]

No, any IRIX version below 6.5.20 needs to have patch 5086 installed first IF you are going to upgrade that system to version 6.5.21 and beyond.

You can find that patch on the first overlay in directory installtools or from http://www.sgidepot.co.uk/depot/patchSG0005086.tar.gz

[bjames]

Awesome.. thanks. What does this patch actually do?

[dexter1]

It updates "inst" and "swmgr" to support the latest IRIX package version introduced in IRIX 6.5.21.

Without that patch, the older "inst" program on your pre-6.5.21 system can't read, unpack or install the newer overlays, thereby failing the upgrade

[bjames]

ok.. that makes sense. Thanks for this information. I am now thinking this is the reason why I was having a heck of a time trying to install the Wacom drivers. The Wacom drivers installed fine, but the Optional Input Devices software fromt he Std Execution Environment would not install from the 6.5.28 overlays as if kept resulting in conflicts that did not make sense. i.e. "Cannot be installed because this version is older than the current version" - even though I was installing a much newer version. I was able to install the 6.5.28 overlays onto the existing 6.5.12 system before I posted this thread. Appart from some conflicts it appeared to work, but now I wondering how much actually installed. Since this was a fresh IRIX install, I think I will wipe the disk and reinstall properly. Thanks

[bjames]

One more question. If I have irix 6.5.12 currently installed, can I update to 6.5.28 or 6.5.30 by running the 5086 patch first, then simply opening overlays 1-3 in swrmgr and installing? Will I need an updated Applications CD?