inplace upgrade from NW5.0 SP3? to NW 6.5

[tekieVB]

I have read the System Requirements for NetWare 6.5. I am planning on installing SP6A for NW5.0, should I stay with NDS v7.x or go ahead and install NDS v8.73 that is included with SP6A? I don't want to have to downgrade the server after applying the SP if I don't have to.

What version of DS is required to upgrade from a NW5.0 to NW6.5 - also should I go ahead and apply the latest SP for NetWare 6 at the same time?

 

[marvhuffaker]

You can't install eDir 8.7.3 on a NetWare 5.0 box.

If you're going to do an inplace upgrade, you need to patch it as much as possible first. Sp6A. There's no worry about downgrading.

However, I would strongly recommend not doing an inplace upgrade. You would be better to install NetWare 6.5 onto a new server, then migrate from the old server. You will have less baggage that way. Plus you will be able to use NSS which is better. If you upgrade, you will keep your traditional file system as it won't be converted in the upgrade.

Marvin Huffaker MCNE, CNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[tekieVB]

Thanks for the reply Marvin.

Here is my situation. The client wants to spend as little money as possible. The box is a Pentium III 550MHZ w/ mirrored 4GB SCSI HD, 384MB RAM. We are upgrading the RAM to meet the minmum NW6.5 requirements.

The NW5.0 server only hosts 5 users and is in a seperate NDS tree by itself.

I recommended we purchase additional memory($200), backup the database (160MB) and do a clean install. When they built the 5.0 server they only created a 250MB DOS partiton which I can not free up enough disk space for the NW6.5 install. The server has been running NW5.0 for years and they have had no performance issues plus they still had over 3.5GB free disk space so I can't really recommend that they go out and buy a new box - other than now would be the time to do this but the customer states there are no funds available for a new fileserver.

So I guess my question was a waste of time - but I only found out the details last night.

Once again thanks for the reply.

 

[macfoxx]

Hi
If I remember you can upgrade inplace only NW 5.1 or higher to NW 6.5. Run Migration wizard from CD1 NW6.5 it's check all components on your server and reports to you. I'm affraid that your HDD is to small and for good performace you have to use 1 GB RAM.
Regards
Mac Foxx

 

[marvhuffaker]

That's a good point.. NW6.5 will eat most of your storage space. If you're upgrading to just upgrade and get to a supported platform, you're probably best to do Netware 5.1 with your current hardware. NW6.0 maybe, but even that's a stretch.

Marvin Huffaker MCNE, CNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[tekieVB]

Thanks to all for your recommendations and insights.

We contacted Novell and they stated that we can indeed upgrade from NW 5.0.

 

[tekieVB]

Update - not sure who I talked to at Novell before but I am glad you guys brought it up, forced me to check again and this time it was a different person at SUPPORT.

I would have to upgrade to v5.1 first then upgrade to NW6.5

You guys are GREAT!

Thanks......

 

[LawnBoy]

These guys don't blow no smoke...

Disk space is your biggest problem. 6.5 will want 500Mb for DRDOS and then will want a minimum 4Gb SYS: volume. Then you need user space...

 

[sstoppel]

TekieVB, you do need to upgrade to 5.1 but you don't need a LICENSED 5.1. If you can obtain the media just do the upgrade w/o bothering with licensing, then proceed to 6.5.

The DOS partition is another matter. You will need to resize it or get a new disk, like an ide, make it the boot disk, copy the DOS partition over, set the new active partition, and then do an in-place upgrade. (I would test this in a lab environment first so you are familiar with the process.)