rgf wrote:

> Currently running NetBSD i386 1.6.1
> I've downloaded the 2.0 sets to my /usr partition:
>     /usr/downloads/NetBSD20/*
>
> I had trouble the last time I upgraded (1.5.2 -> 1.6.1) using sysinst. 
> Namely, I had trouble finding the downloaded sets on my disk from 
> within sysinst (mounting the partition and getting the path right from 
> within sysinst).  I was thinking of upgrading to 2.0 manually like we 
> used to do in NetBSD-mac68k, by copying over the kernel, rebooting, 
> then extracting all of the sets manually with tar or pax.
>
> Will this work, or will there be problems?  The NetBSD INSTALL 
> document says that upgrading using sysinst will replace the boot 
> blocks. Obviously this will be skipped if I extract manually.


Yes, you can upgrade "manually" like this - it's the way I usually do 
it.  Here are the steps I use:

1. Install new kernel and reboot.
2.  extract all sets into / ***except*** for etc.tgz and xetc.tgz
3.  create /tmp/temproot (or some other directory)
4. extract etc.tgz and xetc.tgz into /tmp/temproot
5. run etcupdate -b /tmp/temproot and merge changes to etc files
6. reboot.

... works quite well for me.  Most of my upgrades are smaller jumps than 
1.6 to 2.0, but the principal is the same.  I suggest reading up on 
etcupdate, since that's the trickiest part.

+j