Upgrading BackTrack 4 Final (or R1) to BackTrack R2

[Archangel-Amael]

Here is the official update guide for BackTrack R2.

Upgrading - BackTrack Linux

EDIT: This guide will work for upgrading from BackTrack 4 Final or BackTrack R1 to BackTrack R2
If you have problems with this please post them here in this thread.


EDIT: I did not write this guide. Muts did. So any and all credit goes to him. I just linked to it here for him.

[thaijames]

I get the same error on two different computers that previously have R1 installed:

Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.35.8_2.6.35.8-10.00.Custom_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

I did a manual install and got the following:
root@bt:~/scripts# dpkg --install /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.35.8_2.6.35.8-10.00.Custom_i386.deb
(Reading database ... 256383 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking linux-image-2.6.35.8 (from .../linux-image-2.6.35.8_2.6.35.8-10.00.Custom_i386.deb) ...
Ok, aborting, since modules for this image already exist.
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.35.8_2.6.35.8-10.00.Custom_i386.deb (--install):
subprocess pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Running postrm hook script /sbin/update-grub.
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Searching for default file ... found: /boot/grub/default
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst
Searching for splash image ... found: /boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34
Found kernel: /boot/memtest86+.bin
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done

Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.35.8_2.6.35.8-10.00.Custom_i386.deb

I continued the process and prepare the kernel sources and got the following error:

root@bt:/usr/src/linux# cp /boot/config-2.6.35.8 .config
cp: cannot stat `/boot/config-2.6.35.8': No such file or directory
root@bt:/usr/src/linux#

Without a config file I did not continue this process.

[roybatty]

Worked fine for me (R1 -> R2). Thank you Archangel-Amael.

Edit.: Thanks to Mati then for the tutorial and yourself for linking it

Updated first machine (cabled), no issues. Then tried a second one (wireless):

phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'iwl-3945-rs'
iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2
iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

Edit 2: Yep, I confirm microcode is missing.

Quick and dirty fix:

cp /lib/firmware-2.6.34/iwl* /lib/firmware-2.6.35.8/

BTW, export your firefox bookmarks in advance.

[LHYX1]

It worked perfect for me.
Altough I have one question. I have backtrack installed next to a windows partition. And when my computer starts up GRUB, it shows 2 versions of backtrack. They both have backtrack R2 next to them but a different kernal version. How can I delete the old kernal version ?

[Archangel-Amael]

Well if you want to remove the old kernel you can easily grab a shell

 root@bt:# uname -r

and then

 root@bt:# apt-get remove --purge 2.6.2x-xx-xx

where xx is the kernel you do not want, the opposite one from the output of the first command. But honestly it's probably better to leave it, first it doesn't take up that much room, and second if something goes wrong with the kernel in place you have a backup one.

[LHYX1]

Ok then I will just leave it this way.
Thanks anyway !

[ckyned]

hi,

i already google the solution but no avail, any idea?

apt-get update
Ign Index of / intrepid Release.gpg
Ign Index of / intrepid/universe Translation-en_US
Hit SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce Release.gpg
Ign SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/main Translation-en_US
Ign SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/microverse Translation-en_US
Ign SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/macroverse Translation-en_US
Ign SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/universe Translation-en_US
Ign SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce Release
Ign Index of / intrepid Release
Hit SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/main Packages
Ign Index of / intrepid/universe Packages
Hit SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/microverse Packages
Hit SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/macroverse Packages
Hit SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/restricted Packages
Hit SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/universe Packages
Hit SUN Backtrack Linux Repository pwnsauce/multiverse Packages
Err Index of / intrepid/universe Packages
404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.30 80]
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net intrepid-getdeb Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net intrepid-getdeb/apps Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net intrepid-getdeb Release
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net intrepid-getdeb/apps Packages
Err http://archive.getdeb.net intrepid-getdeb/apps Packages
302 Found
W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dis...86/Packages.gz 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.30 80]

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.getdeb.net/ubuntu/dis...86/Packages.gz 302 Found

E: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.


Thanks.

[axel24]

Hello everyone. I tried to upgrade my r1 to r2 version of backtrack i installed succesfully the kernel through the guide but when i try to boot in with the new kernel 2.6.35.8 after of some modules loading stops with that BusyBox message and i cannot boot up. I searched the forum for some help about but i didn't find any info how to solve that! I will be gratefull for some guidance. Thank you in advance all.