Updating Kernel & World

Obtain or update source:

Obtain the initial source for the build you intend to use.

git clone -b master --single-branch --depth 1  git://github.com/freebsd/freebsd.git /usr/src

 Github changed security in September 2021 

git clone -b master --single-branch --depth 1  https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd.git /usr/src

replace "master" above with "stable/14" if following a stable branch, or any other chosen branch instead.

and then to prepare now for future updates do:

git config pull.rebase true

Update after the source tree is setup:

cd /usr/src

git pull

The build process:

1 Start fresh

make cleanworld

make clean

2 Build world

make -j `sysctl -n hw.ncpu` buildworld

3 Build and install kernel

make -j `sysctl -n hw.ncpu` kernel KERNCONF=GENERIC

4 Go to single user

reboot

Watch for the FreeBSD startup menu, press space as needed to pause it -- choose 'singleuser' by hitting '2'.  It is NOT recommended to use another shell, at the prompt below, tap the return or enter key.

Enter full pathname of shell or RETURN for /bin/sh

5 Regain access to /usr/src

mount all items in /etc/fstab as read-write:

mount -u /

mount all ZFS datasets:

zfs mount -a

cd /usr/src

6 Prepare the system files then install world

Mergemaster removed Nov 20, 2023

mergemaster -p

etcupdate -p

make installworld

Fix date/time as needed:

Should you see the message below, which can appear,

At installworld Make: "/usr/src/Makefile" line 360: Check your date/time

it is a simple fix, type the following command to continue:

adjkerntz -i

7 Interactively modify configuration files to better fit the new install

mergemaster -iUF

etcupdate -n ; etcupdate

8 Cleanup possibly conflicting remnant files

yes|make delete-old

yes|make delete-old-libs

Reboot into your new updated kernel and world.