Re: 14.4 If You Are Upgrading - Suggested Improvements

Peter Eisentraut wrote:
> Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > I have updated the installation documentation to clarify major vs.
> > minor releases; patch attached and applied. I always suspected we
> > were unclear on this. Comments welcome. I am not inclined to
> > backpatch this to 8.2.X because it might be too significant a change.
> > URL of new text:
>
> I think this is too weak:
>
> """
> If you are upgrading from the same major version, the new version can
> use your current data files, so a backup and restore is optional. If
> you wish to avoid the backup/restore, merely skip those steps below.
> """
>
> You write the backup/restore for minor versions is "optional", but when
> would you make use of this option and why would users "wish" or not
> wish to skip the steps? The fact is, the backup and restore is not
> optional, it is just unnecessary, and there is no question about
> whether to skip the rest or not.

OK, I was unsure if we wanted to encourage minor release folks to still
do a backup in case there is a problem.

Updated text:

The internal data storage format typically changes in every major
release of <productname>PostgreSQL</>. Therefore, if you are upgrading
an existing installation that does not have a version number of
<quote>&majorversion;.x</quote>, you must back up and restore your
data. If you are upgrading from the same major version, the new version
can use your current data files so you should skip the backup and
restore steps below because they are unnecessary.

Thanks.

--
Bruce Momjian bruce(at)momjian(dot)us
EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com

+ If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +