Thank you for the help. I have a feeling that given my lack of experience 
somewhere during this process I may find it easier to download the CD set :)


On Thursday 04 October 2001 12:15 pm, you wrote:
> The FreeBSD Handbook covers this in detail.
>
> Binary upgrade:
> get the 4.4 boot floppies and follow the upgrading instructions.
>
> Source upgrade:
> A summary:
> Go to the FreeBSD website and read about the stable-supfile.
> When you are ready and have edited the file to pick
> a CVSup server, do: cvsup stable-supfile
>
> Read /usr/src/UPDATING so you know what you are getting into !!
>
> edit make.conf if needed.
> First rebuild the userland binaries:
> cd /usr/src
> make buildworld
>
> drop to single user mode:
> shutdown now
>
> install the system:
> make installworld
>
> run mergemaster:
> mergemaster -a <- this is how I do it, read the man page!
>
> reboot
>
> build the kernel:
> cd /usr/src/sys/i386/conf
> copy GENERIC to [SOMENAME}
> edit SOMENAME with the kernel features you want
> and use LINT to figure out what goes where and what it depends on.
>
> setup the kernel sources:
> config [SOMENAME]
>
> build the kernel:
> cd /usr/src
> make buildkernel KERNCONF=[SOMENAME]
> make installkernel KERNCONF=[SOMENAME]
>
> reboot
>
> HTH. HAND
>
> On Wed, Oct 03, 2001 at 10:34:09PM -0700, John W wrote:
> >  I have a copy of FreeBSD 4.1 and was thinking of installing it on an old
> > Compaq Deskpro and noticed on the FreeBSD site that they are now up to
> > ver. 4.4. Does FreeBSD have something along the lines of Debian's apt-get
> > dist i upgrade to perhaps bypass downloading the latest version of
> > FreeBSD and having the latest ? I have little experience with the *BSD's
> > so I am not sure if it is even possible should such a program exist to
> > jump up so many releases.
> >
> >  TIA,
> >
> >  John Wheat