[Dovecot] Best way to upgrade from 1.0a4 to 1.0a5

[Andy Cravens]

Cliff...  you need to specify the install directory when you configure.  
I would recommend including the version number in the directory name to 
make it easier to keep track of versions.  I also place the config file 
in a "shared" directory like /etc so I can use the same config file for 
any version.  Again, you have to make sure there are no config 
incompatabilities between versions before you switch.   Here's what I 
did on a Solaris host but you should be able to do this on Fedora.  
Common file locations may be different on Linux vs. Solaris hosts but 
the idea is the same.

Example installing under /opt
1) ./configure --prefix=/opt/dovecot-1.0.a5 --sysconfdir=/etc (add other 
options here as needed for your install)
2) make
3) make install
4) cd /opt
5) ln -s dovecot-1.0a5 dovecot
6) edit your start/stop scripts to look at /opt/dovecot and NOT 
/opt/dovecot-1.0a5

Then, to change versions you just do:
1) cp /etc/dovecot.conf /etc/dovecot.conf.backup  (backup the conf file)
2) cd /opt
3) rm dovecot
4) ln -s dovecot-1.0.a6 dovecot  (notice I put aplha6 only as an example)
5) /etc/init.d/dovecot restart  (Restart script would be different on linux)

The advantage to doing it this way is that you have a complete 
installation of each version.  The only thing I change between versions 
is the symbolic link /opt/dovecot.  Once I'm sure I won't be going back 
to the old version I will delete the old directory.




Cliff Hayes wrote:

>Here's what I do to install on a Fedora 4 system with sendmail:
>
>1) tar -zxvf dovecot-1.0.alpha4.tar.gz
>2) cd dovecot-1.0.alpha4
>3) ./configure --with-pop3d --with-passwd --with-shadow
>4) make
>5) make install
>6) edit the dovecot.conf
>7) create the /usr/local/var directory
>8) add a dovecot group and user
>9) and finally, add /usr/local/sbin/dovecot to /etc/rc.d/rc.local so that it
>starts on reboot
>
>I'm thinking the install must have put dovecot in /usr/local/sbin because I
>don't remember putting it there.  I see two dovecot files in
>/usr/local/sbin:  dovecot & dovecotpw.  So, if I understand you correctly,
>you are saying I can move those files and create symbolic links to them.
>What if I just rename them and give them an extension of .alpha4 so that
>they won't be used after I install alpha5?  Then, just do a couple of
>renames if I have to fall-back.  However, I don't think those are the only 2
>files dovecot uses when executing (I also see pop3 running often).
>
>  
>