How to Upgrade from CentOS 7 to CentOS 8

Upgrading your CentOS system from version 7 to version 8 involves a series of steps that ensure a smooth transition between the two releases. CentOS 8 introduced new features, improved performance, and enhanced security measures compared to CentOS 7.

If you need to upgrade from CentOS 7 to CentOS 8, this step-by-step guide will walk you through the process, ensuring a successful upgrade and minimal downtime.

Step 1: Backup Your Data

Before starting any significant system upgrade, it’s crucial to back up your important data. This backup will help you restore your system if anything goes wrong during the upgrade process.

You can use tools like rsync or tar to create backups of your essential files, directories, and databases.

sudo rsync -avz /path/to/your/data /path/to/backup/location

Or,

sudo tar czvf /path/to/backup/location/backup.tar.gz /path/to/your/data

Step 2: Update CentOS 7

Ensure your CentOS 7 system is up-to-date with the latest packages and security updates:

sudo yum update -y
sudo yum upgrade -y

Step 3: Install the EPEL Repository (Optional)

Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) is a repository that contains additional packages for CentOS systems. If you have it installed on your CentOS 7 system, you should update it to the CentOS 8 version:

sudo yum install -y epel-release

Step 4: Install the CentOS 8 Release Package

Download and install the CentOS 8 release package:

sudo yum install -y https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-8.noarch.rpm
sudo yum install -y https://repo.centos.org/centos/8/BaseOS/x86_64/os/Packages/centos-linux-repos-8-3.el8.noarch.rpm
sudo yum install -y https://repo.centos.org/centos/8/BaseOS/x86_64/os/Packages/centos-linux-release-8.5-11.el8.noarch.rpm
sudo yum install -y https://repo.centos.org/centos/8/BaseOS/x86_64/os/Packages/centos-gpg-keys-8-3.el8.noarch.rpm

Step 5: Perform the Upgrade

Now, you’re ready to upgrade your system. First, remove the CentOS 7 release package:

sudo rpm -e --nodeps centos-release

Next, upgrade your system to CentOS 8:

sudo yum upgrade -y

Step 6: Reboot Your System

After the upgrade process completes, reboot your system to apply the changes and load CentOS 8:

sudo reboot

Step 7: Verify the Upgrade

Once your system has rebooted, check if the upgrade was successful:

cat /etc/centos-release

If the output shows “CentOS Linux release 8.x”, your system has been successfully upgraded.

Commands Mentioned:

• rsync – Synchronize files and directories between two locations
• tar – Create and extract archive files
• yum update – Update installed packages to the latest versions
• yum upgrade – Upgrade installed packages, including kernel, with smart conflict resolution
• yum install – Install specified packages and their dependencies
• rpm – Manage RPM packages
• reboot – Restart the system
• cat – Display the contents of a file

Conclusion

Following this guide should have helped you successfully upgrade your CentOS 7 system to CentOS 8. Always remember to create backups before performing significant system upgrades and verify the successful completion of the upgrade process.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for improvement, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and it helps us create better and more informative content for our users.