📖 ~1 min read
Table of contents
Symptom & Impact
Update process halts and host stays in partially updated state.
Environment & Reproduction
Appears when local /etc edits overlap upstream base changes.
Root Cause Analysis
etcupdate cannot auto-merge conflicting configuration edits.
Quick Triage
List unresolved conflicts and prioritize critical services first.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
Review conflict hunks against approved baseline templates.
Solution – Primary Fix
Resolve merges explicitly, finish install, and restart impacted daemons.
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Solution – Alternative Approaches
Re-render /etc from config-management source of truth.
Verification & Acceptance Criteria
Update reports complete and key services start cleanly.
Rollback Plan
Boot previous BE or restore /etc backup if regressions occur.
Prevention & Hardening
Keep /etc customizations declarative and tracked in VCS.
Related Errors & Cross-Refs
Related to legacy include files and rc.conf drift.
Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for FreeBSD 13.
View all FreeBSD 13 tutorials on the Tutorials Hub →
Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.
References & Further Reading
freebsd-update and etcupdate manuals.
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