Hello!

Due to the article:

      https://wiki.debian.org/CrossGrading

and also very helpful blog:

      https://stbuehler.de/blog/article/2017/06/28/debian_stretch__upgrade_32-bit_to_64-bit.html


I was able to crossgrade Debian Stretch production system with  apache,
samba, exim, fetchmail, dovecot, hylafax, pure-ftpd.

Full procedure is in tree steps: 

-- install apt:64 and dpkg:64 with apt-get
-- download all *.deb files, install lib.*deb with dpkg
-- install all *.deb with dpkg

This is good, because we don't see apt screaming about errors until 
instalation is complete. 

I have tried this procedure on three servers and always worked. 



########################################
# 64 bit kernel running, current arch is i386, foreign amd64
root@test:~# dpkg --print-architecture
i386
root@test:~# dpkg --print-foreign-architectures
amd64
root@test:~# uname -a
Linux test 4.9.0-6-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.9.82-1+deb9u2 (2018-02-21) x86_64 GNU/Linux



########################################
# sources.list -- minimalistic, only debian repositories, only three default lines 
root@test:~# cat /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian stretch main 
deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian stretch-updates main
deb http://security.debian.org stretch/updates main



########################################
# tell apt no to install suggested or recommended packages
root@test:~# cat /etc/apt/apt.conf
APT::Install-Recommends "false";
APT::Install-Suggests "false";



########################################
# make sure everything is in clean state
root@test:~# apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade 
... # should do nothing

root@test:~# dpkg -l | egrep -v '^ii'
... # should print no packages



########################################
# make sure all packages are installable 

root@test:~# apt-get clean; apt-get update 
....

# only files from minimalistic sources.list
root@test:~# ls /var/lib/apt/lists/*_Packages
/var/lib/apt/lists/httpredir.debian.org_debian_dists_stretch_main_binary-amd64_Packages
/var/lib/apt/lists/httpredir.debian.org_debian_dists_stretch_main_binary-i386_Packages
/var/lib/apt/lists/httpredir.debian.org_debian_dists_stretch-updates_main_binary-amd64_Packages
/var/lib/apt/lists/httpredir.debian.org_debian_dists_stretch-updates_main_binary-i386_Packages
/var/lib/apt/lists/security.debian.org_dists_stretch_updates_main_binary-amd64_Packages
/var/lib/apt/lists/security.debian.org_dists_stretch_updates_main_binary-i386_Packages

root@test:~# egrep '^Package' /var/lib/apt/lists/*_Packages -h | awk '{ print $2 }' | sort | sed 's/:(i386|amd64)$//' | uniq > /tmp/available_packages

# should print nothing 
root@test:~# dpkg -l | grep '^.i' | awk '{ print $2 }' | sed -r 's/:(i386|amd64)$//' | while read F; do grep -Fxq "$F" /tmp/available_packages || echo $F; done



###################################
# save data for later reference
root@test:~# dpkg --get-selections > getsel.txt
root@test:~# apt-mark showauto > auto.txt
root@test:~# apt-mark showmanual > manual.txt

root@test:~# apt-get clean; ls /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb
ls: nie ma dostępu do '/var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb': Nie ma takiego pliku ani katalogu


*** migawka -- od nowa


##############################################
# install dpkg and apt as in tutorials 
root@test:~# apt-get --download-only install dpkg:amd64 apt:amd64
root@test:~# ls /var/cache/apt/archives/
apt_1.4.8_amd64.deb     libapt-pkg5.0_1.4.8_amd64.deb   libstdc++6_6.3.0-18+deb9u1_amd64.deb  partial
dpkg_1.18.24_amd64.deb  libbz2-1.0_1.0.6-8.1_amd64.deb  lock
root@test:~# dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb
# shows errors... run once again
root@test:~# dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb
# no errors this time... 
root@test:~# dpkg --print-architecture 
amd64
root@test:~# dpkg --print-foreign-architectures
i386
root@test:~# dpkg -l | egrep amd64 | wc -l 
26
root@test:~# dpkg -l | egrep i386 | wc -l 
395

######################################################################
# download all packages needed for installation; these are all packages
# marked as "i386" but in "amd64" version; this just download to the current
# directory;

root@test:~# mkdir working-dir; cd working-dir; 

root@test:~# apt-get download $(dpkg -l | awk '{print $2}'  | egrep ':i386$' | egrep -v '^linux-image-' | sed 's/i386$/amd64/g')
...

root@test:~# ls *.deb | wc -l 
393


#######################################################
# install libraries, only libraries first; libraries amd64
# use dpkg, not apt; you can run that command a few times

root@test:~# dpkg -i lib*.deb
... # shows many lines... 15 packages failed
 liblocale-gettext-perl_1.07-3+b1_amd64.deb
 libautovivification-perl
 libbit-vector-perl
 libclone-perl
 libdbd-sybase-perl
 libdbi-perl
 libhtml-parser-perl
 liblist-moreutils-perl
 libnet-ssleay-perl
 libparams-util-perl
 libsmbclient:amd64
 libtext-charwidth-perl
 libtext-iconv-perl
 libxml-libxml-perl

root@test:~# dpkg --configure -a
root@test:~# dpkg --configure -a


##########################################################
# almost all libraries are in place, so install all *.deb files

root@test:~# dpkg -i *.deb

# run this a few times
root@test:~# dpkg --configure -a
root@test:~# dpkg --configure -a
root@test:~# dpkg --configure -a


########################################################
# now try to run "apt-get install" as in tutorials; when errors are about
# python, then install all debs with python; if errors are about samba install
# all debs with samba; when errors are about i386 libraries remove them;
# to remove or add use "dpkg -i"; try also "dpkg --configure -a"

root@test:~# dpkg -i python*.deb
root@test:~# dpkg -i samba-libs_2%3a4.5.12+dfsg-2+deb9u1_amd64.deb

root@test:~# apt-get install
... # errors
root@test:~# dpkg -i bash_4.4-5_amd64.deb dash_0.5.8-2.4_amd64.deb liblocale-gettext-perl_1.07-3+b1_amd64.deb

root@test:~# apt-get install
... # errors

root@test:~# dpkg -r libisccc-export140:i386 liblognorm5:i386 samba-libs:i386 libsmbclient:i386
... # no erorrs


################################################
# check if everything is in place, reboot

root@test:~# apt-get install 
... # no erorrs, shows many packages for autoremoval 

root@test:~# dpkg -l | egrep 'i386' | wc -l 
213
root@test:~# dpkg -l | egrep 'amd64' | wc -l 
399

# make sure that every package :i386 has installed :amd64 version
root@test:~# dpkg -l | awk '{ print $2 }' | egrep i386 | sed 's/:i386//' | while read F; do dpkg -l | egrep "$F.*amd64" -q || echo "$F"; done
libstdc++6
linux-image-4.9.0-6-686-pae
linux-image-686-pae
... # this is okey, kernel is old, and "++" is wrong regex for grep 

# remove i386 packages
root@test:~# apt-get purge $(dpkg -l | egrep :i386 | awk '{ print $2; }' | egrep ':i386$' )


# check if errors
root@test:~# apt-get clean; apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade
... # errors, warns, I see login problem and e2fsprogs problem -- tries to remove them; STOP! 

root@test:~# dpkg -i e2fsprogs_1.43.4-2_amd64.deb
...
root@test:~# dpkg -i login_1%3a4.4-4.1_amd64.deb
... 

# check if errors
root@test:~# apt-get clean; apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade
... # no errors

# remove architecutre 
root@test:~# dpkg --remove-architecture i386
root@test:~# dpkg --print-architecture
amd64
root@test:~# dpkg --print-foreign-architectures
root@test:~# apt-get clean; apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade
... # no errors at all!
t@test:~# dpkg -l | egrep -v '^ii'
... # completely clean! 


# update lilo or grub; reboot 


email: 
leszek    \shift-2    dubiel   \point   pl