Help upgrading a long neglected Jenkins install

Using Jenkins
1

Today I inherited the Jenkins server that our Legacy team uses to maintain older version of our applications. It hasn’t been updated in years, and I’m asked to get it upgraded so that it stops getting dinged on our vulnerability scans. I’ve tried using this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEO7dOxHvgU&t=144s but my Support Core plugin won’t work, it says that it’s built for Jenkins 2.361.4 or newer and won’t run. I’ve also read through a few posts on this forum, but they seem heavy on broad concepts, light on actual help. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance,
Tim

Jenkins setup:

Jenkins: 2.347
OS: Windows Server 2016 - 10.0
Java: 1.8.0_144 - Oracle Corporation (Java HotSpot™ Client VM)

ace-editor:1.1
antisamy-markup-formatter:1.5
apache-httpcomponents-client-4-api:4.5.13-1.0
bootstrap4-api:4.6.0-4
bootstrap5-api:5.1.3-6
bouncycastle-api:2.26
build-timeout:1.20
caffeine-api:2.9.3-65.v6a_47d0f4d1fe
checks-api:1.7.3
cloudbees-folder:6.714.v79e858ef76a_2
command-launcher:81.v9c2cb_cb_db_392
config-file-provider:3.9.0
credentials:1087.1089.v2f1b_9a_b_040e4
credentials-binding:523.vd859a_4b_122e6
display-url-api:2.3.6
durable-task:496.va67c6f9eefa7
echarts-api:5.3.2-1
email-ext:2.88
envinject:2.854.vfa_1657078c97
envinject-api:1.199.v3ce31253ed13
font-awesome-api:6.0.0-1
git:4.11.1
git-client:3.11.0
git-parameter:0.9.16
git-server:1.10
htmlpublisher:1.30
jackson2-api:2.13.2.20220328-273.v11d70a_b_a_1a_52
javax-activation-api:1.2.0-3
javax-mail-api:1.6.2-6
jdk-tool:1.5
jquery:1.12.4-1
jquery3-api:3.6.0-3
jsch:0.1.55.2
junit:1.63
mailer:414.vcc4c33714601
matrix-auth:2.6.6
matrix-project:771.v574584b_39e60
msbuild:1.30
okhttp-api:4.9.3-105.vb96869f8ac3a
pam-auth:1.8
plain-credentials:1.8
plugin-util-api:2.16.0
popper-api:1.16.1-3
popper2-api:2.11.5-1
resource-disposer:0.19
ruby-runtime:0.12
scm-api:608.vfa_f971c5a_a_e9
script-security:1158.v7c1b_73a_69a_08
simple-theme-plugin:103.va_161d09c38c7
snakeyaml-api:1.30.1
ssh-agent:1.24.1
ssh-credentials:277.v95c2fec1c047
ssh-slaves:1.29.4
sshd:3.228.v4c9f9e652c86
structs:318.va_f3ccb_729b_71
timestamper:1.13
token-macro:293.v283932a_0a_b_49
trilead-api:1.57.v6e90e07157e1
variant:1.4
windows-slaves:1.8
workflow-api:1144.v61c3180fa_03f
workflow-cps:2689.v434009a_31b_f1
workflow-cps-global-lib:570.v21311f4951f8
workflow-durable-task-step:2.38
workflow-job:1180.v04c4e75dce43
workflow-scm-step:399.v9b_8f4da_65061
workflow-step-api:625.vd896b_f445a_f8
workflow-support:819.v37d707a_71d9b_
ws-cleanup:0.42

2

As a follow-up, would it be better/advisable to stand up a fresh Jenkins install and migrate the data to it? Is that even possible?

3

I have done this, but it was on Linux.
It was awhile ago so I can’t remember the version details, but what I basically did due to no upgrade path, was a fresh install, backup /var/lib/jenkins (jenkins_home) on the old server, then moved that to the new server and restarted Jenkins. There were some other fiddly steps, but that more to do with our air-gapped network. Plugins were more of an issue, due to dealing with deprecated versions and dependancy hell lol
I have never done it on windows, so that may have it’s own issues…?
Good luck with it

4

Hello @zeunasc and welcome to this community. :wave:

Please give a look at: Back of the Napkin Guide to Updating Jenkins, for the uninitiated .
You may find it useful.

1 Like
5

Thank you both. I was thinking that a fresh install would be the easiest path.