Updating my Grafana Server from Version 6.5.1 to Version 9.2

Grafana Installation
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Hi folks
I am trying to upgrade a Grafana server from version 6.5.1 to 9.2, I have found a couple of articles saying it would be as simple as copying the custom/config.ini file and pasting it in the new version and then starting it but that seriously cant be so easy right?

Wondering if anyone can give me a step by step of how the heck I am meant to upgrade the server and keep all the labels/tags without having to replace them

  • What Grafana version and what operating system are you using?
    I am currently using Grafana Version 6.5.1 on Windows 10 but the Grafana server is hosted on Windows Server 2016, winver version 14393.6085

  • What are you trying to achieve?
    Just trying to update the server without losing data sources and tags/labels

I have tried to follow How to Move/Migrate Grafana to a newer version/system on a local/container environment - Grafana / How To - Grafana Labs Community Forums but it does not seem to be so simple

Look forward to getting some help

Thanks!

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welcome @GrafanaPenguin

I’d recommend reviewing the release notes and changelog so you know what changes have happened since Grafana 6.x. You’ll also want to back up the database that grafana uses and plugins in case you want to roll back.

In addition, @yosiasz has given really good advice to the community regarding this topic

here is one example (even though not Windows-centered)

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DISCLAIMER: Make sure you fully test this migration in a test environment with actual users logging in and actual user identity management you use.

Try this on another Windows server you can test this on.

I would go with the “upgrade one full version at a time” approach
6 to 7
7 to 8
8 to 9

A. From your v6 grafana folder make a copy of the conf and data folders to your test server. You might have to stop the grafana service 1st for this, not sure.

  1. Download the last of v7 - grafana-7.5.17.windows-amd64.zip
  2. Download the last of v8 - grafana-8.5.27.windows-amd64.zip
  3. Download the last of v9 - grafana-9.5.7.windows-amd64.zip
    extract #1 into folder grafana-7.5.17
    extract #2 into folder grafana-8.5.27
    extract #3 into folder grafana-9.5.7

go into grafana-7.5.17 folder and then into the bin folder and run the grafana-server.exe
after a minute, close out the exe window.

copy and overwrite both data and conf folders from point A, into the grafana-7.5.17 folder. Then go to the bin folder of grafana-7.5.17 and run the grafana-server.exe

Go to localhost:3000 if that is your port on the v6.5.1 or check the default.ini file in the conf folder grafana-7.5.17

Please post back when you have done this or you are stuck.

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Hi yosiasz

Sorry for the late response. I followed your instructions word for word but when opening the Grafana server after overwriting the conf and data files it opens for a split second and closes instantly. Then checking to see if the new server version has booted and it hasn’t multiple times I have tried this.

Any other suggestions, thank you!

1 Like
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Go into the log file and see what it says, the top one grafana.log

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Hi Yosiasz unfortunately in the new version i was looking at installing 9.2 there has been no logs generated today only on the old server where it states how I stopped and started the Grafana Service

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are you working on the same server where 6.5 is on or a test server?
Also which step are you on? we wanted to first test things out one step at a time starting with grafana-7.5.17 Are you on step for grafana-7.5.17?

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Hi Yosiasz
I am on version 7.5.17 and have connected to my localhost:3000 but none of my data sources seem to load onto my dashboards even though when saving and testing they all claim successful

1 Like
10

I am not sure I follow where you are at. not sure if you are following what was recommended.