Upgrading from 6.1.6 to 7.0 fails

[Steve Loo]

I'm trying do an upgrade from 6.1.6 to 7.0. I understand that the best way to do this is to start from 6.1 to 6.4, and then 6.4 to 7.0.

I downloaded the bin file (Linux) for 6.4.14 and proceeded on the steps. Each time I come to the part on specifying the Existing installation directory, it gives the error message: 

"The directory you have selected is not a valid JIRA installation directory."

I specified the correct path, which is /opt/jira.home which contains the following folders and files:

analytics-logs  caches  data  dbconfig.xml  export  import  log  logos  monitor  plugins  structure  tmp

This is the only folder that I know with JIRA files, and hence I'm assuming it is the existing JIRA installation. (This installation was done by someone else years ago). In the System Info for the server it also listed:

Location of JIRA home and the Location of JIRA Local Home as /opt/jira.home

Seems like every version I tried, 6.2, 6.3 all gave the same error. 

I also tried to find the configuration tool, the config.sh script but could not find this any where on my server.

Appreciate if someone can throw some light on how to resolve this.

Many Thanks

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

>I specified the correct path, which is /opt/jira.home

Nope, that's the wrong path.

You need to give it the path to the installation, not the home directory (sometimes called the data directory).  Have another look at the system information page, that will give you the installation directory (near the data about the home directory)

[Steve Loo]

Thanks for the response. I have looked through the System Info page and I cannot find the path that would even remotely resemble an installation directory. Attached is an image of of the file paths I see on my System info:

Is there any command I could use in the  command line shell to determine the installation directory?

Much appreciated.

[Steve Loo]

Upon further investigation, I believe I found the installation directory, which did not stand out easily. The directory is called  atlassian-jira-6.1.6.war which is found in /opt. 

Strange that I could not find this listed in the System info page.

Thanks Nic, for pointing out that I was looking at the wrong directory to begin with.

[Steve Loo]

I was too quick to come to a conclusion. Apparently the atlassian-jira-6.1.6.war is not a directory. And I am getting a new set of messages:

You do not have write permissions to the existing installation directory. You will need to log in as a user with administrative permissions to upgrade JIRA.

Since I'm running the installation from the command line, how do I log in as a user with administrative permissions to upgrade JIRA? I'm assuming that it is referring to the JIRA system administrator. I'm currently logged on to the OS as root.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Ah, hang on, you've got a .war installation.  These are not supported any more, and can't be upgraded by the installers.

You'll need to convert to a standalone 6.1.6 first, then you'll be able to upgrade it.

[Steve Loo]

I'm finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I do not even know what it means to convert to a standalone installation. By any chance you know where the instructions for converting a .war installation to a standalone installation?

Thanks for all the help.

[Steve Loo]

Ah. Found the instructions that I needed.

https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/best-practice-to-change-from-war-to-bin-installation-695108985.html

Going to give that a try.

Thanks Nic again for your help.