Software update

The integrated package is updated with a single click (or API call). By completely overwriting the system partition from a recovery partition, updates are quick and reliable.

Feature updates are released on regular basis, and patches when necessary. There’s an RSS feed on the changelog page. Please see the release notes before updating.

Performing an update

See the software update guide for instructions.

Technical description

Under the hood, the complete software update cycle consists of the following steps:

  1. Download is requested by the API call updateDownloadStart

  1. The updated process queries dl.halon.se for software update information and downloads the update file (tarball) to /storage/halonrecoveryimage and verifies it according to the public key

  1. Installation is requested by the API call updateInstall

  1. The updated process writes an update instruction file to /cfg

  2. The system reboots

  3. The boot loader detects the update instruction file, and boots the recovery partition and

  1. Reads the update instruction file and start in non-interactive mode

  2. Mounts the disk specified in the update instruction

  3. Checks so that the specified update file exists

  4. Erases the system partition

  5. Extracts the update file to the system partition

  6. Removes the update instruction file

  7. Reboots

  1. The system returns to normal operation, using the new software release

  1. The backend process upgrades the configuration if necessary, changing its format

  2. The backend process upgrades the database if necessary, which can take some time depending on size