How can I get the latest version of MariaDB?

[RDK]

About a week ago I installed MariaDB via

sudo apt-get install mariadb-server

and it is all working just fine. However, I just tried to use the ROW_NUMBER() function and MariaDB throws a syntax error. Further investigation (https://mariadb.com/kb/en/library/row_number/) seems to indicate the this function is only available in version 10.2 or later. Mine is

Server version: 10.1.38-MariaDB-0+deb9u1 Raspbian 9.0

Is there a way to safely get this newer version? Evidently the STRETCH repositories are loading the older version.
I have a work-around so this is not "mission critical". Thanks...RDK

[fruitoftheloom]

About a week ago I installed MariaDB via

sudo apt-get install mariadb-server

and it is all working just fine. However, I just tried to use the ROW_NUMBER() function and MariaDB throws a syntax error. Further investigation (https://mariadb.com/kb/en/library/row_number/) seems to indicate the this function is only available in version 10.2 or later. Mine is

Server version: 10.1.38-MariaDB-0+deb9u1 Raspbian 9.0

Is there a way to safely get this newer version? Evidently the STRETCH repositories are loading the older version.
I have a work-around so this is not "mission critical". Thanks...RDK

You should now be running Raspbian Buster as that is now the Officially Supported Operating System:

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/buster ... -raspbian/

[rpdom]

You should now be running Raspbian Buster as that is now the Officially Supported Operating System:

Fruity is correct. The version of mariadb-server in Raspbian Buster is 10.3.15-1

[graysky]

Sounds like you just need to update your existing distro to get what you need. If you find that Raspbian does not provide the version you need, you can consider Arch ARM which usually ships packages following upstream releases with minimal delay. For example mariadb 10.4.7 is currently offered for arm7h which is the current upstream version.

[B.Goode]

Sounds like you just need to update your existing distro to get what you need.

The questioner only installed the database package a week ago. Do you have any solid evidence that an update for it has been released in the intervening period?

[fruitoftheloom]

Sounds like you just need to update your existing distro to get what you need.

The questioner only installed the database package a week ago. Do you have any solid evidence that an update for it has been released in the intervening period?

The OP is running end of life Stretch which has MariaDB 10.1.x, whereas Buster has 10.3.x...

[B.Goode]

Sounds like you just need to update your existing distro to get what you need.

The questioner only installed the database package a week ago. Do you have any solid evidence that an update for it has been released in the intervening period?

The OP is running end of life Stretch which has MariaDB 10.1.x, whereas Buster has 10.3.x...

Quite so.

Which is why " you just need to update your existing distro " looks like unhelpful advice...


Edit. Typo - changed 'quote' to Quite.

And to clarify - this was intended in support of the post from @fruitoftheloom, not in contradiction to it...

[fruitoftheloom]

The questioner only installed the database package a week ago. Do you have any solid evidence that an update for it has been released in the intervening period?

The OP is running end of life Stretch which has MariaDB 10.1.x, whereas Buster has 10.3.x...

Quote so.

Which is why " you just need to update your existing distro " looks like unhelpful advice...

That is factual not unhelpful, Debian have a very conservative policy to updating packages during the life of each release.

I never stated to update, which is not recommended, I stated that one should be running Buster, this is unpaid advice which anyone can accept or not.

The OP has stated he has a workaround.

Bottom line is everything put out on a public forum should not be taken at face value......

..if you want to take exception to the quality of FREE advice take it out on someone else !

[B.Goode]

Bottom line is everything put out on a public forum should not be taken at face value......

..if you want to take exception to the quality of FREE advice take it out on someone else !

@fotl: I think you have misunderstood the (non-) attribution of the free but misleading advice I queried. It wasn't you..

[RDK]

Wow, my question seems to have generated quite a "tempest in a teapot". I actually have Buster running on a different Pi, but it is having difficulty running some of my programs and finding drivers for a few of my HAT devices. Thus, I'm reluctant to move to Buster for this application. Can MariaDB be upgraded to the newer version on this Stretch Pi?

As an aside, is the path to upgrade a Stretch Pi to Buster, easy? Rebuilding from scratch sounds like a lot of useless work when everything else is working just fine. You know, "Ain't broken so don't fix it"....RDK

ps...I just retired a Pi B running Wheezy, which had run non-stop collecting environmental data for 3 years, no maintenance and no update/jupgrades....

[scruss]

Building MariaDB from source on a Raspberry Pi (< 4) is likely futile. If it's still at all like mysql it'll run out of memory during the build. I couldn't seem to add enough swap to make it complete, either.

The official line on upgrading Stretch → Buster is don't, but that might be more related to changes in the graphics subsystem rather than anything else.

[rpdom]

It might be possible to install the Buster version of MariaDB server under Stretch, but it depends on the dependencies. Running a mixed system can also cause poblems.

[graysky]

Which is why " you just need to update your existing distro " looks like unhelpful advice...

I do not understand your thoughts... I haven't run Debian in a long time and I have forgotten Debian-way to update from one major release to the next major release. I believe the term was something like "update the distro" but I might be mistaken. My point is the OP needs to switch from Stretch to Buster and then the newer version of mariadb will become available.

[W. H. Heydt]

Which is why " you just need to update your existing distro " looks like unhelpful advice...

I do not understand your thoughts... I haven't run Debian in a long time and I have forgotten Debian-way to update from one major release to the next major release. I believe the term was something like "update the distro" but I might be mistaken. My point is the OP needs to switch from Stretch to Buster and then the newer version of mariadb will become available.

Raspbian is derived from Debian and more or less follows the same major release schedule. Raspbian Buster was actually released slightly before Debian Buster in order to avoid releasing a version of Raspbian Stretch with the Pi4B and then releasing Buster a couple of weeks later.

[RDK]

Gentlemen....I wish to thank you, one and all, for your time, expertise, comments and opinions, but at this time I wish to abandon this question. I say that because the answer to my question it that I can not upgrade MariaDB on this Pi unless I'm willing to upgrade to Buster, basically a total rebuild.

Since I have a reasonable work-around to the missing function, ROW_NUMBER(), I see no reason to mess with something which is working just fine.

I do have Buster installed on another Pi for experimentation and future development.

Thanks again for your time....RDK

[rpdom]

It may be possible to upgrade MariaDB, as I said previously, as long as you don't mind some elements of Buster being installed. It doesn't require a full upgrade.

[DougieLawson]

You could add the Buster repos to your Stretch system. Run sudo apt update; sudo apt install --reinstall mariadb*. Then revert the sources.list and sources.list.d changes.

Beware you won't get security updates.

You could upgrade to Buster from Stretch that way (not recommended but worked OK on four of my 17 machines).

BTW take a bootable backup before doing that just in case.

[rpdom]

You could add the Buster repos to your Stretch system. Run sudo apt update; sudo apt install --reinstall mariadb*. Then revert the sources.list and sources.list.d changes.

Or add the Buster repo and apt pin it to low priority. That way only Stretch packages will be installed unless you specifically ask for Buster.

You could upgrade to Buster from Stretch that way (not recommended but worked OK on four of my 17 machines).

What failed on the other 13? Also what version of Stretch were they running? Lite, Desktop or Full?

BTW take a bootable backup before doing that just in case.

Always a good idea.

[DougieLawson]

You could upgrade to Buster from Stretch that way (not recommended but worked OK on four of my 17 machines).

What failed on the other 13? Also what version of Stretch were they running? Lite, Desktop or Full?

11 others got a fresh install of Raspbian Buster on a new SDCard or USB stick (and a chance to clear out up to four years of collected junk).
Two (3B Kodi box and AIY 3B) are still on Stretch.

[mahjongg]

Gentlemen.......I wish to abandon this question.

so locking..