samba - Mar 2023 - Need to upgrade very old samba: 4.6 AD to current release

Hello
I need to upgrade Samba v.4.6 with AD enabled, which is built from sources
and installed on Ubuntu 12.04.

Trying .configure script in v.4.9 it complains: Samba AD DC and
--enable-selftest requires lmdb 0.9.16 or later

In this state of the outdated system upgrade will fail due to missed
dependencies.

I planned to upgrade OS before parallel to samba upgrade, but sadly repos
of Ubuntu 12.04 and 14.04 has been removed.

Maybe I should install ubuntu 16.04 on the test machine, restore the backup
of the samba installation on it and try subsequent updates? Or should I
install a second 4.6 domain controller on a newer OS, transfer roles, and
try more updates

Any other options giving the chance for success this update?

On 24/03/2023 19:54, xyz via samba wrote:
> Hello
> I need to upgrade Samba v.4.6 with AD enabled, which is built from sources
> and installed on Ubuntu 12.04.
Ouch, they are both very old.
> 
> Trying .configure script in v.4.9 it complains: Samba AD DC and
> --enable-selftest requires lmdb 0.9.16 or later
Do really need selftest ?
> 
> In this state of the outdated system upgrade will fail due to missed
> dependencies.
> 
> I planned to upgrade OS before parallel to samba upgrade, but sadly repos
> of Ubuntu 12.04 and 14.04 has been removed.
> 
> Maybe I should install ubuntu 16.04 on the test machine,
I would go for 18.04, it is still just in support and this will get you 
Samba 4.7.6 (if I remember correctly). Set up a new computer and join 
this to the domain as a DC, then transfer the FSMO roles to it.

After that, I would abandon Ubuntu, install Debian buster and join this 
as a DC (this will get you to 4.9.5), then either join bullseye using 
backports, or upgrade in place to bullseye using backports, this will 
get you to 4.17.6
You may be able to directly join a debian bullseye machine to your 18.04 
DC, but probably better safe than sorry.
> restore the backup of the samba installation on it
If your backup was taken using the old Samba backup method, then I 
wouldn't rely on it, there was no restore method for a start.

What ever way you go, I would test it in sandbox first.

Rowland