here's what I did to install my 1.2 system.

1.  Installed a stock 1.0 distribution.  Because I had it available and it
was easier for me to install for reasons which are all my own fault.

2.  Grabbed a 1.2 kernel and put it on the machine, making sure to save the
1.0 kernel just in case.

3.  Ran with the 1.2 kernel for about a week with the 1.0 install.  

4.  When I was convinced the 1.2 kernel was solid, I replaced the user
binaries with 1.2 binaries.  
I rebooted and all was fine.  

	I think the entire process took me about 2 hours over all, though I
staged it so I could test as I went with minimal down time.

Good luck.
-Brian

On Jun 10,  5:09pm, Brian Hechinger wrote:
} Subject: Re: Crash
} Tom T. Thai drunkenly mumbled...
} > 
} > am I missing anything here? If I tar --unlink the ball, how would the old 
} > (running) kernel have problems with the new bins?
} 
} i don't know how big a change going from 1.0 -> 1.1 or 1.2 would be, but you
} will most likely have to boot off of a floppy.  if you are moving to -current 
} you will most definitely need to boot from a floppy.
} 
} -brian
} 
} -- 
} ** Brian Hechinger ** wonko@mail.arkham.net ** http://www.arkham.net **
} --
} "Color is for web wanking.  mono is for writing code.  Gimme a Mono Sun 3 and 
} an expresso machine any day :-)"
} 
} 						-Bob Beck
>-- End of excerpt from Brian Hechinger