Ubuntu: Questions and Answers (2014)
Upgrade
Skip to questions, Wiki by user jrg
What Questions Should Have this Tag?:
Any and all questions about:
· Upgrading packages
· Upgrading your system
· Upgrading your hardware.
Some Basic Definitions:
Version - an identifier (usually a number and/or name) which helps to distinguish where the program is in development. Earlier forms (and/or non finished products) may have numbers or names like:
· 0.01
· Alpha
· Unstable
· Testing
· 0.90
· Beta
· Etc.
Later forms may be:
· 1.0
· Release
· Stable
· Etc.
Brief Introduction to the Subject:
The version name of a program usually will increase in value, from 1 - 1.01 for minor releases, and 1.99 - 2.0. With versions of Ubuntu (and other programs/operating systems) the releases are tied to a date, and are given a name (such as Saucy, Lucid, etc.) There are also working versions which will be given terms such as Stable, Unstable, and Testing (when looking at Debian GNU/Linux). This determines what software is available in the repositories, and often is tied into the amount of testing which has gone into the system as a whole.
When a version of anything comes out it must be tested if it is to be released to the public. This is where quality assurance/testing comes into play. During the initial phase the testing may be put into Alpha stage for testing with a small amount of people. After improvements the program may be put into Beta phase, which may open the program up for testing to the public, or a closed group of testers. Then it may go to release. This is not always the case, but it is an example.
Moving from one version of a program to another is called "upgrading". It does not always mean that the new program is better, but usually there is a reason the program has been "upgraded".
Important Links for Learning More:
· How do I upgrade to a newer version of Ubuntu?
· How to upgrade a single package using apt-get?
· -
Questions
Q: Is it possible to "upgrade" from a 32bit to a 64bit installation?
Tags: upgrade (Next Q), 64-bit (Next Q)
As per title, I wish to know if I can, after a successful 32bit setup and consequent software installations, update to a 64bit version.
I know how to partition (actually one of the solutions is to set /, /etc, /home, /var/www, and /opt as separate partitions) and I know that a clean install is way better than a dirty one, yet I would like to know if/how it's possible to do that.
Tags: upgrade (Next Q), 64-bit (Next Q)
User: dag729
Answer by 8128
You will find a clean install a lot less hassle than any other unusual, obscure, unsupported method.
Your suggest of partitioning the config files, home directories, etc is probably the best idea, and it is possible to install the same packages on a clean install as on another install.
On the other hand, what you requested is possible, there is a little guide for Debian based systems but remember "this really is for professional-level sysadmins" and "this procedure is, in every possible respect, a bad idea. If it eats your firstborn, please don't come crying to me"... (so good luck)
Answer by scott-ritchie
This might be a much more reasonable thing to do once the multiarch spec is implemented. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MultiarchSpec -- currently postponed to 11.04, but keep in mind it's been postponed for about 6 releases now. That said, actual progress was made in 10.10, so maybe it'll happen this time.
Until then, don't bother. Backup your data, repartition if you want, and reinstall.
Tags: upgrade (Next Q), 64-bit (Next Q)
Q: Why use apt-get upgrade instead of apt-get dist-upgrade?
Tags: upgrade
I usually use apt-get update && apt-get upgrade to run my updates and upgrades instead of the GUI because it seems to run more quickly.
However, I've noticed lately that I often get a message that one of my upgrades was held back. I then usually run dist-upgrade to run it through and it works fine. As far as I can tell after reading this question and its answers, dist-upgrade does all the same things and then some.
So, my question is: Why use apt-get upgrade at all? Why not use apt-get dist-upgrade all the time? Why does apt-get upgrade even exist?
Tags: upgrade
User: jimirings
Answer by rduplain
I typically upgrade my machines with:
sudo apt-get update && time sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Below is an excerpt from man apt-get. Using upgrade keeps to the rule: under no circumstances are currently installed packages removed, or packages not already installed retrieved and installed. If that's important to you, use apt-get upgrade. If you want things to "just work", you probably want apt-get dist-upgrade to ensure dependencies are resolved.
To expand on why you'd want upgrade instead of dist-upgrade, if you are a systems administrator, you need predictability. You might be using advanced features like apt pinning or pulling from a collection of PPAs (perhaps you have an in-house PPA), with various automations in place to inspect your system and available upgrades instead of always eagerly upgrading all available packages. You would get very frustrated when apt performs unscripted behavior, particularly if this leads to downtime of a production service.
Skip code block
upgrade
upgrade is used to install the newest versions of all packages
currently installed on the system from the sources enumerated in
/etc/apt/sources.list. Packages currently installed with new
versions available are retrieved and upgraded; under no
circumstances are currently installed packages removed, or packages
not already installed retrieved and installed. New versions of
currently installed packages that cannot be upgraded without
changing the install status of another package will be left at
their current version. An update must be performed first so that
apt-get knows that new versions of packages are available.
dist-upgrade
dist-upgrade in addition to performing the function of upgrade,
also intelligently handles changing dependencies with new versions
of packages; apt-get has a "smart" conflict resolution system, and
it will attempt to upgrade the most important packages at the
expense of less important ones if necessary. So, dist-upgrade
command may remove some packages. The /etc/apt/sources.list file
contains a list of locations from which to retrieve desired package
files. See also apt_preferences(5) for a mechanism for overriding
the general settings for individual packages.
Tags: upgrade
Q: Is it possible to "upgrade" from a 32bit to a 64bit installation?
Q: How to upgrade a single package using apt-get?
Q: What is "dist-upgrade" and why does it upgrade more than "upgrade"?
Q: Can't upgrade due to low disk space on /boot
Q: Why use apt-get upgrade instead of apt-get dist-upgrade?