Newbie question as to proper time to upgrade to the new Ubuntu

wizwanabe

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Is it safe to do an upgrade to Ubuntu now or do I need to wait a few more months so that any bugs are found and fixed.
 


Hi Hansel, and welcome! What version of Ubuntu are you running now? I see that 16.04.5 (LTS) just came out, and that should be a pretty safe upgrade in the 16.04.x series. The 18.04 series (also LTS) has just got their first point release to 18.04.1. Safe? Yes, I would guess that they are both safe to upgrade, but sometimes stuff happens anyways. :eek:

At this particular time, I think you should also be aware of differences in the Desktop Environments (DE's). Maybe you already know this? Ubuntu 16.04 used the Unity Desktop, and it is being discontinued. Ubuntu 18.04 uses the Gnome Desktop (also called Gnome 3, or Gnome 3 Shell). These look kind of similar, but I think you might be surprised if this is the switch you're looking to make.

But there are so many versions of Ubuntu, I guess you need to tell us what you're using, and what you want to switch to.

Cheers
 
Thanks for the response, I am currently running Ubuntu 16.04(LTS). I plan to stay with Ubuntu. I'm looking at the 18.04 series. I don't want to jump to early. I'm not a programmer just a user who loves to play with computers. Messing with hardware, utilities etc is what life is about:D.
 
If you are using the "standard" Ubuntu edition, you will find some differences between the Unity and Gnome desktops, as I mentioned above. It is possible to keep Unity also... or go back to Unity after the upgrade. You have to follow the steps pretty closely to make this jump from 16.04 to 18.04.... if you haven't dug into it yet, there are a couple of good descriptions here and here.

Safe? Yes, I'd say it is probably safe... but you should, as always, make a good backup of anything that is too important to lose. If things go wrong you can always do a clean install of 18.04.1 too. And a clean install might even be a better way to go (and faster) unless you just want the experience of going through this upgrade process.

I have only briefly played with 18.04 and the new Gnome desktop... I'm not a fan. But you may love it... I can't judge it for you. If you are using a laptop, one thing that annoyed me was that the "right-click" function was removed in some cases. Instead of a right-click, you had to use a two-fingered tap on the touchpad to access those menus. That was not very intuitive for me, and I still can't imagine what the motivation was for that. Oh well.

If you make the upgrade, let us know how it goes for you and what you think of the new version.

Cheers
 
Hansel, good morning from DownUnder :)

If you like to give us the output from Terminal of

Code:
inxi -Fxs

... that will give us a quantity of the specs for your computer that can be useful both to us and to you?

I am thinking that one of your options might be to keep your 16.04, and to install beside it an instance of 18.04.1 'Bionic Beaver'.

Then you can take the time to evaluate it under real-time conditions, and then if you like the Beaver, we can show you how to replace one for the other, or else resume the status quo.

What think you?

Cheers

Wizard
 
Hansel, good morning from DownUnder :)

If you like to give us the output from Terminal of

System: Host: user-Inspiron-530s Kernel: 4.13.0-41-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Unity 7.4.5 (Gtk 3.18.9) Distro: Ubuntu 16.04 xenial
Machine: System: Dell product: Inspiron 530s
Mobo: Dell model: 0RY007 Bios: Dell v: 1.0.18 date: 02/24/2009
CPU: Dual core Intel Pentium Dual E2160 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 7182
clock speeds: max: 1800 MHz 1: 1294 MHz 2: 1432 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel 82G33/G31 Express Integrated Graphics Controller
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.19.5 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: [email protected]
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel G33
GLX Version: 1.4 Mesa 17.2.8 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card Intel 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-41-generic
Network: Card: Intel 82562V-2 10/100 Network Connection
driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: fe00 bus-ID: 00:19.0
IF: enp0s25 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full
mac: 00:1d:09:94:a4:70
Drives: HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (15.9% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD3200AAKS size: 320.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 290G used: 44G (16%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
ID-2: swap-1 size: 4.28GB used: 0.12GB (3%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 40.0C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 188 Uptime: 70 days Memory: 1858.5/3678.9MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35




What think you?

I will be using a second computer as the host for the initial venture into using Bionic Beaver. I'm not one for multi-booting or more than one operating system on a computer. Been there did that and not a fan. I will be using the computer where I replaced Windows 10 with Linux.
 
If you are using the "standard" Ubuntu edition, you will find some differences between the Unity and Gnome desktops, as I mentioned above. It is possible to keep Unity also... or go back to Unity after the upgrade. You have to follow the steps pretty closely to make this jump from 16.04 to 18.04.... if you haven't dug into it yet, there are a couple of good descriptions here and here.

Safe? Yes, I'd say it is probably safe... but you should, as always, make a good backup of anything that is too important to lose. If things go wrong you can always do a clean install of 18.04.1 too. And a clean install might even be a better way to go (and faster) unless you just want the experience of going through this upgrade process.

I have only briefly played with 18.04 and the new Gnome desktop... I'm not a fan. But you may love it... I can't judge it for you. If you are using a laptop, one thing that annoyed me was that the "right-click" function was removed in some cases. Instead of a right-click, you had to use a two-fingered tap on the touchpad to access those menus. That was not very intuitive for me, and I still can't imagine what the motivation was for that. Oh well.

If you make the upgrade, let us know how it goes for you and what you think of the new version.

Cheers
We will inform when we make the leap.
 
Hi Hansel, thanks for those specs, plenty of opportunity to keep that machine alive with Linux :)

Given the spare capacity you have available, you might want to consider carving off a new logical partition (might become /dev/sda6) and label it Timeshift.

Have a read of my Tute on Timeshift here https://www.linux.org/threads/timeshift-similar-solutions-safeguard-recover-your-linux.15241/

at your leisure, and direct any questions there.

Cheers, and we'll look forward to hearing of your adventures, I hope.

Wizard
 
@Hansel Johnson Jr , @all

Hi Hansel, just a heads up that the facility to update from within Ubuntu 16.04LTS to Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS is now available.

You may have to have your settings tweaked to be notified of the update, which can be done by going into Software Updater, clicking Settings and launches Software & Updates, where you can tweak the setting at the bottom.

YgGN3RL.png


Cheers

Wizard
 
@Hansel Johnson Jr , @all

Hi Hansel, just a heads up that the facility to update from within Ubuntu 16.04LTS to Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS is now available.

You may have to have your settings tweaked to be notified of the update, which can be done by going into Software Updater, clicking Settings and launches Software & Updates, where you can tweak the setting at the bottom.

YgGN3RL.png


Cheers

Wizard
Wizard thanks for the heads up. I've got several things I need to do before updating to 18.04.1 LTS. I'm taking your advice about installing TimeShift and need to repartition my harddrive for this effort. I'm currently researching how to do this and making sure I'm ready to proceed. The next thing is to back-up my whole harddrive just in case murphy comes for a visit. Once all of this is complete I will upgrade to 18.04.1 LTS and all will be well with the world.
 
Yeah you've gotta watch that Murphy dude, he's a cheeky chap :D.

Sing out here or at Timeshift if you need a hand

Wiz
 
Yeah you've gotta watch that Murphy dude, he's a cheeky chap :D.

Sing out here or at Timeshift if you need a hand

Wiz
okay Mr. Murphy was waiting. I did some research on how to create a logical partition and attempted to use gparted. Well because i could not change umount /dev/sda while using the system the information stated to put gparted on a usb and you could umont /dev/sda and add a new partition. Dumb me went ahead and made a USB with gparted and proceeded to add a new logical partition. Well the umount worked, and i proceded with the process. Can anyone guess what happened. Well to keep this story short. I wiped out everything, Linux went the way of the wind.

I have spent the last couple of days getting back to Linux Ubuntu 16.04. I have not attempted to create another logical partition. I will need a bit of help to do that. Where is detail information that will help me create another logical partition for backing up data. Please remember I am not a programmer, just a person playing with computers.

Thanks in advance for the help and please keep the laughter to a minimnum.
 
please keep the laughter to a minimnum.

Hansel I have cast a Wizardly spell on myself to keep a straight face, but it has a short shelf life :D. If I told you the number of times I have buggered things up, you would feel much better. That Murphy is a bugger, no denying it.

In your inxi output at #6, you gave us, in part

Drives: HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (15.9% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD3200AAKS size: 320.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 290G used: 44G (16%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
ID-2: swap-1 size: 4.28GB used: 0.12GB (3%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5

Can you give us that part again, now, and can you also give us the output for

Code:
sudo blkid
?

Slow and steady wins the race, and we can be as self-paced here as you have the patience for.

If you don't find it a privacy intrusion, give us a timezone, or a general location, and then I can work better from my Aussie timezone. But others are available to help, too.

Also, are you a Member of an imaging host site, where you can post images up to the internet? I use imgur.com, but there are others such as Photobucket, TinyPic, and others.

With that facility available, you can post screenshots to here, such as mine below of one of the Drives I have on my new Dell.

bM1jJkH.png


A picture is worth 1,000 words, as they say.

Cheers

Chris
 
Hansel I have cast a Wizardly spell on myself to keep a straight face, but it has a short shelf life :D. If I told you the number of times I have buggered things up, you would feel much better. That Murphy is a bugger, no denying it.

In your inxi output at #6, you gave us, in part



Can you give us that part again, now, and can you also give us the output for

System: Host: hansel-OptiPlex-990 Kernel: 4.15.0-32-generic x86_64
bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
Desktop: Gnome 3.28.2 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1)
Distro: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS
Machine: Device: desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 990 v: 01 serial: N/A
Mobo: Dell model: 0D6H9T v: A03 serial: N/A
BIOS: Dell v: A13 date: 04/02/2012
CPU: Quad core Intel Core i5-2400 (-MCP-)
arch: Sandy Bridge rev.7 cache: 6144 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 24743
clock speeds: max: 3400 MHz 1: 1640 MHz 2: 1664 MHz 3: 1599 MHz
4: 1612 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel 2nd Generation Core Integrated Graphics Controller
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
drivers: intel (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: [email protected]
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Sandybridge Desktop
version: 3.3 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Render: Yes
Audio: Card Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Def. Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-32-generic
Network: Card: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection
driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: 3080 bus-ID: 00:19.0
IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full
mac: 18:03:73:27:a2:4e
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (1.8% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST1000DM010 size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 910G used: 9.6G (2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
ID-2: swap-1 size: 8.46GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 39.0C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 248 Uptime: 20:54 Memory: 1782.2/7855.8MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56

Code:
sudo blkid
?

/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"

/dev/loop1: TYPE="squashfs"

/dev/loop2: TYPE="squashfs"

/dev/loop3: TYPE="squashfs"

/dev/loop4: TYPE="squashfs"

/dev/loop5: TYPE="squashfs"

/dev/loop6: TYPE="squashfs"

/dev/sda1: UUID="28fa342d-b7a0-450a-9c0c-d8e0e245dc4e" TYPE="ext4" PARTUUID="000b19eb-01"

/dev/sda5: UUID="5948bf8f-3c47-4768-87a0-2be4cf579b23" TYPE="swap" PARTUUID="000b19eb-05"

Slow and steady wins the race, and we can be as self-paced here as you have the patience for.

I'm here to learn from those willing to teach.

If you don't find it a privacy intrusion, give us a timezone, or a general location, and then I can work better from my Aussie timezone. But others are available to help, too.

Central time in USA

Also, are you a Member of an imaging host site, where you can post images up to the internet? I use imgur.com, but there are others such as Photobucket, TinyPic, and others.

Currently no I don't have a membership to a hosting site.

With that facility available, you can post screenshots to here, such as mine below of one of the Drives I have on my new Dell.

bM1jJkH.png


A picture is worth 1,000 words, as they say.

Cheers

Chris

Thanks for trying to keep a straight face. Now for the new news both the good the bad and that which makes you say really. In a moment of Murphy bite me, I reinstalled the original Linux 14.xx and upgraded to 16.04. i then made sure all was well and all of the 16.04 info was up to date. Of course you know that the story does not end there. I lost a bit of information and recover was going to be not totally possible. Well here I sit with a whole new Linux box. No errors, everything looking good.
I'm sure you can see where this is going. Murphy stop me now!! I upgraded to Linux Bionic Beaver, yes I took the big leap. It worked, it really worked. Then I had a chance to sit back and look at my handy work and ask the question what the ****. Okay this is new I mean really new. The Bionic Beaver is nothing like the old 16.04 mostly. The GUI is going to take a little time to come to grips with.

I have not tried to setup a new logical partition yet. Somethings are better taken at a slow pace. I think I have a minor work around. I will use a USB thumb drive for and external storage until I can get the hang of making a logical partition. The last couple of days have been a blur and a adrenaline rush. I will need help in figuring out the Logical Partition magic. I need to get timeshift and get it working. I have it working on another platform with the USB as an external device for storage.
 
Timeshift.....yes ....get a snapshot (or two) of your new, fresh system saved to your usb drive, before you proceed with anything .
 
Yikes! Ubuntu changed their desktop... we might have warned you about that if we knew you were contemplating such a move. In the older 14.xx and 16.xx it was called the "Unity" desktop, but in 17.10 (and now 18.04) they have switched to the "Gnome" desktop. It looks similar in having the dock/panel on the left side and the way that you browse through the applications.... but there are certainly differences that you will encounter. You may come to love it, if you stay with it (but I don't personally).

You can get Unity back, if you want. There are a number of sites that explain the process... here is one. I think that if you install Unity, it will become the new default, so you can still switch back to Gnome if you wish. There are also other desktops available that you might choose to install, but I'm not too familiar with using more than one at a time.... I always just install the one I want with the distro. You may learn more about the "Ubuntu flavors".... Kubuntu (K Desktop), Xubuntu (XFCE Desktop), Lubuntu (LXDE/LXQt Desktop), Ubuntu MATE (MATE Desktop), and 2 or 3 others. Each offers you the same basic Ubuntu under the hood, but a different "look and feel" that might make you prefer one over another.

Cheers
 
Yikes! Ubuntu changed their desktop... we might have warned you about that if we knew you were contemplating such a move. In the older 14.xx and 16.xx it was called the "Unity" desktop, but in 17.10 (and now 18.04) they have switched to the "Gnome" desktop. It looks similar in having the dock/panel on the left side and the way that you browse through the applications.... but there are certainly differences that you will encounter. You may come to love it, if you stay with it (but I don't personally).

You can get Unity back, if you want. There are a number of sites that explain the process... here is one. I think that if you install Unity, it will become the new default, so you can still switch back to Gnome if you wish. There are also other desktops available that you might choose to install, but I'm not too familiar with using more than one at a time.... I always just install the one I want with the distro. You may learn more about the "Ubuntu flavors".... Kubuntu (K Desktop), Xubuntu (XFCE Desktop), Lubuntu (LXDE/LXQt Desktop), Ubuntu MATE (MATE Desktop), and 2 or 3 others. Each offers you the same basic Ubuntu under the hood, but a different "look and feel" that might make you prefer one over another.

Cheers
Yeah, that Murphy Dude really pissed me off. So I just went for the gold. I will probably stick with the new desktop. It is a change from the normal.
 
Hi Hansel, a couple of points of interest to you, perhaps?

ALTERNATIVE DEs USED FROM THE ONE UBUNTU

You can in fact sample other Desktop Environments from within your own Ubuntu, without having to perform a full install of the alternative.

I took my Beaver GNOME, same as yours, yesterday, and added to it the MATE DE. I'll show you some pics.

First up, I ran Synaptic Package Manager.

For The Viewers - if you do not have Synaptic Manager on your Ubuntu, you can install it from Terminal with

Code:
sudo apt-get install synaptic

In Synaptic, I ran a search on "mate-desktop" but could just as easily have run "desktop environment" and scrolled more. Drag and drop your handles for the lower right pane, and when you highlight the package, you get a description.

QllKQ5b.png


PIC 1 - SYNAPTIC SEARCH ON MATE-DESKTOP

Before I installed that, I ran a Timeshift snapshot.

ObrxtZG.png


PIC 2 - TIMESHIFT, INCREMENTAL SNAPSHOT

It was an incremental snapshot, with the full snap from 5 days earlier being 2 entries above. Note my comment, in part, "...B4 introduce MATE DE"

I then installed the MATE package/s. From Synaptic, you can do this by right-clicking the highlighted choice, choose Install, then click the "Apply" icon at top.

In my case, I chose to do so at Terminal (first close Synaptic or it will produce an error), with

Code:
sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment

... and during the course of that install, I learn that the nett addition to my Ubuntu install is about 500 MB.

Prior to the installation of MATE, my Bionic Beaver looked like this


eWdlRmU.png


PIC 3 - BIONIC BEAVER (GNOME) PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF MATE DE

After I have installed MATE, I reboot and get to my login screen.

At login, the icon of a wheeled cog provides me with a new option - MATE

5a8etA5.jpg


PIC 4 - LOGIN SCREEN OFFERS CHOICE OF MATE

You can see by the dot, that Ubuntu is the default, but rather, it is the case of the DE choice last used. Once I choose MATE, go into my session, and exit, it will appear as the default next time I boot in.

When I boot into my new, MATE, Desktop Environment, it initially looks less customised than my previous environment. It has the GNOME footprint beside Menu, and only Firefox on Panel as a quick launch. And my mouse cursor has reverted to the small default.

So I go Menu - Control Centre (the MATE equivalent of GNOME's Settings) and get to work.

3mdcAPX.png


PIC 5 - ENTRY POINT TO NEW MATE DE

I also don't find that default text colour for the Window Header to be very readable.

So in Control Centre, I head for Look and Feel - Appearance, and there I change the theme from its default to Blue Menta (just for starters) which makes the text a viewable gray/black, it chabes the GNOME footprint to a MATE icon, and I can also, within it, go to Customise - Pointer and change my pointer to MATE - large(r).

Then from Menu, I can re-populate my Panel with my fave apps, by finding them in the categories, and dragging and dropping them to the Panel.

End result, and compare with the Pic 3 "Before" shot, is as follows:


mHO6o0y.png


PIC 6 - CUSTOMISED NEW MATE DESKTOP



Cheers

Wizard
 
Hi Hansel, a couple of points of interest to you, perhaps?

ALTERNATIVE DEs USED FROM THE ONE UBUNTU

You can in fact sample other Desktop Environments from within your own Ubuntu, without having to perform a full install of the alternative.

I took my Beaver GNOME, same as yours, yesterday, and added to it the MATE DE. I'll show you some pics.

First up, I ran Synaptic Package Manager.

For The Viewers - if you do not have Synaptic Manager on your Ubuntu, you can install it from Terminal with

Code:
sudo apt-get install synaptic

In Synaptic, I ran a search on "mate-desktop" but could just as easily have run "desktop environment" and scrolled more. Drag and drop your handles for the lower right pane, and when you highlight the package, you get a description.

QllKQ5b.png


PIC 1 - SYNAPTIC SEARCH ON MATE-DESKTOP

Before I installed that, I ran a Timeshift snapshot.

ObrxtZG.png


PIC 2 - TIMESHIFT, INCREMENTAL SNAPSHOT

It was an incremental snapshot, with the full snap from 5 days earlier being 2 entries above. Note my comment, in part, "...B4 introduce MATE DE"

I then installed the MATE package/s. From Synaptic, you can do this by right-clicking the highlighted choice, choose Install, then click the "Apply" icon at top.

In my case, I chose to do so at Terminal (first close Synaptic or it will produce an error), with

Code:
sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment

... and during the course of that install, I learn that the nett addition to my Ubuntu install is about 500 MB.

Prior to the installation of MATE, my Bionic Beaver looked like this


eWdlRmU.png


PIC 3 - BIONIC BEAVER (GNOME) PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF MATE DE

After I have installed MATE, I reboot and get to my login screen.

At login, the icon of a wheeled cog provides me with a new option - MATE

5a8etA5.jpg


PIC 4 - LOGIN SCREEN OFFERS CHOICE OF MATE

You can see by the dot, that Ubuntu is the default, but rather, it is the case of the DE choice last used. Once I choose MATE, go into my session, and exit, it will appear as the default next time I boot in.

When I boot into my new, MATE, Desktop Environment, it initially looks less customised than my previous environment. It has the GNOME footprint beside Menu, and only Firefox on Panel as a quick launch. And my mouse cursor has reverted to the small default.

So I go Menu - Control Centre (the MATE equivalent of GNOME's Settings) and get to work.

3mdcAPX.png


PIC 5 - ENTRY POINT TO NEW MATE DE

I also don't find that default text colour for the Window Header to be very readable.

So in Control Centre, I head for Look and Feel - Appearance, and there I change the theme from its default to Blue Menta (just for starters) which makes the text a viewable gray/black, it chabes the GNOME footprint to a MATE icon, and I can also, within it, go to Customise - Pointer and change my pointer to MATE - large(r).

Then from Menu, I can re-populate my Panel with my fave apps, by finding them in the categories, and dragging and dropping them to the Panel.

End result, and compare with the Pic 3 "Before" shot, is as follows:


mHO6o0y.png


PIC 6 - CUSTOMISED NEW MATE DESKTOP



Cheers

Wizard
Okay choices upon choices. I'm kinda liking the new desktop. The setup is different but I'm starting to like it better than 16.04 desktop. I have options with this desktop. I will keep your advice in mind on the ability to try out multiple desktops. I've got timeshift up and running so maybe no more Murphy knows best. Thanks for the advice and following along to keep me company.
 

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