Installing Ubuntu Karmic from the repository, or . . . ?

[*LTD*]

Been a few years since I've used Linux (2005, to be exact.) I don't recall whether new versions of the OS are available through the repository GUI or whether I can grab it via a command. I want to avoid a clean install. It was enough of a pain to get wireless working on Jaunty.

So I've got Ubuntu Jaunty installed on a family member's AMD-based Acer notebook (64-bit Ubuntu.) She'd like to keep all her settings and just upgrade to Karmic.

What's the easiest (and safest) way short of a clean install?

Thanks!

 

[chris200x9]

I haven't used ubuntu in 2 years so bear with me, but I think when it says updates available there will be a box that says new distro available or something just click on that in update manager.

 

[KingYaba]

Upgrading has always been less-than stellar. Write down all the settings and clean install. Don't get mad if you find Karmic less-than stable, too.

 

[aquajet]

Use Update Manager. There should be a button at the top of the window for distribution upgrade.

 

[*LTD*]

Use Update Manager. There should be a button at the top of the window for distribution upgrade.

Thank you. If this doesn't work then I might have to do a clean install. I dread dealing with the wireless settings, however.

Can't I just do it from the command line? I recall there being an "emerge" command or something.

EDIT:

Nevermind, the "update" button was there. I backed up some files to USB and hit the button. Hopefully it's just that easy! In any event, Ubuntu has come a long way. I don't recall it being that easy.

EDIT:

Well that was easy! Upgrade went smoothly. Only took clicking on a button and that's it. Everything's working fine. I'm impressed.

 

[KingYaba]

Well that was easy! Upgrade went smoothly. Only took clicking on a button and that's it. Everything's working fine. I'm impressed.

Be sure to get the extras.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

 

[aquajet]

Be sure to get the extras.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

Could you please explain what this is before instructing people to muck around in the terminal.

OP, you can do a search for "ubuntu-restricted-extras" in Synaptics package manager to find out more about it. Good to hear it's working well.

 

[mkrishnan]

Could you please explain what this is before instructing people to muck around in the terminal.

Ubuntu restricted extras is the package that includes non-open-source components, typically including things like a Flash plugin and some audio/video codecs. FWIW I think most people using Ubuntu do know that.

You should technically be able to use dist-upgrade to upgrade from the command line, but my past experience is that anything you had to manually re-configure after installing Ubuntu (e.g. you mentioned some hassle in getting wifi to work) will quite possibly not work on upgrade anyway (unless you get lucky and handling that hardware became mainstream since the version of Ubuntu you were using).

 

[KingYaba]

Could you please explain what this is before instructing people to muck around in the terminal.

It's not mucking around at all.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

 

[*LTD*]

Back to 8.10 (what we had before.)

Wireless is pretty much broken on Karmic, running on an Acer Aspire 5536.

Oh well.

Thanks for reminding me about the restricted repository, though, Yaba.

 

[VoR]

I went from 9.04 to 9.10 and had various issues on one machine. A fresh install worked perfectly - I certainly wouldn't worry about wireless settings - not that I've got experience with that machine.