Quantal Quetzal to Raring Ringtail

Forum Moderators: bakedjake

Message Too Old, No Replies

Quantal Quetzal to Raring Ringtail

To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade This is the Question

SevenCubed

3:32 pm on Dec 7, 2013 (gmt 0)

I'm running Ubuntu 12.10 Quantal Quetzal Desktop and and 13.04 Raring Ringtail Desktop has been available for for some time.

I have delayed upgrading because I still have one final project I'm working on and was apprehensive about the potential of an upgrade-gone-wrong.

I have no complicated external devices beyond basics, and internally one program that depends on Wine.

This will be the first time upgrading a Linux OS for me. I have a simple question.

Beyond the obvious task of creating an external backup of my onyx for safe-keeping to ensure I don't loose data should I:

- Perform a complete wipe of the drive and fresh install from CD, or...
- Upgrade existing installation from the command line using aptitude?

I've been wanting to wait until my final project was completed but now I'm wondering if I should upgrade to maybe potentially flush out any gremlins in which case a full reinstall might be better?

Any other pointers or insight would be appreciated too, thanks.

graeme_p

6:26 pm on Dec 7, 2013 (gmt 0)

Firstly, have you put your home folder on a separate partition? If you have you have the option of wiping your OS without wiping the data.

I see not point in upgrading to 13.04 - you may as well go to 13.10. I think that means you have to upgrade twice if you, so you may as well do a fresh install.

If you were on 13.04 I would have no hesitation in telling you to update from the command line (or the GUI, for that matter). However it seems a waste to upgrade, and then upgrade again immediately afterwards.

So do a clean reinstall, and if you do not have a separate home partition, take the opportunity to do that as well. What I do is use most of the hard drive for /home, and have a / partition of between 10GB and 20GB depending on whether disk space it tight (if you are a gamer you will need a much bigger / because games are so big).

SevenCubed

6:55 pm on Dec 7, 2013 (gmt 0)

Thanks for the reply graeme_p.

The 13.04 was actually a real typo this time (as compared to my recent intentional loophole ones ;p). I really did mean 13.10.

I don't have my home directory on a separate partition no. Drive space isn't a problem, I've got 8 GB (the 7.3 GB models are discontinued!). But I'm not a gamer, I don't play games, all seriousness here, sometimes it makes the Joker a dull boy but oh well.

If I may ask you another opinion. I've done plenty of Windows upgrades and fresh install over the last decade but I can't remember, for the life of me, if I can delete the boot partition before beginning the whole process. Kinda ZERO the drive I guess.

The reason is because I want to attempt another dual-boot with Windows 8 and Ubuntu that I had to abandon previously. I think my previous issues were related to the residual GRUB. If you or anyone can guide this blind boy I'd be grateful. Thanks again.

graeme_p

11:56 am on Dec 8, 2013 (gmt 0)

No idea about dual boot (especially with Windows 8 and "secure" boot!). Never done it (I started with Linux on a new PC, and kept the old one for a few months while I still needed some Windows stuff for a course I was doing).

8GB? In total or to spare for a / partition? Or do you mean 800GB? If last, I would use 20GB for /.

SevenCubed

6:42 pm on Dec 8, 2013 (gmt 0)

See, another unintentional typo, yes sorry 800 GB in total, 730 GB available. 8 GB is my RAM.

I did have it dual booted at one point but the process was sooooo sloppy that I kept at it until I couldn't get it to dual boot any more and had to go with just Ubuntu.

Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it. I'll hold off on the upgrade for a bit to see if anyone else can guide me concerning the boot partition. I can probably dig it up somewhere on the net but I trust the members of webmaster world's expertise most. I'm not in the hurry.

graeme_p

1:18 pm on Dec 9, 2013 (gmt 0)

This may also be of interest

[askubuntu.com ]

Also, have you considered Windows in a VM rather than dual boot? Virtualbox with seamless mode is very nice.

SevenCubed

6:05 pm on Dec 9, 2013 (gmt 0)

Page link titled release management...

Thanks again. I'll check that out bit later. I've got a few loose ends to tidy up here first.