Upgrade option

[blluesmax]

Why don't the images for Ubuntu/Kubuntu releases include the option to 'UPGRADE" your existing system. Were it not for this option in nearly every other distro I use, I would still be forced to use only Windoze as an OS. Not being able to "upgrade" means wiping everything out that I already had on my 'puter. Unless I store all my documents in a different partition or a separate hard drive. Things like email and browser settings and bookmarks don't save well for most recovering Windows addicts, as few of us know how to get such things stored on our actual computer. For many of us, it's just "all on line."

With new releases coming about every six months, that's a lot of lost data, and way too much reconfiguring!

[mchuskie]

Re: Upgrade option

Well, first of all there's no need to upgrade if you really don't want to

Second, the easiest and best way to upgrade is through apt-get (and I believe Adept now pops up an upgrade wizard to help you on your way) and the online repos.

I believe it might be possible to do a dist-upgrade from a CD if you add it to your sources.list as appropriate - though I haven't tried and couldn't give specific instructions.

And, of course, having a partitioning scheme that separates documents/user data from applications/system data is always a bonus. That way you don't need to wipe your whole system - if the above methods all go belly-up, then you only need to wipe the system partition and make sure your home (and anything else) is mounted appropriately. If you really do wipe your system completely for an update, consider moving to such a scheme.

[askrieger]

Re: Upgrade option

Of course, you can upgrade an existing (K)ubuntu system from one release to the next. Instructions as to how to do so are always posted on the Ubuntu Community Help Wiki. Seek and Ye Shall Find. I always reinstall from scratch (after saving all my "stuff") every two or three versions because configuration files change in content and (sometimes in name) from release to release.

[Thulemanden]

Re: Upgrade option

A clean install is always better in quality.

Naturally Ubunti should offer to keep /home partition without formatting that.

At least Mandrake use to do that.