How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

[Liam]

Pretty much what the title says.

Hopefully I don't need to do this as a fresh install?


I know it's time to upgrade when I have to use firefox to login to this forum becasue when I try to do it with kubuntu it keeps telling me the session has died!

[Snowhog]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

Well, first off, it isn't Kubuntu 3.5.2, but KDE 3.5.2 you are wanting to upgrade from, yes? Then also, what version of Kubuntu are you running?

[Liam]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

Thanks for the response.

How do I tell what version of Kubuntu I am running (spot the newbie).

I installed this a couple of years ago, have been using it satisfactorarily using Adept to automatically manage ugrades, but haven't really touched it since.

[Telengard]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

How do I tell what version of Kubuntu I am running (spot the newbie).

Alt+F2 -> konsole

lsb_release -a

[Liam]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

Thanks

Descriptionn 6.06.2 Lt
Release 6.06
dapper

[Telengard]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

I do not think there is any supported way to upgrade from Dapper 6.06 to Karmic 9.10. Instead you should install from scratch, assuming your PC meets the requirements for Karmic 9.10. Backup your data to an external hard drive, networked computer or optical media first.

[Rog131]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

I would do a fresh installation - but here is the Ubuntu documents > UpgradeNotes.

The Dapper is under the "Unsupported (Obsolete) Versions":

Unsupported (Obsolete) Versions

End-of-life releases have been supported previously but have reached the end of their support cycle. It would be best for users of these versions to perform a fresh install of the latest Ubuntu release. However, users still trying to do an upgrade can find instructions in...

[Snowhog]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

Kubuntu 9.10 is significantly different from Kubuntu 6.06. As pointed out, and assuming your PC can support 9.10, a fresh installation is the best way to go. If you have the ability to burn a CD, download the Kubuntu 9.10 LiveCD .iso. You can then test whether or not it will work on your hardware.

[Liam]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

Ok I think I will go for a fresh install.

Where can I download the Kubuntu 9.10 LiveCD .iso to test my hardware?

I will back up all my data files first on to another machine.

Before I start the new install do I need to remove any software from the hard drive or do I just insatll over the top of what is there?

[Snowhog]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

Kubuntu 9.10 Download

Pick the correct .iso for your CPU.

I would also recommend downloading the GParted LiveCD to use to prepare your HD for the new installation.

[Telengard]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

To elaborate a bit on Snowhog's reply:

Kubuntu 9.10 Download

Please be sure to verify the ISO after downloading it, and check the CD for errors after burning it. Those who forget these steps sometimes end up with bad installs.

Pick the correct .iso for your CPU.

Most people can simply use the 32-bit x86 image, kubuntu-9.10-desktop-i386.iso. Only if you know for a fact that your computer has a 64-bit AMD or Intel CPU, then choose kubuntu-9.10-desktop-amd64.iso.

If you have special requirements for installation on your PC or if the above images fail to boot (they should not fail), then you can try the alternate CD image kubuntu-9.10-alternate-i386.iso or kubuntu-9.10-alternate-amd64.iso.

I would also recommend downloading the GParted LiveCD to use to prepare your HD for the new installation.

By prepare I think he means to delete the existing Kubuntu partition. If EXT4 is the default file system on Karmic 9.10, then yes you will want to do so. Before manipulating the partition table of your primary boot drive you should perform a couple of safety steps:

• Be absolutely certain your important data is all backed up and restorable. Make two copies of everything if you can.
• Make a paper list of your PC's internal hard drives and the partitions they contain.
• Remove any external storage device from your PC, such as USB hard disks and flash drives.

Edit: BurningIsoHowto - Community Ubuntu Documentation: This article may be helpful.

[Liam]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

As far as I know there are no partition on this machine it has only ever had linux installed on in (no windows, etc). There are two hard drives in it though. One is hdb1 and the other is hda1.

Before I do the install I am going to copy all my datafiles to a PC I have across my LAN.

When I do the new install do I need to remove my data files first?
If I don't deleted them first will I need to restore them afterwards or will the new install be able to use them.

Many thanks guys for helping me out. Part of my bloody mindedness in using Kubuntu is proving a non technical person can, and part of it is I really like it's performance and a couple of the applications and that it very rarely crashes (although I di manage to freeze it twice last week)

[Snowhog]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

First, get/create the LiveCD and see if you can boot from it and get a working Desktop. That's the very first step to take. IF you can't boot, or you can't get a working Desktop, there are issues to be resolved - if possible.

But, that aside, once you have secured your personal data, it should not be any trouble at all for you to access it after a new installation. REMEMBER, when you install, use the same user name you had before.

[Telengard]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

There are two hard drives in it though. One is hdb1 and the other is hda1.

Make sure you understand the distinction between a disk and a partition.

• hda is your primary hard disk.
• hda1 is the first partition on your primary hard disk. This is most likely where Kubuntu lives.
• hdb is your secondary hard disk.
• hdb1 is the first partition on your secondary hard disk. I don't know what might be here, but you had better know.

Before I do the install I am going to copy all my datafiles to a PC I have across my LAN.

Very good. I would also make another copy of everything on optical media such as DVD-R. Not everyone is as paranoid careful with their data as I am though.

When I do the new install do I need to remove my data files first? If I don't deleted them first will I need to restore them afterwards or will the new install be able to use them.

Most likely, yes you will. KDE4 is almost an entirely different OS from what you've been using on KDE3. Every KDE program has had major changes since Dapper 6.06. I am concerned that the configuration files from Dapper 6.06 will not work with the latest versions.

Another thing in Kubuntu has been the move to the ext4 file system. If I remember right, the default file system for Karmic 9.10 is ext4, although it was ext3 as recently as Jaunty 9.04. I don't know what file system you are using on Dapper 6.06, but you will probably need the performance gains of ext4 in Karmic 9.10.

In my opinion, the potential issues discussed in the previous two paragraphs are enough to justify deleting your old Kubntu partition and installing to a completely empty hard drive. When the Kubuntu installer sees the empty partition table it will step you though creating and formatting a new partition. If I remember right, the new partition will be formatted with ext4 by default. This is good.

If you are going to delete your existing Kubuntu parition as I recommend, and I think Snowhog does too, then you had better be absolutley certain your data is backed up and restorable.

If you did a simple file copy to another computer on the network, I hope the network protocol you used preserved ownership and permissions of your files. If not, then you may have to change owner and permissions on those files manually after copying them back. For this reason, it is usually recommended to back up the files into a container format, such as tar or tar.gz.

[Liam]

Re: How do I upgrade from Kubuntu 3.5.2 to the latest version?

Ok not sure I have downloaded the right thing to test out my hardware. I have downloaded a file Kubuntu-9.10-alternate-386-iso.

I have burnt this to a CD. I have zipped and backed up all my data files to cd and also saved them to the hard disck drive of a windows machine.

Am I right in thinking that I now simply install this CD in my machine and rebbot it and I should be able to test if my hardware is compatible before I delete my old version of kubuntu etc off this machine?