Software Updater notification

[buzzie]

I recently installed Ubuntu Mate 15.10 and experiencing the issue where Software Updater is not notifying me when there are new software updates. Any suggestion(s) how to fix?

[lah7]

Two places to check:

• Software & Updates, from the System → Administration menu. Check the Updates tab for the frequency of checking for updates.

• Start-up Applications, from the System → Preferences → Personal menu. Near the bottom of the list, there should be one called “Update Notifier”. If not, simply add the command update-notifier and the notifier should appear when you next login.

[wolfman]

See also:

Ubuntu Mate Update Guide

These are my own setting preferences, use at your own risk!. AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR LINUX BEGINNERS. WHEN YOU ARE IN RECOVERY MODE, THE KEYBOARD DEFAULTS TO US ENGLISH, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER LANGUAGE KEYBOARD OTHER THAN US ENGLISH, WHEN YOU TYPE "Y" (FOR "YES"), IT MIGHT SHOW UP AS A DIFFERENT LETTER, ON MY KEYBOARD I MUST PRESS THE "Z" KEY WHICH EQUATES TO "Y" AS I HAVE A GERMAN KEYBOARD, JUST PRESS "BACKSPACE" AND HIT A DIFFERENT KEY UNTIL YOU SEE THE "Y" SHOW UP!. Click on "Subscribe…

[buzzie]

Thanks for the suggestion lah7. update-notifier is installed but is not listed in Start-up Applications, from the System → Preferences → Personal menu. Reinstalling update-notifier made no difference.

[wolfman]

Try changing your software download location and updating again per the update guide I posted above!.

[buzzie]

Obtaining the updates is not my issue. It’s not being notified when software updates become available.

[anon42388993]

Hi there

Sometimes the updater just needs a kick start to get it working. Have you tried a manual update?

Code:
sudo apt-get update

[buzzie]

Hi. Updating is not the issue. It’s not being notified there are new software updates. Thanks just the same.

[anon42388993]

This has been covered above, but check to make sure.

Code:
update-notifier

That should come back with a warning, “already running”.

[buzzie]

Yes. I see the process running.

[maro]

I have the same issue in UM 16.04.10 on a Thinkpad T460. [quote=“v3xx, post:9, topic:4862”]
update-notifier
[/quote]

It shows ‘already running’ but I won’t be informed on any updates and it is also not visible in the menu.

[anon42388993]

Hi maro
Have you tried a reinstall?

sudo apt install --reinstall update-manager-core update-manager update-notifier update-notifier-common

Then update and see if update-manager will kick in.

sudo apt update

My desktop solution was to disable notifications and use synaptic Leaving me to choose when and what gets updated.

[wolfman]

Hi all,

“Software Updater” seems to be running okay now, I just had it running and it worked without hassle!.

[maro]

Thanks @anon42388993 and @wolfman
On my T460 the issue is solved. Updates are working perfectly.

[Absolute_Beginner]

Hi

I previously switched from Xfce (Xubuntu) to (Ubuntu) Mate
right from the start I had discovered this issue: update notifier was not working - in any way. No automatic notifications for available updates. I checked the Update preferences, my user rights (admin). But still the same issues.

then I did what was mentioned here: I reinstalled the update-manager

sudo apt install --reinstall update-manager-core update-manager update-notifier update-notifier-common

and

sudo apt update

still no notification

but when I tried

update-notifier

I got following message in the terminal

>mycomputer0:~$ update-notifier
> sh: 1: dropbox: not found
> /usr/bin/update-manager:28: PyGIWarning: Gtk was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
>   from gi.repository import Gtk
> /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/UpdateManager/UnitySupport.py:29: PyGIWarning: Dbusmenu was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Dbusmenu', '0.4') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
>   from gi.repository import Dbusmenu, Unity
> /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/UpdateManager/UnitySupport.py:29: PyGIWarning: Unity was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Unity', '7.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
>   from gi.repository import Dbusmenu, Unity

And after ~30sec Update-Notifier jumps in

Could this be the issue why it is not working automatically after log-in?
Any way to solve this issue?

kind regards for any advice
Juergen

[Wimpy]

Those warnings are harmless and won’t affect the operation of the update notifier.

[Rarmorog]

I have Ubuntu MATE 16.04 on a relatives laptop and they never get the update notification. I’ve tried everything on this thread but no luck.

[Spyder]

I just began to wonder about this in Ubuntu MATE 17.10 when I see I am still on Firefox 56, when it should have been upgraded to 57. I waited 30 min. after log in for a notification, but none appeared in that time. It should not take longer than that, I would think. At that point, I ran apt-get -s upgrade (below), and it shows the system is aware of no upgrades - so it follows there would be no notifications. Like in 16.04, the problem may be with the checking, not the notifying. My checks here are set for daily, and notifications set for immediately.

dmn@Sydney:~$ apt-get -s upgrade
NOTE: This is only a simulation!
      apt-get needs root privileges for real execution.
      Keep also in mind that locking is deactivated,
      so dont depend on the relevance to the real current situation!
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

[Rarmorog]

Can anyone remedy this issue?

[Rarmorog]

Never-mind. I will just install Ubuntu MATE 18.04 on my relatives laptop - hopefully that will not get this issue.