Hello Folks.
I helped a friend to have both a desktop & notebook with identical U/M 18.04.2 some time ago and they are fine...mostly.
Here's the 1 exception leading to my question:
Recently when I visited, I manually initiated the updating on his desktop and it went easily from 18.04.2 to 18.04.5.
Then I began the same process for his notebook - but his internet connection took a long enough break that I needed to get on the road to home, so I brought his notebook home with me.
Now, here, with a very solid internet connection, I ran the updater - it showed far less as needing to be done - and when finished it was still at 18.04.2 & running the updater says it is fully up to date, which is baffling.
Tried all the various commands to get it to move forward to the latest point release - but all I got at one point was the offer to upgrade the entire OS to 20.04...which may be OK, but wasn't what I aimed for.
Waited & tried it again a day later, and it still reports that all is up to date.
Please suggest as to how I may get this PC updated to the latest point release ??
Thanks for any help !!
Hello computerguy
This should not be a problem. The amount of work involved will depend upon how the 18.04.2 was installed (partitioning). Worst case: backup all user data and settings, prepare bootable 18.04.5 ISO, install 18.04.5, restore user data and settings from backup. 
Question
Why not upgrade to 20.04?
1 Like
Thanks for replying Alpinejohn !!
I agree that having such a problem should not have occurred, but it did.
2 literally identically installed & partitioned setups with different responses...strange.
Anyhow here is what ultimately happened:
Tweaked the update settings several different times & let it reload as offered as the days passed, and finally it offered the desired, larger sized updating on its own, I allowed it & rebooted & all was well.
As to 20.04...since this NB lives ~100 miles away & getting hands-on can be very complicated, it seemed unwise to make such a major change minus the ability to easily assist if/when things may go awry.
(And also oddly - it only offered the 20.04 option 1 time & not again later ??)
No idea what caused these oddities as they did not occur elsewhere with other PCs that I help with - hence my query - now resolved.
Hello computerguy
Have you considered "Team Viewer" for remote support?
You will of course need to check out the details to see if you are willing to use the software.
I have been remotely helped from a windoze pc (a person with networking skills) connecting to one of my Linux computers. I know professionals who use this daily. And yes, I am trying to improve my network knowledge. 
I do support some good folks remotely as needed, but that option has its limitations.
Example:
There is a huge obstacle involved for remote assistance if/when an update fails and the system then fails to start properly - as in...a total no-go.
I prefer to avoid that scenario completely even if it means some travel for me every now & again.
Remote-wise, I rate TV as badware & refuse to use or recommend it.
There are far better & less invasive ways to accomplish this, such as:
Many years ago I set up OpenVPN at a distant friend's place for remote access to his several PCs, which was very useful for quite some time.
More recently that had become a real PITA to keep configured, so I moved that function to Anydesk, which all my happy Linux using friends now have.
Even more recently I added Zerotier - which IMO is actually the best of the best for remote access.
Given that I moved more than 100 miles from the nearest friend whom I assist, and a couple are actually thousands of miles distant - remote assistance is a requirement rather than being optional.
Aside of all the above - the really good news in this realm is that given the incredible reliability of Linux, just checking in every so often & maybe doing a tiny bit of sweeping up is quite enough for many months at a time.