Strange updating experiences - mysteriously now resolved

Support & Help Requests
#1

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 !!

#2

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. :slightly_smiling_face:

Question
Why not upgrade to 20.04?

1 Like
#3

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.

#4

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. :slightly_smiling_face:
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. :sweat: :hammer: :thinking:

#5

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.