this is what I get after running "inxi -r"
Repos: Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/clipgrab-team-ppa-trusty.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/clipgrab-team/ppa/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/clipgrab-team/ppa/ubuntu trusty main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ferramroberto-lffl-trusty.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ferramroberto/lffl/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/ferramroberto/lffl/ubuntu trusty main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/getdeb.list
deb http://archive.getdeb.net/ubuntu trusty-getdeb apps
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gnome3-team-gnome3-trusty.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/gnome3-team/gnome3/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/gnome3-team/gnome3/ubuntu trusty main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kalakris-okular-trusty.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kalakris/okular/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/kalakris/okular/ubuntu trusty main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kilian-f_lux-trusty.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kilian/f.lux/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/kilian/f.lux/ubuntu trusty main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/libreoffice-ppa-trusty.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/libreoffice/ppa/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/libreoffice/ppa/ubuntu trusty main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
deb http://packages.linuxmint.com rebecca main upstream import
deb http://extra.linuxmint.com rebecca main
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ trusty partner
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ricotz-testing-trusty.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ricotz/testing/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/ricotz/testing/ubuntu trusty main

Thanks in advance, ScottG

Can you be a bit more specific as to what does not work, or how you noticed that it does not work.
You seem to have a lot of ppas in your apt sources. Do you know what you are doing there?
When you are doing a system update, how do you do it? GUI or command line?

Thanks for the quick reply. I first noticed that my update manager icon was missing from my panel at bottem of screen. I have since been searching for ways to get it back (with out having to completly reload mint, The ppa's that i have are for some programs not in the repository, i.e., clipgrab, etc. I usually update using GUI (I think) - I click on the icon and tell it to load updates. Please excuse me if this is not specific enough, but you are talking with a 76 year old newbie that loves working with linux.

Thanks again and any help is appreciated.

Ok, I am not familiar with the mate configuration, but I should have an iso lying around on my other machine. When I get hold of it (my wife is currently shopping online) I can start it in a vm and see how you can configure that back.
In the meantime, you could look in the menu under categories like settings or system and see if you can find the update manager there.

Also, if you are feeling bold, you may want to give it a try and update on the command line. It's really not that difficult.
All you need to do is opening a terminal and running
This will basically look for available updates.
Once that's done run
This is the actual system update. If you are asked for a password type your user password.
It may take a while, make sure your system is connected to power and do not interrupt the process once it is started...

Ok, shopping is done, I have been able to take a look at the MATE desktop. So go to the menu and choose "control center".

Scroll down to the group "System" and find the entry "Update Manager".
Clicking on it should bring up the update manager.
That in turn should bring the icon back to the systray.

If all is good, you can ignore the next part of this post.

If you cannot find the update manager, we can check if it was somehow removed. In order to do that, open a terminal (Click Menu -> terminal), type in the following command and post the output.

1 members found this post helpful.

joe 2000, Thanks so much for you hard work in finding my answer, you have been most helpful.

Tschüß, Scott

You are welcome... If everything works as expected please mark the thread as solved...