I have a older machine that has Ubuntu 10.4.

The bios will not allow me to choose the USB drive for bootup.

The CD drive is old, and doesn't work.

but, I would like to install the newer 12.04? Ubuntu on the machine.

When I try to do it through the software, it just returns errors, and doesn't allow me to upgrade or update. This same error seems to happen on all the machines that have older versions of Linux.

My question is:

Can I somehow do a update to the system and update it to the newer Ubuntu? maybe through a command line?

Thanks in advance.

Dwayne

I recommend that you:

1. Back up all your data/documents
2. Read and understand the Ubuntu Upgrade Notes: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes
3. If it "just returns errors" then tell us the errors so we can help.

Also if it is an "older machine" then read the Release Notes to make sure your hardware even meets the minimum requirements for the newer Ubuntu.

You can't update Ubuntu 10.04 through the software center or install software for it as support for it ended in May, 2013, server version excepted. Take a look at the site below which explains a method to do so. Backup first. I would expect it to take several hours or more depending upon your internet connection.

http://www.liberiangeek.net/2012/04/...-the-terminal/

Pxe boot to some network source.
Gpxe/Ipxe to some network source.
Remove drive and install on newer system. (use usb to ide adapter)
There is a way to install a system with your current system and then restart but it is kind of complex.
Might be able to use grub/grub4dos or such to boot to an iso.

Since you have Ubuntu 10.04, you have Grub2 installed on it and you could boot the iso from the 10.04 partition with a proper entry in the grub.cfg file and install it from that partition to another partition. You haven't posted enough information to warrant explaining this in more detail.

Exactly right.