I am new to Linux and by default have loaded version 17.1. I have a 32bit computer.

I believe there are updates , if so which version should I update to next ? Does it have to be done in stages or can you just load the newest version on top of 17.1

Welcome to LinuxQuestions.

17 has reached end of life. You can try 19 but depending on specifications of your computer a more lighter weight distribution like Antix might be better.

A complete reinstall is the easiest.

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Updates do have to be done in stages, unless you just reinstall using the latest version. I'm always impressed that updating can be done at all — thousands of files to check to see if there are new versions and dozens of programs to check to see if they require new dependencies!

But you don't want to go down the Mint road. Mint is based on Ubuntu and they have already stopped producing a 32-bit version. The last 32-bit Mint was version 19, although that will have support for another 18 months. If your computer runs Mint with no problems, then it will run MX Linux, which is probably the nicest 32-bit distro — and it's going to stay available as long as there's still a 32-bit Linux kernel to put in it. Antix is lighter than MX, but it's a less familiar environment and I see no sense in using it when MX will do.

I just loaded Sparky Linux on a netbook that is 32 bit, it is still supported.

Terry H.