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What is the Easiest Way to Upgrade Linux Mint 16 to Linux Mint 17?

What is the Easiest Way to Upgrade Linux Mint 16 to Linux Mint 17? Any instructions for this newbie would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

as root type the following set of commands:

Code:

# apt-get update

# apt-get update apt

# apt-get distro-update    #### note this might be upgrade not update its been a long time since i ran debian based distro###

that should do it, if not then hit up the Mint wiki for further details.

The link below explains it in detail and as you will see, easy doesn't really fit into the picture. Probably be easier as well as less time-consuming to backup data (which you should do in any case) and do a new install, your choice.

http://www.tecmint.com/upgrade-linux...linux-mint-17/

This is the problem with Mint.
You really need to do a full install and then re-install the extra packages.
Note that a backup of /home will not preserve various important configurations such as:-
Your /etc/fstab contents
Your user and group names and corresponding uid/gid
Even stuff like crontab settings...

Mint does not support on-line version upgrades.

That's not a reason not to try it, but back up crucial data just as if you were planning to wipe and install.

There is a separate Mint sub-forum here - check out some of the threads there for all the gory details.

Backup your /home directory and doo a fresh install with a separate /home if it isn't already separate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lleb (Post 5203248)

as root type the following set of commands:

Code:

# apt-get update

# apt-get update apt

# apt-get distro-update    #### note this might be upgrade not update its been a long time since i ran debian based distro###

that should do it, if not then hit up the Mint wiki for further details.

Don't you mean dist-upgrade?

Whatever distro I have; firstly I've had it for a while. My mannerisms are that I run from the on system hard drive and contain all my data on external drives. What I therefore end up doing is ensuring that I understand what things I have installed extra that extend beyond the base distribution install.

And then wipe and install fresh.

I do that for the couple of reasons that I don't wish to have to deal with some thread of "Hey this weird thing happened when I did a distro upgrade ..." and then trod down a bunch of blogs and questions in exploration. The other reason is I'd like to get my distribution "cleanly" versus with any leftover stuff. That second one is sort of similar to the first reason; for instance say I compiled a program on the older variation of my distribution, performed the upgrade, now libraries have changed, but I don't notice until I get around to using that program. Whereas if I do a clean install. I have saved my Downloads (by default because it's on a remote drive), I can evaluate whether or not that program is already now on the new distro, I can determine if there are any newer versions of that program which I may want to download, I can try to install that program via package management, or I can recompile that program and install it under the new distro and know that it will work.