Why would linux 17 quiana show a red x in update icon?

ElizabethK · 09-15-2017, 04:49 PM

have this computer for 3 yrs. getting my first problem, a red X in the update icon and it telling me that there are updates i can't get.
is this because I need to update to 17.3 rosa? i see a way i could do this in the edit view of the update manager. don't know if i should click on this or not since never had a problem before. help!

frankbell · 09-15-2017, 08:40 PM

According to the Mint website, Mint 17 is supported until 2019.

Here's a way you might shed some light on this. Open a terminal and execute the command

Code:

sudo apt-get update

If the update fails, as your post indicates it might, post the any output to the terminal from that command here, being sure to surround it with "code" tags, which become available when you click the "Go Advanced" button at the bottom of the "compose post" window, for readability. That output should give some hints as to what the issue is.

ondoho · 09-16-2017, 01:17 AM

@frankbell: update is ok, but actual upgrades must be performed with mint's own tools!

Sefyir · 09-17-2017, 09:05 AM

Going into the update manager itself and running the update can also shed some problems.
Common issues are inability to connect to a server, packages that are not updated or difficulty with authentication of the server.
To resolve, you can try switching to another server source by going to Software Sources

ElizabethK · 09-17-2017, 03:43 PM

thanks so much for input! more info on my red x in the icon update. most of the time, it is fine, with the green check, and if i click on the icon, it says my system is updated. and i have updated since this problem started. if i am on the computer for a long time, then the red x comes in the update manager icon and when i click on it and refresh, after it downloads package info, this comes up...on a synaptic title, Could Not download all repository indexes -and then there is a list of failed to fetch. i don't know anything about how linux works, i just know i like it. is this a problem that will get worse? and what happens when the quiana 17 that is have is no longer supported in 2019? what am i supposed to do then? i used to have a windows and hated when i had to buy new upgrade software. i don't even know where to go if i need to buy new linux software in 2019. i live in pittsburgh pa. i would be to afraid to upgrade myself with no help. sorry for the 2 questions and please keep in mind, i don't know much about this, except i DO know how to find the terminal!

Mike_Walsh · 09-17-2017, 04:33 PM

@ElizabethK:-

Quote:

is this a problem that will get worse? and what happens when the quiana 17 that is have is no longer supported in 2019? what am i supposed to do then? i used to have a windows and hated when i had to buy new upgrade software. i don't even know where to go if i need to buy new linux software in 2019.

No need to fret over that. One thing about Linux (apart from a very few enterprise distros - like Red Hat) is that is always free to download, install & use. It will not cost you one single penny (cent?).....apart from the cost of the data you use to download it, and the cost of a CD/DVD to 'burn' it to in order to install it. In fact, you may not even need the latter, since many popular Linux releases will allow you to perform the upgrade from one LTS (Long Term Support) version to the next from your existing install.

And even if your skills (or lack of them) are as bad as you claim (?!!), there are, I think, many people here who would be more than happy to talk you through the process. In fact, this article does just that:-

https://www.tecmint.com/upgrade-linu...linux-mint-18/

People in the Linux community are usually willing to help each other out these days; the days of hard-core bearded, bespectacled 'geeks' snarling 'RTFM!!' ('Read the f***ing manual') at the mere hint of an enquiry from a beginner are, thankfully, long gone. Most mainstream distros have their own very helpful & welcoming community forums.

Mike.

ondoho · 09-18-2017, 01:24 AM

to other mint users following this thread: are you absolutely sure what this "red x" actually is?

maybe op could provide a screenshot?

BenTrabetere · 09-18-2017, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ondoho

to other mint users following this thread: are you absolutely sure what this "red x" actually is?

I get hit with the Red X from time to time. In most cases it was because a server could not be reached, and in most cases the server came back online in a day or two. Anytime it took more than a day to resolve I switched to another server in Software Sources.

I once got hit with the Red X after I accidentally enabled the DVD drive as a software source, and I was hit sometime this year because the repository for one the web browsers went wobbly.

Most of the time I was able to identify the problem by opening Update Manager and clicking Refresh.

@OP: Open a terminal and run

Code:

inxi -Sr

Paste the output here so we can see which software repositories your system uses.

ondoho · 09-18-2017, 02:00 PM

^ ok, that red x is obviously "a thing" in mint. all i wanted to know / make sure of.

frankbell · 09-18-2017, 10:31 PM

Quote:

frankbell: update is ok, but actual upgrades must be performed with mint's own tools

I just fired up my VM of Mint 17.2. I was able to perform an update and upgrade with

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove

No errors presented themselves.

There's a reason I have a license plate frame that says, "apt-get install ultimate power."

Sefyir · 09-18-2017, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankbell

I just fired up my VM of Mint 17.2. I was able to perform an update and upgrade with

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove

No errors presented themselves.

There's a reason I have a license plate frame that says, "apt-get install ultimate power."

It's not really a question of if you can, but whether you should in regards to this specific distro.

The dev's behind Linux Mint has notoriety for a different scheme of updating.

This blog post is referring to upgrading to LM18, but I think represents Linux Mints angle to updating.

Quote:

Upgrade for a reason
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
...
You might want to upgrade to Linux Mint 18 because some bug is fixed or because you want to get some of the new features. In any case, you should know why you’re upgrading.
As excited as we are about Linux Mint 18, upgrading blindly for the sake of running the latest version does not make much sense, especially if you’re already happy and everything is working perfectly.

Whether that's the right way or not isn't clear. I recall using Ubuntu and dealing with all sorts of crazy bugs after Ubuntu decided I needed a newer kernel during apt-get upgrade or dropping to shell because a update to the X system crashed it. Because Linux Mint filters updates that might affect system stability from being automatically installed, this is much less likely to happen and has been my experience (which I greatly enjoy!)
This does not stop you from using apt-get upgrade but this philosophy Linux Mint has towards updates is generally the ratioanle for using Linux Mints own tools.

ondoho · 09-18-2017, 11:58 PM

^ please, let's not confuse terms here!

update: get a new list of all packages from the repos
upgrade: replace packages with newer versions of themselves
dist-upgrade (apt specific): upgrade from one distro version to another

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankbell

I just fired up my VM of Mint 17.2. I was able to perform an update and upgrade with

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove

No errors presented themselves.

afaiu, this is equivalent to marking all upgrades in the mint upgrading gui, whether they are marked red, yellow or green.