How to install all available updates for an Ubuntu release before upgrading

Before upgrading to a newer Ubuntu release, it’s essential to install all available updates for your current version. This ensures a smoother upgrade process and reduces the chances of encountering issues during the upgrade.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to install all available updates for your current Ubuntu release before upgrading.

Step 1: Update the Package List

Open a terminal window and run the following command to update the package list:

sudo apt update

This command fetches the latest package information from the configured repositories and updates the local package list.

Step 2: Install Available Updates

Now that the package list is updated, install all available updates with the following command:

sudo apt upgrade

The command above will prompt you to confirm the installation of updates. Press ‘Y’ and then Enter to continue with the installation.

After the updates are installed, it’s a good idea to also run the following command to perform a more thorough upgrade that handles package dependencies more carefully:

sudo apt dist-upgrade

Again, you will be prompted to confirm the installation of updates. Press ‘Y’ and then Enter to proceed.

Step 3: Clean Up Unused Packages

After updating your system, it’s a good practice to clean up any unused or obsolete packages. You can do this by running the following command:

sudo apt autoremove

Step 4: Reboot Your System

Once all updates are installed and the system is cleaned up, it’s recommended to reboot your system to ensure that any changes take effect:

sudo reboot

Step 5: Upgrade to the New Ubuntu Release

After completing the steps above, your system should be up-to-date with the latest packages for your current Ubuntu release. You can now proceed with upgrading to the new Ubuntu release using the following commands:

First, install the update manager core package if it’s not already installed:

sudo apt install update-manager-core

Next, start the upgrade process by running:

sudo do-release-upgrade

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the upgrade process. The system may prompt you several times to confirm the installation of packages or the removal of obsolete ones.

Commands Mentioned:

• sudo apt update – Updates the package list with the latest information from the configured repositories.
• sudo apt upgrade – Installs available updates for your current Ubuntu release.
• sudo apt dist-upgrade – Performs a more thorough upgrade that handles package dependencies more carefully.
• sudo apt autoremove – Removes unused or obsolete packages from the system.
• sudo reboot – Reboots the system to ensure any changes take effect.
• sudo apt install update-manager-core – Installs the update manager core package if not already installed.
• sudo do-release-upgrade – Initiates the Ubuntu release upgrade process.

Conclusion

In this guide, we’ve shown you how to install all available updates for your current Ubuntu release before upgrading to a newer version. By following these steps, you can help ensure a smoother and more reliable upgrade process.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for improvement, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and it helps us create better and more informative content for our users.