xorg update LEVEL 4 "What should I do?"

[jdizzle]

Hello all!

Running Helena Main. Mint Update says the xorg updates (I think 4 different updates) are level four.

I have my Mint Update set to default, but I took a look out of curiosity at the level 4 stuff. XORG stuff popped up.

From the description of level 4 updates and, my god, level five updates, I'm scared to touch them. However, I like to live on the edge and I know XORG is important.

1. Should I do it?

2. If I do do it, what should I look out for? 2a.What can prepare for? 2b.What might break?

-Jdizzle

[exploder]

If you use proprietary graphics drivers you might have to reinstall them if you do the xorg updates. I installed the updates on my system because I was having problems and the updates fixed things up for me. It's up to you, the 4 and 5 levels are meant to ensure you make an informed decision if you choose the updates.

[midas]

Yeah...I was nearly about uninstalling Mint 8 (64 bit gnome) and installing Mint 7 again because of a strange sluggishnesh and other things happening. I thought...just try to apply ALL the available updates...including Xorg- and a kernelupdate.

What a surprise it solved nearly all my problems...the system is very snappy again.

It is not recommended as a general step but Karmic Koala was at the start a bad release and probably most updates are meant to fix the bad release-quality. Just something to be tried when one is nearly desperate...

[exploder]

It is not recommended as a general step but Karmic Koala was at the start a bad release and probably most updates are meant to fix the bad release-quality. Just something to be tried when one is nearly desperate...

That's how it was for me. I thought, what the heck, it couldn't be any worse and it solved all the problems I was having.

[viking777]

Well if the updates are to do with xorg then xorg might break!

But really the dangers are vastly overstated. I have been using all updates for years and have never run into a single problem with Mint. But you have to ask yourself two questions.

How good are my backups?

If I haven't got backups then how good am I at fixing things?

I keep up to date Clonezilla disk images on an external hard drive, then it doesn't matter what I do to the installation, I can be back where I started with everything working again inside 10 minutes, so I don't even have to think about it. Not only that but Mint is not my only installed distro so if I really screw up I just carry on using another distro until I have time to fix things. These are strategies you might like to think about.

But you have to decide what you are comfortable with. The standard line is to only use updates 4 and 5 if you are having problems and think that the updates might make a difference. That doesn't seem to be the case here, but if you like to 'live on the edge' then go for it, it is about as dangerous as patting a dog - it might bite you but it probably wont

[jdizzle]

Wow! Thanks for the info everyone.

Update complete! I went ahead and did both level 4 and 5 which included the kernel update. I can't say anything seems any different. But then again, I wasn't having any problems before. I guess I learned a lesson here: If it ain't broke no need to fix it, and if it is broke ( even just slightly) it's worth a try. However, I feel good about what I did: Ain't broke, but who cares. Try it anyway. Now I want to learn how to do it safely.

I'm interested in what Viking777 said,

I keep up to date Clonezilla disk images on an external hard drive, then it doesn't matter what I do to the installation, I can be back where I started with everything working again inside 10 minutes, so I don't even have to think about it

I'm Minted on my netbook, and I'm thinking about going strictly Mint (or at least Linux). Keeping "backup images" would help me feel more secure, but I really don't understand how this works.

My concept of "backing up" is just having copies of my files somewhere. And if my system goes to hell (usually because of my playing around with stuff I don't understand) I just do a fresh install, tweak aesthetics to my liking, synaptic the apps I like, and copy my files I saved. Not a huge ordeal, but by no means "10 MINUTES"

viking777's thing sounds like you can just save your whole system and go back to it at any time. That's exactly what I want!

Please enlighten me!

[viking777]

This should tell you anything you want to know.

http://clonezilla.org/

All you need is the downloaded program, a CD to burn it to and somewhere to store the images. (you can get the program onto a usb stick as well if you work at it -not quite so easy as a cd though).

Only downside to Clonezilla is the user interface - it is so horrible it defies description. You will see what I mean if you ever use it. Then again given the peace of mind it brings you coupled with the cost of the program (nothing) I am prepared to put up with that. It takes some getting used to though.

Edit. The "10 minute " thing is not an exaggeration. I image and restore individual partitions not whole disks (it does both). It images and restores at the rate of about 1Gb/min and it only images used space not free space, so if you have a 20Gb partition with 10Gb of data on it then it will image it in about 10 minutes and restore it in about the same time.