I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Chat about anything related to Linux Mint
Forum rules
Do not post support questions here. Before you post read the forum rules. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Locked
RavenLX

I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by RavenLX »

I have Linux Mint 14 KDE version. When April 2014 comes what should I be doing? Should I download the latest Mint KDE release whatever it is and do a fresh reinstall (which I rather not have to go through the trouble but will if I absolutely must) or does it upgrade automatically somehow to the latest version? Will the latest version be LTS? I'd like to upgrade to an LTS but don't want to "downgrade" to Mint 13 and lose any new updates I've got with 14.

Kind of unsure which way to go on this. LM14/KDE has been serving me really really well (I am using the most recent KDE as I added the KDE backports to the repository settings so it can get the latest). I want to keep up with this version at least or better version but don't want to go through upgrading or reformatting/reinstalling fresh every few months. I haven't had to reinstall since January when I first installed Mint 14.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
bigj231

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by bigj231 »

I'm running Mint 15 KDE, and after enabling the kubuntu-updates repository on both, I can't tell too much of a difference (other than this isn't broken due to stupidity).

You will not have Mint 16 KDE in April (and possibly not even Mint 16 Cinnamon), but you could always install KDE on the main edition. Mint 15 KDE hasn't been around that long, and with backports enabled, you shouldn't miss too much. LTS releases are generally more stingy with the improvements too. Unless you really want to see that Mint 16 wallpaper, I wouldn't bother upgrading until your system either reaches EOL or you break it anyway. So wait until Mint 16 KDE is released, back everything up, and get to tinkering.

Mint does not have an in-place or automatic upgrade system. That's one of the bigger differences between Mint and Ubuntu. If you want a quick and relatively painless upgrade in the future, you'll want to make a separate /home partition.

As my grandpa used to say: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

P.S. One more thing, If you want to use Steam, I can't seem to get any of my games to work with Mint 15. It should be fixed shortly after the LTS release.
RavenLX

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by RavenLX »

Thanks for the info. I think Mint 14 (What I'm using) is EOL in April, that's why I'm trying to figure out what to do.

While I agree with the "if it ain't broke..." thing, I want to be sure to at least get the latest security updates for the system. If it's EOL (as it will be in April next year) then that stops. Not great as this is my main everyday computer.

When I first installed Mint 14, I took the time to make a separate /home partition. But I moved things around in the menus so when I go to reinstall things I got to go through that again. Plus what if configurations from the previous version break something in the new version? So it's like I got to start over anyway. As for personal data, I have not very much of that at all and that's always frequently backed up, so that's not a problem there.

I don't use Steam myself but it's a good thing you mentioned it because I'm thinking many would get into that and might wonder if that will work or not. Knowing what might break with an upgrade is also good to know.

I just wanted to know ahead what I have to look forward to in the future. I'll just keep my eyes open. I think the next LTS version will be Mint 17? Maybe I'll just wait until March or April and then see what's recent, grab that and hope it holds on until the LTS comes out then upgrade to the LTS and be ready.

Like I say, I just want to be sure I have all the security updates and patches, bug fixes, etc.
User avatar
tdockery97
Level 14
Level 14
Posts: 5058
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:54 am
Location: Mt. Angel, Oregon

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by tdockery97 »

Mint 17 LTS should hit in May 2014 (we usually follow a month behind Ubuntu releases). So if you just run 14 up until then you should be fine.
Mint Cinnamon 20.1
RavenLX

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by RavenLX »

Will I get errors when it goes to update things from the repository? Or if I need to download something from the repository? How long does that stay active after EOL? It would be nice to wait until May. That way the next reinstall would be the LTS.
bigj231

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by bigj231 »

Mint doesn't update from a repository. You have to reinstall (unless you want to go through a bunch of convoluted steps and still run the risk of a broken system). If you just backup your home folder, it should only take about an hour and a half to two hours to reinstall and start where you left off.

Also, Mint 17 KDE will most likely not be released in April. You can install KDE on the cinnamon edition, but it's easier to wait.
RavenLX

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by RavenLX »

Start where I left off? Not entirely. I have to then install all the new applications, and also set up Apache again, and other things that do not have the configurations in the /home folder. IOW, a PITA. It normally takes me a whole weekend to get all I need to done (even keeping the /home folder) and fixing what breaks because the configs in the /home folder aren't compatible with the new versions of applications being installed. It always ends up that way for me somehow.

That's why I'm trying to figure out what is the best way. Looks like I have to reinstall two times in two months (April to 16 and then 17 when it comes out in May (if it does then)). That's not exactly what I was hoping for but I in no way blame developers. They do their best and really came out with THE best distro ever.

I'll just have to plan for how I want to go about this update to LTS.

BTW, what if I do a dist-upgrade? That doesn't upgrade the distro to the next version? What does it do?
bigj231

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by bigj231 »

"dist-upgrade" upgrades the kernel in addition to the same things as "upgrade".

If you really want to do an in-place upgrade, here's a tutorial: [url]http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/62[/url]. Just beware that stuff can break by upgrading it that way. Not to mention the huge downloads.
User avatar
tdockery97
Level 14
Level 14
Posts: 5058
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:54 am
Location: Mt. Angel, Oregon

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by tdockery97 »

It's not really that Mint can't do an in-place upgrade to the next version, it is that there is a lot of potential for breakage, so Mint strongly advises against it. Sure, Ubuntu encourages in-place upgrading, but they also suffer approximately 20% rate of borking their systems in the process.
Mint Cinnamon 20.1
RavenLX

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by RavenLX »

Yeah, I've had some things go wonky or break even just keeping up with updated versions of the software, KDE, etc. etc. But managed through it.

I think you guys may be right - go with reinstall. I'll just have to figure out how I want to plan it since it'll take some work on my part. I'll keep my eye on the release dates. I think I'll wait until 16 for the first phase and then go LTS when it comes out (both full reinstalls).
bonacieux

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by bonacieux »

I'm also on 14, and wanting to move onto the LTS. I'm usually very much a LTS person but I found the cinnamon with Mint 13 seemed a bit buggy and the 14 one was much better. I could upgrade to 16 in April and 17 in May, but this seems a waste of time and faff.....

So: how much does it *actually* matter if we go unsupported for a month while we wait for the LTS, rather than doing two re-installs?

It would be really useful if we could get a semi-official line from Clem or someone about this. Will there still be security updates, but just no software upgrades? That's totally fine! But if we're talking genuine vulnerability, I'd like to know.
wyz

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by wyz »

@ Bonacieux While normally using an LTS release provides a pleasant trouble free experience I agree that using v.13 LTS with the Cinnamon desktop is a step backwards. That's only because Cinnamon is relatively new and still trying to find its way in the Linux world. There were an awful lot of changes from v.13 to v.16.
Going back to the original post, I have to agree with the others who say a clean install with version 17 LTS is the way to go. Too many things can go wrong with an upgrade. Unless you feel supremely confident in your Linux troubleshooting skills it's just not worth it. Backup your needed files and folders and do a clean install of an LTS version you can use for the next five years.
User avatar
xenopeek
Level 25
Level 25
Posts: 29507
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 3:58 am

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by xenopeek »

Probably around May 2014 you can expect Linux Mint 17 Cinnamon + MATE and around June 2014 KDE + Xfce. It's not a big issue to run Linux Mint 14 for a bit longer after support ends; I intend to do the same (I have Linux Mint 16 as secondary install but not going to bother upgrading my main Linux Mint 14 system to 16).

The Ubuntu and Linux Mint repositories remain online for a while after the support ends (in fact, Linux Mint keeps its repositories online indefinite), so you will still be able to install additional programs.

The Ubuntu security team will however no longer work on the Ubuntu base used in Linux Mint 14 after April 2014. Is that a big issue? I don't find that to be so but it is up to you. For home users it will generally be a minor risk, but if you are running all kinds of Internet connected services then yes I would recommend you to run a supported version of Linux Mint only.
Image
bonacieux

Re: I have Mint 14. What should I do in April?

Post by bonacieux »

@xenopeek Thanks! Good to know others with far more experience than me will be doing the same.

@wyz I somewhat mis-spoke -- I didn't mean "upgrade" in the technical sense, I meant a fresh re-install. [I had a horrible experience upgrading ubuntu once so I don't think I'd do that again even if Mint promoted it as an option]. Mint make this as painless as it's going to be with anything, yes, but all the more reason not to want to do this twice in two months, as far as I'm concerned.
Locked

Return to “Chat about Linux Mint”