How To Enable Offline Updates (WITH Internet)

[Adenkils]

Hello all, please let me explain my subject:

In trying to research before creating this topic, I am finding a lot of answers revolving around generating scripts and downloading .DEB files to put on a USB stick or something in order to update a machine that has no internet connection. This is NOT what I am asking about.

In recently dabbling with various distros to dump Windows, I noticed that a few of them perform what I am calling "offline updates" in that the actual OS is offline. The update manager informs me of updates, I download them, and then the machine reboots, installs them in some pre-boot mode with a message that updates are being installed, reboots again, and we are back in business. I can not seem to find that checkbox or option to enable in Mint or LMDE, where most updates are installed on the fly unless for something more complex.

Does LMDE have this ability, and how can it be toggled? While I have not had any issues with online updates, I would like to know if it exists should I or a friend wish to switch to it.

Thanks to all in advance.

[MiZoG]

Offline updates (applying updates at restart) is a Gnome Software Center feature adopted recently by Discover in KDE. I'm not sure all distros enable this but Fedora and Debian do. MintUpdate, the update manager on both main branch and Debian edition Mint, I understand, is an extended front-end of Synaptic and has not afaik implemented this feature.

[Adenkils]

Thank you for the reply. Yes I do believe I saw this function while playing around in Kubuntu.

Interesting note though, I just installed the FlatPak software manager ( # apt install gnome-software-plugin-flatpak per Flatpak.org) on LMDE and noticed that while including both FlatPak and normal system updates, it also did perform an "offline update." I will have to try again to verify. If this system update tool behaves in this fashion, perhaps it could be a useful option for those looking to go this path.

Thanks again.

[Adenkils]

OK so this morning I had some updates waiting in both software managers, but the system updates weren't listed in the Flatpak updater, and it didn't force a reboot to apply the updates offline.

I am still marking this as closed/solved as my original question was answered.