Updates....the whys and wherefores.

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grimtraveller
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Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by grimtraveller »

I'd like to get a cross-section of opinions on this.
I'm pretty tech useless, and I don't understand most of the stuff that comes up when people are talking computers. Now, with Linux Mint 20 {Cinnamon} I get updates pretty much every day. Sometimes more than once in a day. I haven't a clue what most of these updates are doing and on a couple of occasions, my system has gone completely up the Swanee after an update and has led to me having to re-install.
So what would happen if I'm happy with the system as it currently stands and I no longer install any of the updates ? It's not a silly question, and it's not my intention to not have the updates. I'm just curious as to what risks there are in not installing them, and how can I determine whether I want a particular update. I'm a pretty basic user at the moment.
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spamegg
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Re: Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by spamegg »

So what would happen if I'm happy with the system as it currently stands and I no longer install any of the updates ?
You would have security holes in your system. If you connect to the internet without updates for a while, your PC can get attacked. Even though Linux does not get attacked as much as Windows, there are still serious attacks happening. A big one happened in 2019 https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/s ... eir-files/

To deal with updates breaking your system, USE TIMESHIFT! Make snapshots so that if an update breaks your system you can boot into a live install USB and use Timeshift to load one of your unbroken snapshots.

Always back up personal files, beside Timeshift (which is about the system).
cliffcoggin
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Re: Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by cliffcoggin »

In broad terms the risks of skipping updates are far higher than of installing them. Updating is usually a trouble-free process so if you are having problems you should ask for assistance on this forum.
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Pjotr
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Re: Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by Pjotr »

Especially kernel updates can be disruptive. No problem though, if you have a Timeshift snapshot you can restore or if you know how to boot from a previous kernel.

Nevertheless, this can be a reasonable approach:
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... e.html#ID3
(item 3 and further)
Tip: 10 things to do after installing Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
Keep your Linux Mint healthy: Avoid these 10 fatal mistakes
Twitter: twitter.com/easylinuxtips
All in all, horse sense simply makes sense.
newlyminted7
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Re: Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by newlyminted7 »

Linux is made up of a lot of software packages, some small, some large, some essential, some not. It can be hard to tell which is more important than the next, but the general rule of thumb, at least with Linux Mint, is to apply pretty much all of them, because there aren't a lot of extraneous or unimportant software packages (some, but not too many).

Each software package has maintainers whose responsibility it is to keep it up-to-date and secure. Without these updates, as others here have mentioned, it can open your computer up to potential security holes or performance issues. Security issues on Linux are more rare than on other OS's, but they can happen.

And yes, having a good backup system is important. Even if you just get an external hard drive and plug it in now and then to run backups (using software called Timeshift for the operating system and BackInTime for your personal files), that should be enough. This allows you to restore your computer back to a point before it got messed up.

But yes, applying the updates is a wise idea. Just do a backup every day or three of both your personal files as well as your system files and you should be fine.

Do you remember what update caused the problem on your computer?
grimtraveller
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Re: Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by grimtraveller »

Thanks guys. All of that makes good sense.
I can't recall which particular updates have disrupted the system. To be honest, though I click on the details when each update is announced, I don't understand them or what they're doing.
I've gotten into the habit of backing up everything as soon as I do it, after I lost a couple of great photos that I meant to back up but let slip for 3 or 4 days !
missmoondog
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Re: Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by missmoondog »

i'd be trying to figure out why the updates are messing up your system. i've been running mint continuously since version 18, i know, not really that long, on 6 different computers and haven't ever had an update mess up my machines. i have done clean installs when going from one major upgrade to another, but haven't ever HAD to reinstall due to updates messing things up. i don't even think twice about updating what is displayed.

as far as not updating, you already sound like you know that isn't the best practice.
grimtraveller
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Re: Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by grimtraveller »

I couldn't say for certain that the updates messed up the system. Just that I remember the messing up being in close proximity to updates having happened.
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ricardogroetaers
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Re: Updates....the whys and wherefores.

Post by ricardogroetaers »

grimtraveller wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 1:26 pm I'd like to get a cross-section of opinions on this.
Troublesome updates exist and always will.
The problem is that, most of the time, the older version of the "packages" no longer exists in the repository.

My behavior is to accumulate about 6 updates and before applying them make a snapshot (or copy) of the system (or partition) with our favorite program* (timeshift, for example).
*Note: I still use good old Image for DOS.
Proven problematic updates go blacklisted in Update Manager.
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