Update, upgrade, and fastest/closest mirror selection from command line

[ghoultek]

Hello all,

I have a newbie question. When I started exploring Manjaro I visited their wiki and learned how to do the following from the command line:
1 - update/upgrade the system
2 - update the mirrors list to sort the list from fastest to slowest with the fastest at the top of the list

Obviously, I would perform task #2 first and then task #1. I would like to know the commands to do the above from the command line in Linux Mint. Are there any Mint wiki articles that I should be looking at to learn this?

Here are the commands that I use on Manjaro (and any Arch based distro):
2 - sudo pacman-mirrors --country United_States
1 - sudo pacman -Syyu

Also, are there separate commands to only install security updates? If yes, please include them or drop a link to the article(s)/tutorial(s) on the web.
Thank you.

[kato181]

LM doesn't use the pacman command..
To update use the following command:
sudo apt-get update
To chose the mirror site, go to:
Menu-->Administration-->Software Sources (Cinnamon)
Menu-->System-->Software Sources (XFCE)
Menu-->Administration-->Software Sources (Mate)

[Hoser Rob]

Since you were using an Arch based distro, did you read the Arch article on mirrors (https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/mirrors)? It states that using the fastest mirror may not work so well because it may not by synched properly. I use the Arch wikis often for support but you do have to know the differences between an Arch based system and a Debian/Ubuntu based one.

I just use the main mirror, it's the mmost reliable. Any instance of solving sync problems is going to wipe out all the time you saved by using faster ones. And then some.

[ghoultek]

LM doesn't use the pacman command..
To update use the following command:
sudo apt-get update
To chose the mirror site, go to:
Menu-->Administration-->Software Sources (Cinnamon)
Menu-->System-->Software Sources (XFCE)
Menu-->Administration-->Software Sources (Mate)

I think you misread my post. I posted the commands used on manjaro as an example. What I want to know is how to perform the same tasks via the command line. I've used the GUI, but I want to be able to perform those tasks from the command. Do you know how to do it?

[ghoultek]

Since you were using an Arch based distro, did you read the Arch article on mirrors (https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/mirrors)? It states that using the fastest mirror may not work so well because it may not by synched properly. I use the Arch wikis often for support but you do have to know the differences between an Arch based system and a Debian/Ubuntu based one.

I just use the main mirror, it's the mmost reliable. Any instance of solving sync problems is going to wipe out all the time you saved by using faster ones. And then some.

Thanks. I did read that article. Manjaro has a mirror status page here ==> https://repo.manjaro.org/
After running the pacman-mirrors command I can check that page and edit the mirrorslist file if need be before running the update command or delay running the update command.

By the way do you know the commands to perform the tasks listed in the first post?

[smurphos]

Mint is based on Ubuntu which in turn is based on Debian to all share the same package management system (packages in deb format - main command is apt). Mint provides a wrapper around apt which makes it a little more versatile.

So to upgrade the system (all packages)

Update your local cache from your sources apt update
Optionally if this alerts you to pending updates to see a list of upgradable packages apt list --upgradable
Then to apply all upgrades apt upgrade

To upgrade an individual package or list of packages you need to use the install command apt install <package-name>. Just add additional package names to the command for multiple packages.

If using these commands outside of Mint (Ubuntu or other Debian based system) you'll need to prefix with sudo

Mint also provides a cli version of it's Update Manager GUI which does allow you to to upgrade only packages marked as security updates. See man mintupdate-cli

I'm not aware of any official command line tool to test relative mirror speeds.

[ghoultek]

Thank you smurphos!

Any chance that you know the commands to change the kernel to a different version and change the nvidia proprietary driver (all from the command line)?

[smurphos]

Kernels

So Mint 20.x runs on the Canonical supported kernel series for Ubuntu 20.04 (the last Ubuntu LTS) - you should be aware that Canonical often decide to LTS a different kernel series to upstream to avoid any confusion compared to what you will be used to from Manjaro.

Easiest way to switch between the supported kernel series is by installing the appropriate kernel metapackage which will pull in the rest of the kernel packages for the latest in that series as dependencies of the metapackage, and will ensure updates are offered for that series

The generic kernel series are
LTS series (5.4) - package linux-generic
HWE (hardware enablement series) (was 5.11 until a couple of days ago now 5.13) - package - linux-generic-hwe-20.04
HWE-Edge (hardware enablement series -edge) (also 5.13 currently - 5.15 may be offered around March/April) - package - linux-generic-hwe-20.04-edge

Canonical also offer other supported Kenrnel series - e.g
OEM kernel (intended for devices shipped with Ubuntu, but available to all users) - this is currently offering a 5.14 kernel - package -linux-oem-20.04d

There are also low-latency and other flavours available etc - e.g packages linux-lowlatency, linux-lowlatency-hwe-20.04, linux-lowlatency-hwe-20.04-edge

Nvidia drivers - I'n not really familiar with these as not a Nvidia user, but again it looks like the different drivers as provides as metapackages which pull in the required packages as dependencies -e.g - nvidia-driver-495, nvidia-driver-470 etc.

A couple of more apt commands for you..

List packages starting nvidia-driver
apt list nvidia-driver-*
Show detailed info about a specific package.
apt show <package-name>

[ghoultek]

Thanks again Smurphos.