Linux Mint 21.2 Beta - can you install and later update to final..?

[karsti]

Does anybody approximately know when they will release the BETA of 21.2?
https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/linuxmint/testing

Can you install the BETA and later update to the final 21.2 or is a complete re-install recommended?

Cheers,
karsti

[Cosmo.]

Question 1: about 3 to 5 months (no guarantee)

Question 2: Yes.

Question 3: Why do you ask? What do you expect?

[karsti]

I was hoping the BETA would come quicker. I guess it comes shortly before the release?

I wanted to directly install 21.2 instead of 21.1.

[SMG]

I was hoping the BETA would come quicker. I guess it comes shortly before the release?

That is the definition of a beta. It is the testing of the release to make sure all the major bugs are identified and addressed.

I wanted to directly install 21.2 instead of 21.1.

Then you will be likely waiting until June-ish timeframe. Linux Mint is released when ready so there is no set date.

[Reddog1]

I'll add my 2 cents. When Mint 21 beta was released I installed it in virtualbox, and updated it as I normally would. When Vanessa was released, I installed it, also in VB, and there was ZERO differences between the two. So, from my experience, if you install the beta, and update it, you will end up with the final release, eventually.
I didn't have any glitches with the beta release, but of course, YMMV. I will say that Mint developers have a really good track record when it comes to fixes for problems that might crop up in the beta, and they fix the problem in a following update.

[karsti]

I just noticed that the BETA comes out only a few days before the FINAL.

I was hoping to install the BETA very soon...but it seems there is no chance. 21.1 is also okay, but it has a lot of old stuff (XFCE, etc.). I wonder if it will properly update to 21.2 and be identical to the 21.2 fresh install.

I would assume 21.2 has a perfectly integrated and configured XFCE 4.18 version. Updating 21.1 with XFCE 4.16 to 21.2 XFCE 4.18 might not be as perfectly configured as the fresh 21.2 install.

[SMG]

I just noticed that the BETA comes out only a few days before the FINAL.

I do not know what you are referencing. The blog post announcing the beta for LM21.1 BETA was 06 Dec 2022 and the release was 20 Dec 2022. That is a little more than two weeks.

I would assume 21.2 has a perfectly integrated and configured XFCE 4.18 version.

LM21.2 will release with Xfce 4.18.

[karsti]

My fear is, that if I install 21.1 now and upgrade to 21.2 in June when it comes out, that things like XFCE 4.18 will not be as fine tuned as they are in the completely FRESH install of 21.2.

[diabolicbg]

My fear is, that if I install 21.1 now and upgrade to 21.2 in June when it comes out, that things like XFCE 4.18 will not be as fine tuned as they are in the completely FRESH install of 21.2.

The configuration settings are saved in your personal home folder and updating the system will not change them.

[spamegg]

Beta can be very buggy. I've participated in the 21.0 beta by fresh installing it (without a virtual machine) but I was OK with the bugs, I wanted to help out in the bug squash rush.

So I'd recommend installing 21.1 instead. Because the 21.1 -> 21.2 upgrade process is very very simple.

If you install the Beta, then there is no "upgrade". You just receive "normal updates" from the Update Manager. When the Beta is finished and 21.2 is released, it's the same as what you will currently have at that point.

[Etienne9]

Hoping tap to click will be restored for Live iso, on my laptop keys are out on touchpad, can't test without a mouse or tap to click.

[rdb_1212]

Just my 2 cents worth... I installed Mint 21.1 in a VM around the beginning of May, then edited the sources list to change to the Victoria repos. I then ran the commands sudo apt update, then sudo apt dist-upgrade. This gave me the dev release of 21.2. I updated it every week after that, and it stayed the same as 21.1 until last week. It now identifies itself as 21.2, but is not yet running cinnamon 5.8. It's not upstream yet. When the beta is released, this will automatically become the beta. And to answer your question, yes, it will become the final release once it is upstream. My 3 Mint installs on bare metal were all upgraded this way the last two times. I waited until the beta was released for those, changed the sources.list file to the new repos, then ran sudo apt update and sudo apt dist-upgrade. The betas become the final once it is released. I know Linux Mint doesn't recommend upgrading this way, but I've never had a single issue with it. Upgrading their way takes forever, and once failed on bare metal, leaving me a non-usable system.

[SMG]

Upgrading their way takes forever

You just described a process where you have been running updates for many weeks in a row and will continue to do so. Therefore I don't think you are really making a proper comparison. Their way is one upgrade whereas your way is many, many upgrades.

[Doruletz]

I was hoping the BETA would come quicker. I guess it comes shortly before the release?

I wanted to directly install 21.2 instead of 21.1.

Gone are the good old days when Mint released like clockwork, just like Ubuntu.
Ubuntu's cycle was April-October, Mint's was May-November, just one month later.
Nowadays, they take their own sweet time...
Mint 21 was released on July 31st 2022, over3 months after Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
Mint 21.1 just before X-Mass 2022, some 2 months after the release of Ubuntu 22.10

And the BETA is usually released just a few days before the official release of the new version, a week at the most.
Good news: The BETA for Mint 21.2 just became available today, June 19th 2023.
Not yet on the official Linux Mint website, mind you. Here's the link I found:
https://<blocked blogspam>/linux-mint-21-2-b ... nnamon-5-8

[SMG]

Mint 21.1 just before X-Mass 2022, some 2 months after the release of Ubuntu 22.10

Mint 21.1 is based on Ubuntu 22.04. It's not related to Ubuntu 22.10 so the release of Ubuntu 22.10 is not relevant to any timing for Mint 21.1.

And the BETA is usually released just a few days before the official release of the new version, a week at the most.

No, it is not.

The availability of the Mint 21.2 beta will be announced in a blog post when everything is ready for it to move forward. No announcement from the Linux Mint team has been made yet.

Random websites making announcements are not relevant to the release process.

[Doruletz]

Mint 21.1 just before X-Mass 2022, some 2 months after the release of Ubuntu 22.10

Mint 21.1 is based on Ubuntu 22.04. It's not related to Ubuntu 22.10 so the release of Ubuntu 22.10 is not relevant to any timing for Mint 21.1.

And the BETA is usually released just a few days before the official release of the new version, a week at the most.

No, it is not.

The availability of the Mint 21.2 beta will be announced in a blog post when everything is ready for it to move forward. No announcement from the Linux Mint team has been made yet.

Random websites making announcements are not relevant to the release process.

We're talking about the BETA for 21.2 here.
It is available, just not on the Mint site yet...
Also, you can make excuses for them if it makes you feel better, I just laid it down as I see it.
Years ago, we had a clear and timely release cycle for Mint. One month after Ubuntu.
Now we don't. End of story.

[Doruletz]

Found the official link for the Mint 21.2 BETA:
Worldwide:
https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/linuxmint/testing/
USA:
https://mirrors.advancedhosters.com/lin ... s/testing/

[Maxwell-J]

21.2 Beta is working OK in a VM

viewtopic.php?p=2339976#p2339976

also from a Ventoy USB with persistance