This document describes how to perform an LTS release upgrade in Ubuntu. There are many upgrade methods one can perform using Ubuntu. One can upgrade packages using sudo dist-upgrade and sudo apt-get update commands.
Running the above two commands only upgrade existing packages and their dependencies, no new packages that are not already installed will be installed.
Ubuntu also has standard release cycles to support and fix bugs and apply security updates. It uses these cycles to upgrade the operating systems, including packages. There are basically two types of upgrade releases that are carried-out by Canonical, the parent company behind Ubuntu.
The first release cycle is called Regular release cycle. Canonical will support this release with bug fixes and security patches for as long as 9 months. Ubuntu computers that subscribed to this release cycle see upgrade every 9 months. This is a quick release cycle and mostly for desktop computers.
The other release cycle is known as Long Term Support (LTS) release cycle. This release cycle has a five years support from Canonical. Computers that are subscribed to this release cycle see new releases every 5 years.
This is a long release cycle and mostly for server computers. Computers that don’t need quick and rapid changes like servers are suitable for these kind of release cycles.
This brief tutorial is going to show you how to upgrade your computer that are subscribed to the LTS release recycles.
To change and upgrade Ubuntu to the LTS release cycles, continue below.
First, run the commands below to install update your system and install Ubuntu release assistant.
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install update-manager-core
Next, go and edit the upgrade assistant and change the value for the prompts. The file is at /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades
sudo vi /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades
Change the value of the Prompts from normal to lts:
# Default behavior for the release upgrader.
[DEFAULT]
# Default prompting behavior, valid options:
#
# never – Never check for a new release.
# normal – Check to see if a new release is available. If more than one new
# release is found, the release upgrader will attempt to upgrade to
# the release that immediately succeeds the currently-running
# release.
# lts – Check to see if a new LTS release is available. The upgrader
# will attempt to upgrade to the first LTS release available after
# the currently-running one. Note that this option should not be
# used if the currently-running release is not itself an LTS
# release, since in that case the upgrader won’t be able to
# determine if a newer release is available.
Prompt=normal
Change the prompts to LTS and save the file.
To subscribe your Ubuntu computer to the LTS release cycle because your want a more stable and long term support from Canonical, change the Prompts from normal to lts.
Prompt=lts
Save the file and run the commands below to update.
LTS upgrade assistant file should look like the one below
# Default behavior for the release upgrader.
[DEFAULT]
# Default prompting behavior, valid options:
#
# never – Never check for a new release.
# normal – Check to see if a new release is available. If more than one new
# release is found, the release upgrader will attempt to upgrade to
# the release that immediately succeeds the currently-running
# release.
# lts – Check to see if a new LTS release is available. The upgrader
# will attempt to upgrade to the first LTS release available after
# the currently-running one. Note that this option should not be
# used if the currently-running release is not itself an LTS
# release, since in that case the upgrader won’t be able to
# determine if a newer release is available.
Prompt=lts
Next, run the commands to upgrade
sudo do-release-upgrade -d
From there your system will update and stay with the LTS release cycles.
Enjoy!