Linux Mint, the distribution that tries to set itself apart for beginners (but not only) along with their own Cinnamon desktop environment, have some plans to help users upgrade.
Jumping between small releases is currently fine, since Linux Mint sticks to the same Ubuntu package base. However, upgrading to a new major version can be a hassle. Thankfully, they're working on solving this issue with a brand new upgrade tool in the works.
Compared with the existing upgrade tool these are the main features:
- It’s fully graphical, no command line.
- It’s localized (the existing tool is only in English).
- It performs more checks to make sure everything is fine (for instance it checks that you are connected to AC power, free space vs download size, list of removed packages etc..).
- It’s configurable (even though you really shouldn’t skip anything, it does allow you to disable some requirements, such as the presence of a Timeshift snapshot).
- It preserves your choice of mirrors (it checks to see if they’re compatible, responsive and up to date)
- It doesn’t force you to remove your custom repositories and PPAs (it checks whether or not they support the target release though)
- It warns but lets you keep orphaned packages (packages which aren’t present in repositories)
- It provides and handles solutions (for most detected issues, along with the explanation you’ll just need to click a “Fix” button to solve the issue).
They also said it's the "number one priority" this current development cycle, and they will be using it for people who jump between the LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) versions 4 and 5 first and then later for Linux Mint 20.3 to Linux Mint 21. It makes sense to use it on the lesser used version to help iron out any kinks.
Additionally, Linux Mint 21 is codenamed "Vanessa" and it will be based on Ubuntu 22.04 and support 3 editions: Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce.
Eagle-eyed viewers will also spot a video created by a certain person (me) in the blog post.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Nice! Let's hope more distributions follow with the same idea...
1 Likes, Who?
Hmmm. I usually do a fresh install for Mint's major version changes (after my 17->18 attempt did not go well), but if this comes together well, I might change that policy. Would be nice to not have to futz around with USB-boot ISOs. In any case, Mint continues to rock the category of "what are our pain points and how can we fix them".
5 Likes, Who?
Mint is, well, mint! :D I just would like to see a KDE spin of it, with all the basic KDE stuff preinstalled.
1 Likes, Who?
Mint is, well, mint! :D I just would like to see a KDE spin of it, with all the basic KDE stuff preinstalled.
I confess that some of KDE's current features (*cough*notifications*cough*) would tempt me to also try out such a variant.
1 Likes, Who?
Mint is, well, mint! :D I just would like to see a KDE spin of it, with all the basic KDE stuff preinstalled.this is the only reason i don't use it permanently
0 Likes
Mint is, well, mint! :D I just would like to see a KDE spin of it, with all the basic KDE stuff preinstalled.
There used to be Linux Mint KDE, but alas it was really designed and maintained by one main (unpaid) volunteer. IIRC, once he could no longer support Mint's KDE spin, Clem dropped it like a hot potato. Was a great KDE distro, as it used KDE-themed versions of all of Mint's artwork. I left Mint for Kubuntu at that point, and use Neon today.
Honestly, if Mint were to deploy a KDE version today, it would likely be indistinguishable from Kubuntu, as all of the tools and apps that are unique to Mint are and will ALWAYS BE GTK-based.
1 Likes, Who?
Schattenspiegel Apr 8, 2022
Don`t know... while I do prefer some KDE apps to their GTK counterparts, the Cinnamon desktop simply has some features I would not like to miss anymore...like the ability to separately define the intelli-hide delay to show/hide the panel or the ability to run the file-browser as root or (unlike in KDE) not having to confirm every change and stuff like that. These days the only things that annoy me a bit are easily fixed visuals - like the new theming - or due to some upstream shenanigans from Canonical (snaps) or GTK/Gnome (design and functionality of inherited apps). This tool seems to be another fine refinement. Looking forward to it. Maybe it is actually better that they concentrate on their own DE instead of spreading themself to thin.
2 Likes, Who?
Nice! Always cool to see the updates coming from the Mint team, more user-friendliness in the Linux space goes such a long way.
3 Likes, Who?
whoa! 
This might actually keep me on Mint if this goes right! 
.. Having to do a fresh install to upgrade from 19.3 was making me NOT interested in continuing
This might actually keep me on Mint if this goes right! .. Having to do a fresh install to upgrade from 19.3 was making me NOT interested in continuing
0 Likes
mr-victory Apr 9, 2022
the ability to run the file-browser as rootIt is also possible on KDE's file manager.
0 Likes
Schattenspiegel Apr 9, 2022
whoa!There was not really a need for that. There is an upgrade path available between major version. It usually is made public a a few days after the .ISO on the release announcement page.
Should you still be on 19.3 you will have to upgrade to 20.x first before going to 21.04, though, if you want go that route.
Oh, is that finally implemented without hacks? Good to know.the ability to run the file-browser as rootIt is also possible on KDE's file manager.
Last edited by Schattenspiegel on 9 April 2022 at 5:44 am UTC
0 Likes
One of my favorite distributions, too bad it doesn't come with Gnome3 by default... For me Gnome is the best DE for gamers...
0 Likes
This is great! Upgrading was always the thing I found most problematic about Mint. And it frustrated me because I'd experienced fairly seamless upgrading at least some of the time with Mandrake/Mandriva, so I know it's possible.
But we'll see . . . past Mint upgrade-related tools have been a bit iffy. I'm certainly not going to stop keeping /home on a separate partition!
But we'll see . . . past Mint upgrade-related tools have been a bit iffy. I'm certainly not going to stop keeping /home on a separate partition!
0 Likes
Mint is, well, mint! :D I just would like to see a KDE spin of it, with all the basic KDE stuff preinstalled.
There used to be Linux Mint KDE, but alas it was really designed and maintained by one main (unpaid) volunteer. IIRC, once he could no longer support Mint's KDE spin, Clem dropped it like a hot potato. Was a great KDE distro, as it used KDE-themed versions of all of Mint's artwork. I left Mint for Kubuntu at that point, and use Neon today.
Honestly, if Mint were to deploy a KDE version today, it would likely be indistinguishable from Kubuntu, as all of the tools and apps that are unique to Mint are and will ALWAYS BE GTK-based.
Oh, TIL! And makes sense I suppose. I am using Kubuntu now and I'm really happy with it, but I've always had a very soft spot in my heart for Linux Mint, it was one of my first distros among the default Ubuntu flavor.
0 Likes
I've upgraded my mint boxes from one point release to another without hiccups but I went for fresh installs with every new major upgrade by choice. Backed up a few config files, caches and profiles from my home directory, restored em et voila. Still this new update manager makes perfectly sense with Mint philosophy. Users should be able to avoid reinstalling afresh their systems and upgrade seamlessly to new major releases.
0 Likes
whoa!There was not really a need for that. There is an upgrade path available between major version. It usually is made public a a few days after the .ISO on the release announcement page.
Should you still be on 19.3 you will have to upgrade to 20.x first before going to 21.04, though, if you want go that route.
Yeah, I know there's a way to do it without a full-install .. but when I was doing research for common issues, etc just to be thorough, all the solutions seemed to boil down to "just do a fresh install" ...
0 Likes
Having been on Arch based distros a number of years now, I can't believe in 2022 there are still distros like Mint and I'm guessing Elementary where full reinstalls are necessary for version upgrades? Wow....
0 Likes
Schattenspiegel Apr 10, 2022
...I can't believe in 2022 there are still distros like Mint and I'm guessing Elementary where full reinstalls are necessary for version upgrades? Wow....They are not and have not been for years.
0 Likes
Mint's major version upgrade process has been okay on the few systems I've gone through it, but a better tool certainly won't hurt. The previous one was basically a collection of rather clunky scripts. On my own systems I like to do a reinstall once every couple of years anyway. I think of it as a biennial* spring cleaning of sorts. I tweak my partition setup if needed, decide on whatever custom configuration I want to carry over etc. Honestly, it doesn't even take that much longer than an upgrade.
That said, I'll definitely give this tool a try.
EDIT: bi-annual? biennial? Whatever means once every two years. :D
Last edited by tuubi on 10 April 2022 at 8:18 am UTC
That said, I'll definitely give this tool a try.
But we'll see . . . past Mint upgrade-related tools have been a bit iffy. I'm certainly not going to stop keeping /home on a separate partition!I'd say having a separate home partition is a good idea regardless of the distro.
EDIT: bi-annual? biennial? Whatever means once every two years. :D
Last edited by tuubi on 10 April 2022 at 8:18 am UTC
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