How Upgrade Linux Mint for First Time in Years

I noticed the little blue shield icon or whatever it is, and when I click on it, it still lists many updates.
if you havent updated for a while and then start, it will do the updates in order of age some may need the previous updates before it can load the current ones,
 


Okay, here's what happens. I was able to boot! That's the (very) good news. Now, the bad news is that this new version (clearly some updates DID take place) is a mess. The configuration is very awkward and it seems very buggy. I almost don't know where to begin in terms of the problems, but that's clearly the subject for a new thread, which will start shortly. In fact, one thing I will have to decide is whether to start a separate thread for each problem or try to knock if several in one..

Also, by the way, I noticed the little blue shield icon or whatever it is, and when I click on it, it still lists many updates. I thought that that's what it just did? Naturally I'm a bit skittish about trying this process AGAIN. It's like it's gotten to the point in which I willing to accept some "badness" out of fear that any attempt to improve things will just make them worse.
You do need to install those updates - since it booted when you ran startx you can access the terminal so you can also
Code:
sudo dpkg --configure -a
this should straighten out some things that may or may not have installed correctly then once it finishes run
Code:
sudo apt update
then run
Code:
sudo apt upgrade -y
once completed reboot again
 
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if you havent updated for a while and then start, it will do the updates in order of age some may need the previous updates before it can load the current ones,
Ugh, I hate to "go back in," but I guess I will have to soon. Again, I just hope that this isn't the one I can't recover from. Will try to do some more backups first -- I was a bit overconfident yesterday.

By the way, Brickwizard, I didn't mean to sound impatient last night! Yes, I know that old wizards, along with young wizards and especially us mere mortals need sleep. That was kind of my point -- as long as I wasn't likely to get any more responses, I might as well not wait for any and just try again the next day, which is exactly what happened and turned out to be reasonably successful.
 
I didn't mean to sound impatient last night!
thats ok I wont put a curse on you , but some people think we are all here 24/7/52, perccivere with your instalation we will get you fixed one way or the other
 
You do need to install those updates - since it booted when you ran startx you can access the terminal so you can also
Code:
sudo dpkg --configure -a
this should straighten out some things that may or may not have installed correctly then once it finishes run
Code:
sudo apt update
then run
Code:
sudo apt upgrade -y
once completed reboot again

I know there are no guarantees, but is it at least probable that if the startx command works now, it will continue to work even after more updates? Again, the current setup is hardly ideal, but at least I AM able to log on and access my files, etc.

By the way, among the many problems, it still will ONLY boot by using this command -- it's not like it was a permanent fix. That is, once I restart, I still get that black screen again and have to use the F1 command to get into the terminal and type startx. Obviously, this doesn't seem normal to me. But, again, it's better than nothing.
 
@Lord Boltar has given good advice.

Do whatever you need to do now in terms of accessing your files etc

Then run the three terminal commands and reboot

Then install the waiting updates.

@wizardfromoz will come along shortly and hopefully sort out your grub problem
 
I noticed the little blue shield icon or whatever it is, and when I click on it, it still lists many updates.

Click Refresh and see if the number changes.

Wiz
 
Click Refresh and see if the number changes.

Wiz
Okay, am back now. Yesterday and most of today got away from me a bit. Anyway, more issues. First of all, I just noticed then when I hover over (but don't click) that shield, it says 245 updates available! But then when I do click on Refresh, it runs for a few seconds and then I get this message:

E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

Any thoughts? Thanks as always.
 
Now I have -- wasn't sure what the correct order was. Here's the last line of output:

The default action is to keep your current version.
*** 10_linux (Y/I/N/O/D/Z) [default=N] ?

Should that be N (since I'm trying to upgrade)?
 
No, because it has been so long since you (well, never?) ran upgrades, some of the stock standard files have changed.

Always report an error or choice a little more completely. There will likely have been the following before that line.

Code:
Configuration file '/etc/grub.d/10_linux'
 ==> Modified (by you or by a script) since installation.
 ==> Package distributor has shipped an updated version.
   What would you like to do about it ?  Your options are:
    Y or I  : install the package maintainer's version
    N or O  : keep your currently-installed version
      D     : show the differences between the versions
      Z     : start a shell to examine the situation

Is that so?

You may get more than one occurrence of these during the process.

Choose

Y

to implement the package maintainer's new version.
 
Yes, that other text was, in fact, there (verbatim). Was just trying to give you what I thought were the highlights! Will make that selection now and see what happens...
 
Okay, was going okay for a few minutes -- I did have to make that choice again, but now, and I'll paste more completely this time:

Processing triggers for libvlc-bin:i386 (3.0.8-0ubuntu18.04.1) ...
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3.13) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-20-generic
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.27-3ubuntu1.4) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
ubuntu-system-adjustments

Think I'm going to call it a night and just leave this one my screen overnight and get back at it tomorrow.
 
Get a good sleep and always try to do these things when you are fresh, less chance of mistakes.

Let us know:
  1. Was there any output/resolution following the above, or did it just choke and drop you back to the prompt (bit with jordan)?
  2. If so, what was it?
Get some practice Googling, enter

Errors were encountered while processing:
ubuntu-system-adjustments

and first take a look at the one marked solved at Linux Mint.

Wiz
 
No, no output following what I pasted above -- the line with my name in it ending the dollar sign is the end of it.

Well, I took a look at the other thread, and what I assume you're referring to is the switching mirrors thing, but obviously I have no idea what that refers to. Thanks.
 
The next step would be to do as @wizardfromoz asked in post #75

He said...

Errors were encountered while processing:
ubuntu-system-adjustments


which produces this:


read it.

Your freshly opened topic HERE is a waste of time and space.
Something like "You could try to switch your mirrors to the default ones in Software Sources" is not exactly going to resonate with people without strong technical expertise. This is something that people WITH technical expertise don't seem to understand. To put it very bluntly, I go to a forum like this to have things spelled out for me clearly.
 
Jordan, enter the following words in a Google search

linux mint change download mirrors youtube

Take a look through a few of the videos, and also read the "people also ask" section. This should give you a feel for what we are asking.

I have to sign off for my evening and I'll check back tomorrow.

Wizard

Also, if I can spell it out clearly for you, as you say - once you get through this, run updates when they are notified to you, then you will not face these problems. :)
 

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