How To Upgrade Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) To 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) (Desktop & Server)

Version 1.0
Author: Falko Timme <ft [at] falkotimme [dot] com>
Last edited 10/30/2008

Today the new Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) has been released. This guide shows how you can upgrade your Ubuntu 8.04 desktop and server installations to Ubuntu 8.10.

This document comes without warranty of any kind! I do not issue any guarantee that this will work for you!

1 Desktop

Go to System > Administration > Software Sources:

Type in your password:

In the Software Sources window, go to the Updates tab and select Normal releases in the Show new distribution releases drop-down menu; then close the Software Sources window:

Now start the Update Manager (System > Administration > Update Manager):

The Update Manager should show that a new distribution release (8.10) is available. Click on the Upgrade button to start the distribution upgrade:

A window with the release notes for 8.10 comes up. Click on Upgrade again:

The upgrade is being prepared:

Click on Start Upgrade to finally begin with the upgrade process:

Replace /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades:

At the end of the upgrade process, you should remove obsolete packages:

The system needs to be rebooted to complete the upgrade, therefore click on Restart Now:

After the reboot, you can use your new Ubuntu 8.10 desktop:

2 Server

First become root:

sudo su

Then run

apt-get update

and install the package update-manager-core:

apt-get install update-manager-core

Open the file /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades...

vi /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades

... and change Prompt=lts to Prompt=normal:

[...]
Prompt=normal

Then run

do-release-upgrade

to start the distribution upgrade.

Confirm that you want to do the upgrade:

Do you want to start the upgrade?


2 packages are going to be removed. 48 new packages are going to be
installed. 376 packages are going to be upgraded.

You have to download a total of 242M. This download will take about 6
minutes with your connection.

Fetching and installing the upgrade can take several hours. Once the
download has finished, the process cannot be cancelled.

 Continue [yN]  Details [d] <-- y

At the end of the upgrade process, you should remove obsolete packages:

Remove obsolete packages?


21 packages are going to be removed.

 Continue [yN]  Details [d] <-- y

The server needs to be rebooted to complete the upgrade:

System upgrade is complete.

Restart required

To finish the upgrade, a restart is required.
If you select 'y' the system will be restarted.

Continue [yN] <-- y

After the reboot, your server is running Ubuntu 8.10.

3 Links

• Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com/