Saturday, February 6, 2010

How do I update Ubuntu Linux softwares?

Q. I have latest version of Ubuntu Linux. How do I update Ubuntu Linux for security and application fix or upgrades?

A. Ubuntu Linux can be upgraded using GUI tools or using traditional command line tools.

Using apt-get command line tool

apt-get is the command-line tool for handling packages. You can use following command options:

=> apt-get update : Update is used to resynchronize the package index files from their sources via Internet.

=> apt-get install package-name : install is followed by one or more packages desired for installation. If package is already installed it will try to update to latest version.

a) Open terminal and type following two commands (Application > Accessories > Terminal):

b) Get update software list, enter:

tukulesto:~# sudo apt-get update


c) Update software(s) i.e. apply updates:

tukulesto:~# sudo apt-get upgrade


d) Please note that above two command will fetch files from Internet. The location of update pages is specified in /etc/apt/sources.list (repositories). You need NOT to make any changes to this file until and unless you need extra repositories for your setup.

e) To upgrade individual software called foo type command:

tukulesto:~# sudo apt-get install foo


Using Ubuntu Update Manager tool

This is GUI tool. It works like Microsoft / Red Hat update manager i.e. you will see a little icon in the kicker bar/taskbar when there are updates. It will only appear when new upgrades are available. All you have to do is click on it and follow the online instructions.

You can also start GUI tool by Clicking System > Administration > Update Manager

That's all.

Regards

Don Tukulesto

# www.indonesiancoder.com

Monday, February 1, 2010

Remove an old Ubuntu Kernels

Someone has asked to me "how to remove old Ubuntu Kernels"

Every time Ubuntu installs a new Linux kernel, the old one is left behind. This means that if you are regularly updating an Ubuntu system the Grub boot menu becomes longer and longer with kernels you don’t need anymore.

The old kernels are deliberately left installed and on the menu so you can boot a previous kernel if you have trouble with a new one. But if the new one works, you can safely uninstall the old kernel, which will also result in the Grub menu being cleaned up.

First you need to find out what your current kernel is. Open a terminal and run the following command:

uname -r


It will print the version of the Linux kernel you are running, this is the one you want to keep. It should look something like this:

2.6.31-14-generic



This is the old trick, you just open the Synaptic package manager from the System->Administration menu.

Click the “Search” button on the tool bar and search for linux-image-2.

The results should show every available and installed kernel. A green box on the left indicates that the package is installed. The only linux-image you want installed is the latest one. Find the package corresponding to the kernel to you running currently (this is the kernel you found in the terminal window). Make sure you keep that one. Now you can uninstall the old kernels from the list by clicking their boxes and selecting “Mark for Removal”.

Caution! Be careful of what you remove. Ensure that you don’t remove your current kernel, or anything that is not a linux-image. It is possible to break Ubuntu if you remove the wrong kernel.

Click the apply button on the tool bar to complete the changes.

Your computer and Grub menu should now be free of old kernels.

That's all.


# www.indonesiancoder.com

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More

 
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Sweet Tomatoes Printable Coupons