Ubuntu
update-manager package

upgrade failure

Asked by Richard Idiens

Update manager offered me an upgrade from version 9 to version 10 on a Dell Studio. I accepted, after much downloading, the installation started and found many files missing. It eventually failed and left the computer in a non-bootable condition (Grub ends with kernel panic.) How can I recover the situation?

It looks like I need to download an re-install the new OS. I would want to save my own files but am not sure in which directories they are all saved (particularly those of Evolution). Also the Grub I'm using is 0.97 and I would like to move up to 2+. Is there an easy and automatic way to do this?

Thanks in advance

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actionparsnip
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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

You should have a backup if your data is important. Drives motors can fail at any time. Then where is your data!? You will need to pay THOUSANDS of dollars for professional (and un-guaranteed) data retrieval, or you can spend a couple HUNDRED on even the cheapest USB drive and have guaranteed data if your drive fails.

You can install grub2 on Lucid if you have upgraded, by installing it like any other package in software centre.

If you want to backup, just backup everything in $HOME (including the hidden folders). This will backup settings and emails and web settings etc etc. I suggest you run bleachbit as root and user to clean up temp files to make the backup need less data

If you try and boot to a different kernel, does the system boot?

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Richard Idiens (idiens) said : 		#2

Thanks, I back up the data that I can find control, but backing up hidden files is not so obvious a task. All my "HOME" folders are apparently empty although they have different folders within them, so not easy to select the files and copy them. Can you recommend a back-up tool that handles hidden files?

I can reboot with a trapped version 8.10. I will try with a live CD of Lucid through windows.

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Best actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

You can press CTRL+H and the hidden files and folders will be visible.

You can always boot to live CD and backup data easily there (assuming you havent used crappy wubi). If you have there is a way to mount the wubi image but hopefully you have a proper install.

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Richard Idiens (idiens) said : 		#4

Thanks again CTRL-H works. Now see 450 MB of files previously hidden.

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Richard Idiens (idiens) said : 		#5

Thanks actionparsnip, that solved my question.