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I just need some advice on upgrading from 12.10 to 13.04.

What happens when I upgrade? Do my files, settings, and internet bookmarks stay intact? I can't find any resources to help me with this.

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The best advice anyone can and should give you: create a backup of files you deem important (and that is REGARDLESS of you updating or upgrading). If they are important make sure you have a copy. –  Rinzwind Nov 17 '13 at 11:26
backing up files should be a general rule and something you should do always. –  Alvar Nov 17 '13 at 18:42
possible duplicate of How do I upgrade to a newer version of Ubuntu? –  belacq May 16 at 20:43
what happens if do not upgrade updates of ubuntu –  J. kronee Sep 9 at 11:47

3 Answers 3

up vote 3 down vote accepted

Upgrade means: it will update the core software to new features and better functionality and by doing this update you will never lose any of your personal data, files or installed applications.

Upgrade simply means shifting your home from a Single bed room flat to a Double bed room flat. All your stuff will be there and there is room for some other more but its risky too for arrangement in the new flat.

So There is a chance that you upgrade can fail and it will take the stability of your system or it may be dont want to boot after upgrade , WiFi , VGA drivers , etc many issues are there .

If I were you , What I do ?

  • before going to move to the upgrade take all your important data as backup.
  • If you more time and high speed Internet , download the ISO of which you would like to get as upgrade and make sure that the hardware and everything running properly in a normal way.

hope that helps.

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"you will never lost". "Its completely safe to upgrade." This is too absolute. Accidents happen even during upgrading. Though not intentional upgrading could do things where someone who needs to ask a question like this(!) will not be able to solve himself where the next action taken could make things worse. –  Rinzwind Nov 17 '13 at 11:32
it's still not general enough, you are mixing facts with your own experiences so that it seems 90% success rate is what all users have. Which it's not. Re-think the line and see how you can formulate it more general, and please be clear with what's your own experiences and what's facts. –  Alvar Nov 18 '13 at 0:13
@Alvar amigo that better ? –  Raja Nov 18 '13 at 0:20

I just need some advice on upgrading from 12.04 to 13.04.

You can't upgrade from 12.04 to 13.04. You need to 12.04 -> 12.10 -> 13.04. But 13.04 support stops in January 2014 so you better upgrade until 13.10 which has support until April.


Your system files get upgraded. Anything that it's not /home could be subject of upgrade. Personal files, personal settings, internets bookmarks, etc. Anything under /home don't get touched, but a backup is always advisable.

Just a piece of advice

Since you will be downloading 1.5 years worth of upgrades, the easier solution is reinstalling Ubuntu 13.10 or waiting until April when 14.04 LTS gets releases. Many successive upgrades tend to break things around and also your bandwidth will suffer.

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Still it is advised to clean install the new Ubuntu. If you have a /home directory then in my recommendation you should format old Ubuntu and install new one. If you don't have /home then it's alright to upgrade in the formal way. (I answered just based on my knowledge. I myself never upgraded to new Ubuntus).

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