Help updating Ubuntu

Question

I have Ubuntu 16.10 right now and I need to update it to something that is still supported. So I tried following this guide: https://www.linuxbabe.com/ubuntu/upgrade-ubuntu-16-10-to-17-04 but running the commands in the updating from 16.10 section don't work. They give errors about the repository not being updated. Could anyone give me a way to update to a supported version? I don't care too much which one, it's just that 16.10 isn't supported anymore.

Here are the error messages I get when I run sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade

> Err:8 security.ubuntu dot com/ ubuntu yakkety-security Release       
> 404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.161 80] Ign:9
> https:/ /dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable InRelease               
> Get:10 http : // repository.spotify . com stable InRelease [3,302 B]       
> Hit:11 https:/ /dl.google . com/linux/chrome/deb stable Release          
> Ign:12 http:/ /ppa.launchpad . net/texlive-backports/ppa/ubuntu yakkety
> InRelease Err:13 http: / /archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu yakkety Release     
> 404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.152 80] Err:14
> http:/ /archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu yakkety-updates Release              
> 404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.152 80] Hit:15
> http://ppa.launchpad . net/umang/indicator-stickynotes/ubuntu yakkety
> InRelease Err:10 http://repository . spotify . com stable InRelease       
> The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key
> is not available: NO_PUBKEY EFDC8610341D9410 Err:16
> http://ppa.launchpad . net/texlive-backports/ppa/ubuntu yakkety Release 
> 404  Not Found Reading package lists... Done                       E:
> The repository 'http://security . ubuntu . com/ubuntu yakkety-security
> Release' does no longer have a Release file. N: Updating from such a
> repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by
> default. N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user
> configuration details. E: The repository
> 'http://archive . ubuntu . com/ubuntu yakkety Release' does no longer have
> a Release file. N: Updating from such a repository can't be done
> securely, and is therefore disabled by default. N: See apt-secure(8)
> manpage for repository creation and user configuration details. E: The
> repository 'http : //archive.ubuntu . com/ubuntu yakkety-updates Release'
> does no longer have a Release file. N: Updating from such a repository
> can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default. N: See
> apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration
> details. W: An error occurred during the signature verification. The
> repository is not updated and the previous index files will be used.
> GPG error: http://repository . spotify . com stable InRelease: The
> following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is
> not available: NO_PUBKEY EFDC8610341D9410 E: The repository
> 'http://ppa.launchpad . net/texlive-backports/ppa/ubuntu yakkety
> Release' does not have a Release file. N: Updating from such a
> repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by
> default. N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user
> configuration details.

The next command works without any errors. I had to mess up some of the links because otherwise it wouldn't let me post it.

Please copy the output you saw and update your question to include it. Do NOT post that info as a comment. However, consider updating to the current 17.10 rather than the obsolete 17.04.. — jpezz, Feb 14 '18 at 02:37
I would wait for 18.04 in a few months which is a LTS edition. Even though not supported, if your 16.10 is working fine then you don't have to upgrade it. — Dave A, Feb 14 '18 at 02:39
it's not really working fine - a lot of the repositories are not up to date so I am having trouble updating stuff. — Adam, Feb 14 '18 at 02:41
Please see: https://askubuntu.com/questions/91815/how-to-install-software-or-upgrade-from-an-old-unsupported-release on how to upgrade Ubuntu to a supported version. — Terrance, Feb 14 '18 at 02:53
I looked at those links (they're the same link) and I get errors when I try to run those commands too. For example, they say to run a command using gedit, but I don't have that and when I try to install it I get an error. — Adam, Feb 14 '18 at 02:58
The very first answer in that link(s) does not use gedit and it is the most correct and straight forward way to do it. You can always download the ISO, burn the disc and install it that way. — Terrance, Feb 14 '18 at 03:16
The first answer uses the command that I mentioned gives me errors (I posted the errors it gave me in my post.) — Adam, Feb 14 '18 at 03:20
You copy and paste that line into a terminal window. You are seeing that message because the word archive has to be replaced with old-releases. If you tried a command, edit your question and copy and paste your errors in that you are getting. — Terrance, Feb 14 '18 at 03:22

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 14 '18 at 05:12

There is no Easy, Tested, Supported way to do what you want anymore. That window is closed. The only easy and supported path for you now is to backup your data and then to install a supported release of Ubuntu.

There are ways to do what you want, but they are not easy or fast. Recommended only for skilled apt users, as they involve editing text files, using the terminal, and occasionally resolving version conflicts.

Non-LTS Ubuntu releases occur every six months, and are supported for nine months. Unless you changed your settings, your system likely nagged you every day for three months to upgrade from 16.10 to 17.04 while that window was open.

If you don't want to be on that every-six-months treadmill, then LTS releases of Ubuntu occur every two years (14.04, 16.04, soon 18.04) and are supported for five years.

Help updating Ubuntu

1 Answers1