Which option to choose when package distributor has shipped an updated version?

Question

Advanced settings after selecting dpkg fix broken packages:

Configuration file '/etc/gnome/defaults.list'
 ==> Modified (by you or by a script) since installation.
 ==> Package distributor has shipped an updated version.
   What would you like to do about it ?  Your options are:
    Y or I  : install the package maintainer's version
    N or O  : keep your currently-installed version
      D     : show the differences between the versions
      Z     : start a shell to examine the situation
 The default action is to keep your current version.
*** defaults.list (Y/I/N/O/D/Z) [default=N] ?

Will this install a version of Ubuntu or 18.04 or just update my current Ubuntu 16.04?

You mention 16 & 18 implying to me you're running Ubuntu Core 16 (an IoT release) and want to upgrade to the later Ubuntu Core 18? Or are you meaning Ubuntu 16.04 LTS to Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (a release that uses yy.mm format? unlike specialist device releases like Ubuntu Core) — guiverc, May 15 '19 at 22:24
Yes I mean the Ubuntu 16.04 LTS ,upon choosing option 1 it upgraded to 18.04LTS when dist-upgrade doesn't do it,seems unusual to me — Nishanth R, May 16 '19 at 00:40

karel · Answer 1 · 2019-05-15T22:57:06.617

The original error message contained this text:

Configuration file '/etc/gnome/defaults.list'
 ==> Modified (by you or by a script) since installation.
 ==> Package distributor has shipped an updated version.
   What would you like to do about it ?  Your options are:
    Y or I  : install the package maintainer's version
    N or O  : keep your currently-installed version
      D     : show the differences between the versions
      Z     : start a shell to examine the situation
 The default action is to keep your current version.
*** defaults.list (Y/I/N/O/D/Z) [default=N] ?

Selecting the first option, Y or I : install the package maintainer's version, will not change your currently installed Ubuntu release. Instead it will make everything compatible with your currently installed Ubuntu release (Ubuntu 16.04). If necessary it will undo changes that you have made in your system that could prevent you from being able to update packages normally. The first Y option is the safest option to choose when presented with the Package distributor has shipped an updated version menu because it is the option the allows you to update your system normally and returns your system to a condition where there is nothing that interferes with default package management. This will also make it easier to fix the underlying broken packages problem that interferes with updating the installed packages and probably generated this package management message to begin with.

Yes that's what I thought and learnt too but when I chose 1 it updated to 18.04 ,I have no idea how — Nishanth R, May 16 '19 at 00:39
From the point of view of broken packages, N keeps the packages in their current condition even if it's broken, and Y fixes the packages to be consistent with the package maintainer's version which is the same as what is done by default in Ubuntu. — karel, May 16 '19 at 03:46
As I said in my answer, choosing Y will not upgrade your system. This only authorizes apt to remove the old or broken package. — Eate, May 16 '19 at 03:58
Just so you know, if you choose D to compare the files, you will have to press the Q keyboard button (for Quit) after you've reached the end of the files and you're done comparing them so that you can return to the prompt. Thought that would be good for someone to know... Michael Boyer — Michael Boyer, Jan 02 '23 at 05:13

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 15 '19 at 20:03

0

This output appears to be after you ran apt upgrade, and will not upgrade your Ubuntu version — only packages (apps). If you are running Ubuntu 16.04, you will stay on 16.04 (however, I would recommend upgrading to 18.04 with do-release-upgrade).

answered May 15 '19 at 20:03

Eate

423

It just upgraded to 18 after I pressed Yes – Nishanth R May 15 '19 at 20:16
I'm not able to login ,I'm being redirected back to login screen in 18 – Nishanth R May 15 '19 at 20:16
I'm sorry, but I do not know which command you ran. Could you paste here which command you entered into the terminal? – Eate May 15 '19 at 20:17
Sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade && sudo apt autoremove – Nishanth R May 15 '19 at 20:48
Alright. Assuming you understand what dist-upgrade does, you may have removed some packages (unlike upgrade). Do you remember which packages you removed? They may have been necessary. – Eate May 15 '19 at 21:03

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 20 '19 at 16:54

In this specific case the OP has already selected D to show the diff of the configuration files, and it's related to system MIME types. Unless you have very specific configurations you created to open things with custom .desktop launchers you created, you very likely want to accept the new maintainers version.

Which option to choose when package distributor has shipped an updated version?

3 Answers3

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