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I'm working on Ubuntu 13.04 currently. I want to replace it with Ubuntu 13.10. For the same, please approve whether my approach mentioned below is right!

I have created a bootable usb stick having Ubuntu 13.10. Before proceeding ahead I would like to add how I prepared my usb stick. Using fdisk, I deleted all the partitions on the stick. I Created only 1 new partition to occupy whole 2GB of space of my usb stick. Then using mkfs created file system of ext4 type. Then using unetbootin created bootable ubuntu 13.10 from its iso.

When my laptop boots from the usb, the below options are displayed as shown in the photo. (Its not having the option for erasing the current O.S. Rather it has option for erasing the whole disk!!!) photo

I will select the option of ' something else' & proceed. Then I will delete /dev/sda5 (/boot) & /dev/sda6 (/) & swap partition & create the same partitions (/boot , / & swap) by allocating sizes. ( I think there is no compulsion to create home partition & so I wont create ).Then I will proceed to install 13.10 on these newly created partitions. After the installation completes, I will login to the 13.10 O.S. Then I will delete all files & folders under /home directory. Then I will edit /etc/fstab to mount the previous home partition /dev/sda8 (this I currently have on 13.04) on /home directory. Is that a right way please?

Also, may I create btrfs file systems this time rather than ext4 for the /boot & / partitions? This fs is new & I should try it out to see how it's better.

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Ravi
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    Why wont you upgrade? – Luís de Sousa Jan 07 '14 at 13:23
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    Any specific reason why you're using a /boot partition? – 23 93 26 35 19 57 3 89 Jan 07 '14 at 13:24
  • Presumably, /dev/sda6 is / aka the root directory. /root is a different thing. – ignis Jan 07 '14 at 14:49
  • @ignis thanks a lot for correcting me. I have rectified my mistake – Ravi Jan 08 '14 at 07:10
  • @LuísdeSousa There are 2 reasons why I have given up the thought of upgrading: 1) I have already downloaded 895 MB of ubuntu 13.10 iso. I don't want to upgrade & download the same data with my too slow Internet speed that took me over 10 hrs to download the iso. 2) In my current installation I might have installed many softwares which either I'm not completely aware of or which I don't use at all. For ex: I have installed notepad which I never used. This time I have got update for notepad of 70 MB which isn't required. So I can install fresh O.S. & install as needed from time to time. – Ravi Jan 08 '14 at 08:47
  • @Elfy I feel that having separate /boot partition will give me more control on my system. And yes its true. If you have separate partitions for others also like /var, /tmp etc it will obviously give you more control. And yes making separate partitions will help me to get more experience in details. – Ravi Jan 08 '14 at 08:51
  • You can upgrade from the iso, you just need to mount it. If you have unused software just remove it before upgrading. – Luís de Sousa Jan 08 '14 at 08:58
  • If you are talking of upgrading via alternate CD, then Ubuntu 13.10 hasn't got any alternate iso. The normal desktop iso of Ubuntu 13.10 can't be used for upgrading, this is what I feel!! My this thread asks how to upgrade using iso & finally I came to know it isn't possible. If you know please send me details including links. (I have already spent a long time in searching for a solution to upgrade via iso.) – Ravi Jan 08 '14 at 09:30
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    Everything seems OK – totti Jan 25 '14 at 14:40
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    Yes, it looks correct, also consider what Braiam wrote in his answer. With the swap partition you don't have to do anything, the new install can utilize that partition without any problem, not even formatting is necessary there, but you can do it of course if you want to do it. – falconer Jan 26 '14 at 11:32

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First of all, do backups. They are never extras. Then check twice and thrice what you are doing. Verify that the partitions you are removing are the ones you want to remove, by the way, is not necessary that you remove the partitions, just format them.

If you want, you can reuse the old /home just unticking the format option in the Something Else dialog. That will save you a step. Don't use btrfs for /boot, but ext4. BTRFS is still experimental and may have problems if you use it for GRUB.

Braiam
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    @Downvoter: It is genuinely a good answer, please post the reason for your downvote. – jobin Jan 25 '14 at 18:37
  • @Jobin I seem to be noticing a lot of downvoting around here, without many explanations being offered. Sad. – landroni Jan 30 '14 at 17:12
  • "reuse the old /home just unticking the format option" Is this dangerous? Is there a chance that Ubuntu will create a new /home? Or are you supposed to have backups? – landroni Jan 30 '14 at 17:13
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    @landroni you always are supposed to have backups inherently what you are doing (be them periodic or before the operation). And no, is not dangerous if you do it correctly. – Braiam Jan 30 '14 at 17:14
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"(Its not having the option for erasing the current O.S. Rather it has option for erasing the whole disk!!!)"

This answer is only a tangential recommendation. Never trust automatic partitioning options in Ubuntu installers, as you may end up with nasty surprises. When installing Ubuntu I always prepare the partitions manually (as you seem to be planning to to do).

See Should I choose to Install alongside windows 8 or something else for an example on how manual partitioning can be approached.

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landroni
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I am assuming you want to preserve your personal files in the /home directory. This will only be possible if you do a system upgrade with the Ubuntu upgrade software or if you have a separate disk partition for /home and you manually parition your disk when you install Ubuntu.

When you select "Something else" at installation, simply set the /, SWAP, and /home paritions to their proper mount points (you can check these with the gnome-disk-utility included with Ubuntu, so take note as to which is sda1, sda2, etc.). Choose only the / partition to be formated. This will preserve your /home partition with your personal data, but will erase all Ubuntu system files and most applications you installed on top of Ubuntu 13.04.

I like having a separate /home partition and I wish Ubuntu did this by default; this would make re-installing much nicer, so I now partition my disks manually when I install Ubuntu. Depending on your disk size, I would give 10GB-30GB to the / partition. My Arch Linux install with GNOME 3.10 has 28GB for / with 21GB currently free.

Of course, you should always backup your data: the more important it is, the more copies and different places you should keep it!

HarlemSquirrel
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If you have other computer with windows installed, or you have some neighbor,try to make bootable USB using Universal USB Installer. Sometimes,when I want to create bootable USB drive on Ubuntu,it won't work,but with this tool on windows,newer failed.

You can always try to upgrade your Ubuntu from 13.04 to 13.10. I think that this is best option for you,because you'll keep all your files and apps from previous version.

Aleksandar
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