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Let's say if some one has Ubuntu server 12.04 should he reinstall and put 16.04 or just update the security updates??? This is just an example.

I want to hear more opinions on this. What is a normal thing to do. I think there is no more linux servers online serving a website with ubuntu 8.04. It needs to be reinstalled at some point. Maybe it's not reinstalled? Maybe it can be upgraded? What is the standard procedure?

lewis4u
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  • If /home is on its own partition, a careful installation of Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS would be the easiest way. 12.04 stopped getting security updates years ago. – waltinator Jul 05 '17 at 14:04
  • That is why I ask...so if /home is on another partition you can simply format the system partition and install new OS? – lewis4u Jul 05 '17 at 14:05
  • "I think there is no more linux servers with ubuntu 8.04" Are you sure? I know I have one in our rack. I even got a 6.06 in our rack. (none are connected to the internet and are just to hold our old software from back then ;-) ) – Rinzwind Jul 05 '17 at 14:16
  • Hahaha...i need to correct this immediately. (Did it!) – lewis4u Jul 05 '17 at 14:17

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Ubuntu 12.04 reached it's End of Life at April 28, 2017.

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS reached its regular End of Life on April 28, 2017. No more package updates, including security updates, will be accepted to the 12.04 primary archive.

So the answer is: the some one needs to upgrade to the next version (which is not the same as installing security updates) or reinstall.

If you don't want to reinstall, an Upgrade from 12.04 to 14.04LTS is supported and should work well. But be aware: Most installed packages will receive an upgrade too which might break some things.

pLumo
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  • You say "...the answer is YES..." but my question is actually does the OS gets deleted and installed a new one or it can be upgraded without deleting it? – lewis4u Jul 05 '17 at 14:08
  • I see....so considering your answer the best practice would be to have /home on different partition than OS and then format system partition and reinstall OS – lewis4u Jul 05 '17 at 14:10
  • That is a matter of taste. I usually have /home on the same partition and do regular backups of /home to external drives from which I can restore everything that's needed after a new installation. Sometimes with new version some programs settings are obsolete and it can cause issues when changing to a different Desktop Environment. – pLumo Jul 05 '17 at 14:13
  • No. The best practice would be to make several backups of your personal data, confirm you can restore it and then reinstall. Between releases settings get removed and added. Using an old /home/ might create problems if you start using old settings on a new system. – Rinzwind Jul 05 '17 at 14:14
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    Remember that "personal data" also includes webserver configuration and other stuff that makes your system work, that might not live in /home. – Soren A Jul 05 '17 at 14:16