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How can I update to the latest point release, keeping my Ubuntu version the same?

Context: I'm trying to track down a bug that only appears on one of two seemingly identical Ubuntu installations on thinkpads. The first difference I see between the systems is that the bug appears on the device running Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and not on the device running Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS as reported by cat /etc/lsb-release.

What I've tried

  • I've run apt update, apt upgrade, apt dist-upgrade on the 22.04 device. It does not increment it to 22.04.4 after reboot.
  • I don't want sudo do-release-upgrade either; this currently gives There is no development version of an LTS available, and would update to 24.04.1 if available, which I do not want.
  • /etc/apt/sources.list seems to be identical between the 22.04 and 22.04.4 machines, with the exception that the comment at the top for the latter says it was installed via the 22.4.04 cdrom.
  • uname -r on the 22.04 machine gives 5.15.0-118-generic; The 22.04.4 machine is at 6.5.0-44-generic, confirming that yes, the 22.04 machine is not fully upgrading.

Question summary

Is there an update path to turn, for example, a 22.04 system into a 22.04.4 system? Or does the third point release number not mean much here, or is it simply that the update process forgets to change it?

Prior research

  • Note that this question isn't about LTS or stable releases per se, but rather whether it is possible to increment the point release of a specific Ubuntu version currently installed, ensuring that the machine does not increment to the next major LTS version.
  • This question mentions point releases but I don't quite understand it.
  • I did not understand this question about updating point releases and as far as I can tell a method to increment to the latest LTS point release wasn't clearly given.
  • This question seems relevant at first, but it looks like the solution there would either update to 24.04.1 (which I do not want)`, or do nothing (the behavior I get now). This related thread also did not resolve my question.
  • This thread for Ubuntu Mate seems to imply that apt full-upgrade should just work, but it doesn't seem to work for me?
MRule
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    Are you using the official mirrors? Please add the output of apt update to the post – muru Aug 09 '24 at 13:25
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    The uname output doesn't prove anything as the point release ISO likely installed an HWE kernel. Installing an HWE kernel on the base release is entirely voluntary. – muru Aug 09 '24 at 13:33
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    What command are you getting your release details from; as there is nothing in your actual question that confirms your release & update level. Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is the release for any 22.04 system (22.04 thru 22.04.5) with the file .digit only showing for some specific commands. The actual .digit comes from a package base-files , which is the last package upgraded when the various updates in a point release feed out to systems... The ~real significance of the .point detail is for (1) install media & (2) HWE kernel stack detail that only applies to systems using that kernel stack. – guiverc Aug 09 '24 at 13:42
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    You highlight two different kernels, but 5.15 and 6.5 are both 22.04.4 kernels, the 5.15 is the GA kernel, and 6.5 is the HWE kernel..... The install media used will dictate if the system uses a GA or HWE kernel stack by default (and HWE will upgrade soon at 22.04.5 to 6.8, with the GA remaining on 5.15 as that's the difference). Your install media differs between your compared systems (as GA/HWE is controlled by install media; unless changed post-install by someone with sudo rights) https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEnablementStack – guiverc Aug 09 '24 at 13:46
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    Sorry; I now note you mention /etc/os-release in getting release details from (at least on the 22.04.4 system) I missed in my initial comment... I'd contrast the results of apt policy base-files between your systems firstly; given that's where release details come from... (assuming your sources are both correct, no disabled etc - but you do mentioning checking that) – guiverc Aug 09 '24 at 13:55
  • Dear @guiverc, thank you for the thorough tips. There's a lot here that's new to me. So far, I was able to get the 20.04 system up to 20.04.4, and also move it to the latest kernel (presumably by adding a hwe package before understanding what it meant). The weird software glitch I was exploring is still present (keepassxc gui text not rendering), so this at least rules out something like an unfixed bug in GTK or somesuch. I think for my own purposes further digging will have to stray into other topics. Thanks though ( : – MRule Aug 13 '24 at 12:42

1 Answers1

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You can not be accidentally upgraded to a new release.

There is no actual method to go to the next point release.

If all the apps are updated then it is the next point release. Simply doing a sudo apt get update and a sudo apt get upgrade should be all you need to do.

Assuming no errors and no updates being held back you will have Ubuntu 22.04.4

As of today there is no supported upgrade from 22.04 to 24.04 unless you force it. That feature is scheduled to be released on August 15, 2024.

David DE
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  • Thanks; As indicated by the outdated kernel version on the 22.04 device, updates are truly not working here. So I suppose all the software isn't being updated in dist-upgrade, which is why the point version doesn't increment. I've deleted the contents of /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ and will try again. – MRule Aug 09 '24 at 13:38
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    By the way, the "accidental" bit was about sudo do-release-upgrade pulling forward to 24.04.1 (when it comes out). My confusion was about whether sudo do-release-upgrade could also be used in some way to force a point release. – MRule Aug 09 '24 at 13:39
  • Only if you use the force switch, – David DE Aug 09 '24 at 13:41
  • Ok, purging /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ and re-adding the kernel metapackage for 22.04 seems to have brought things forward. One more reboot to test! – MRule Aug 09 '24 at 13:49
  • Ok, that solved it. – MRule Aug 09 '24 at 13:55