Upgrade Linux Mint 13 from Backports

(This is my first post in English, since it’s been such a long time posting i’ll try to keep posting some interesting news but I can’t promise to be fresh new as well. Since this isn’t my native language and I make all the possible to not use the Google Translator, plus i like to translate manually by myself to learn the language maybe some words can’t be the right one, anyway if you wish to feedback i’ll appreciate it)

Assuming you’re using Linux Mint (or you know someone who’s using it right now), you might notice that the version 14 is already released (by the time I write this), but even if the version 14 comes with so many improvements, as well as some changes, Mint 13 still has the 5 years support just like Ubuntu 12.04 (the version that this Mint is based from) and is not something that many want to lose just like that, but the question is ¿Is there any way to upgrade Mint 13 to the newest thing but without upgrading to or installing Mint 14?

The answer to that is “Of Course!!!”. Thanks to the people of Linux Mint we can update to these new things without losing our actual version. Among other things, this gives Linux Mint 13 LTS users access to the following packages:

• MDM 1.0.7
• Cinnamon 1.6.7 (fork of Gnome 3/Shell)
• MATE 1.4 (fork of Gnome 2)
• Muffin: 1.1.2
• Nemo 1.1.2. Also Nemo replaces Nautilus as File Manager

This time i’ll show you how to activate this. As Clem says, this is optional for you to do it and no matter if some meta-packages are removed since there’s not troubles on it, anyways, I’ll show you how to restore some if lost

1) Once installed Linux Mint open the Cinnamon Menu

2) Go to “Software Sources” (Menu → Preferences → Software Sources). You’ll have to enter the password if required

3) Once in there click on the “Backported packages (backports)” checkbox as illustrated. Once done, you have to close and this will update the repositories to show the upgrades

4) After that you can open the Update Manager (again, type your password when required). Select all level 1 and level 2 updates and click on install

If something like this appear, just give it “Ok”. It’s a message that indicates some other things you’ll have in addition to the updates

Once done, you have to restart the PC and then we’ll apply the other changes. As an advice: no matter what, do not uncheck the backports checkbox

5) Open Synaptic (Menu → Administration → Synaptic Package Manager). Type the password when required

6) The changes have been done, however we still got some reminiscences that we need to remove before we can do something else. Select packages: “nautilus”, “nautilus-share”, “nautilus-open-terminal” and so others that contains “nautilus” in its name (except for “nautilus-data”. No matter if it says that other meta-packages will be removed since we will install it later

After that close and reopen Synaptic to re-install some lost packages, (No matter what, don’t shutdown Mint or you won’t be able to login with the programs installed)

7) Now, on the bar type “mint-meta” and it will return the result as down below. You then select “mint-meta-codecs” (to return the sound codecs erased before). Then click on “Apply” to install it (I’m installing other packages as well on my own, but the most important one it’s the “mint-meta-codecs” selected before)

With it, you just have to restart the PC in order to apply the changes, And you’ll have your Mint 13 upgraded to the newest things!!! Hope this can help you to keep a Mint LTS version upgraded without re-install =)

NOTE: This tutorial was made with the Cinnamon version and these changes affect only to this version (specifically with Nautilus and Nemo). With MATE is different since there’s no need to remove packages once Backports is enabled, just upgrade and you’re done. If you have any questions you can contact me

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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  http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=2225