“Update Manager” for LL3.8

[Artim]

To my knowledge LL 3.8 is not receiving updates at all anymore. As long as these computers are not not connected to the Internet, they are safe. But if connected at all, ever to the 'net, continuing to use LL 3.8 is not safe.

I think only Debian and Slackware stuff support 32-bit machines anymore. Debian is definitely the easier of the two to install and manage. But for me, being still a little spooked and put off by systemd, I experimented with "Linux for Lazy Slackers"©, called SalixOS. It's Slackware-based (so no systemd) and still supports 32-bit computers. Their goal is to do for Slackware what Ubuntu (Linux for Human Beings") did for for Debian - make it a whole bunch easier for us mere mortals to use. But they have a lonnnng way to go before they are as simple as Linux Lite! When Salix 15.0 comes out (soon now, when it's ready), it'll have a new installer and more improvements. I'll post a review of it on my blog eventually. In the meantime I keep the older and clunkier version on an ancient 32-bit "backup" computer, one step up from a friggin' abacus for goodnessakes, and it runs better than brand new with WinXP.

[JanetBiggar]

Thanks Artim and Firenice03.

Artim your suggestion sounds good, although since I just dabble in IT I think what you’ve suggested may be out of my pay grade!

As Firenice03 eluded to I did wonder if perhaps there were no further updates given it being out of support. The good thing is that these laptops are still functioning fine so far and I was merely updating to stay updated.

Slowly with time it seems that my pool of donated laptops will gradually shift toward 64-bit ones in which case I will simply install a newer version of LL.

Once I’ve returned to Canada since I have a couple 32-bit ones I didn’t have room to bring this trip I may experiment with what Artim suggested (if I do get ready for some questions!) and since I do make a system back before doing something that might affect things I might try a regular update to see what result or message I get…

[firenice03]

@JanetBiggar
I know you have to work with you have... So I won't go with the security pitch....
But with LL3.8 out of support, LL likely isn't getting updated. Maybe something from Ubuntu ?? It maybe varying packages that maintainers have updated...

regardless of what you're receiving via updates and with the worry of it breaking... I would suggest having a back up prior to updating, whether that be a new back up that day or a back from after the last time you updated...
I believe in 3.x it was Systemback...

[Artim]

I loved that old updater from Ralphy! I'm surprised it still works, even on LL 3.8.


Ralphy adapted Linux Mint's updater for Linux Lite. But Ralphy isn't maintaining his apps anymore. It was nice for newbies who haven't yet learned to selectively update. Selectively updating is still possible using Synaptic Package Manager instead of the standard Lite Update procedure.


My solution, when an update breaks something, is to discover, if possible, which updated package caused the problem and use the "Force Version" feature in Synaptic to keep the good version and exclude newer versions of that package when updating the OS.

[JanetBiggar]

Back in 2019 I started using Ralphy’s Update Manager which allowed me to selectively apply safer updates rather than everything. This started out after I did a full update on one of the study laptops which then lead to some performance issues/problems.
With this Update Manager the updates are labelled from 1 to 5 (1 being the safest and 5 being the opposite). I could check all the boxes from 1-3 leaving 4 and 5 unchecked and then “apply” the changes.

Because at least 60-70% of my study laptops are 32-bit I continue to run LL 3.8 on them, however twice now on two different laptops when I go to refresh the updates in update manager it is unable to do so. Next time this happens I will take a picture, but currently I don’t have the message that pops up.
So my questions are:
1) does Update Manager still work?
2) if I’m unable to get it working, how much of a risk is it to do a full, usual update for these laptops? Currently without updating they are working just fine for the students and some have not been updated in 2 years because of COVID resulting in me being unable to return to South Africa until just now. As I will be leaving end of April and not returning until end of October I’m a bit hesitant to do a “full update”, run into major issues and then have those laptops out-of-commision!

Opinions anyone?