Although the final release of Ubuntu 14.04 was not scheduled to arrive immediately, anyone who wanted to try the latest software and system could already perform an in-place upgrade from Ubuntu 13.10 to 14.04.
Ubuntu 14.04 was scheduled for release on April 17, 2014, but you did not have to wait that long to start trying it. This brief tutorial shows how to perform an in-place upgrade from Ubuntu 13.10 to Ubuntu 14.04.
An in-place upgrade means running update-manager on an existing Ubuntu system to upgrade directly to the next version. It can usually preserve most documents, settings, and some installed programs.
Most in-place upgrades depend on a reliable network connection. If the connection is unstable, the upgrade process may fail. Before upgrading, it is recommended that you back up important files, disable unnecessary third-party PPAs, and make sure the system has enough disk space.
If you cannot upgrade over the network, you can also use a CD/DVD or installation media to perform an offline upgrade.
Upgrading to Ubuntu 14.04
To upgrade to Ubuntu 14.04, first prepare the computer that needs to be upgraded. Run the following command to update the existing packages and kernel:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade && sudo apt-get autoremoveAfter the updates above are complete, you may need to restart so the new packages and kernel are applied before the upgrade.
After restarting, press Ctrl + Alt + T on the keyboard to open a terminal. Once the terminal opens, enter the following command and press Enter:
update-manager -dupdate-manager should then open and display the available upgrade option. Click Upgrade to begin upgrading the system.
During the upgrade, keep the power and network connections stable, and do not force the upgrade window to close. After the upgrade is complete, restart when prompted, then confirm the system version with the following command:
lsb_release -aIf you are prompted during the upgrade to keep or replace configuration files, you should usually read the differences first; if you are unsure, keeping the current configuration is generally the safer choice.