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I would like to install Ubuntu 14.04 on my Notebook and I am wondering if the beta could be easily updated to later release clients? Are there any official sources that ensure update compatibility?

Due to some driver conflicts Ubuntu 14.04 seems to be the only distribution that runs without major problems on my notebook and I am really annoyed of using Windows. I just use this Notebook for coding and other working purposes.

Thanks

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  • Ummm, not to my knowledge. If there were official sources that ensured update compatibility it wouldn't be a beta. That being said, I doubt you'll have any problems. Just make sure you back-up frequently. As you do at all times, correct? Mar 26, 2014 at 4:33
  • Of course ;) So at least inofficially it should not be a problem to later update the 14.04 beta to the final release client? :)
    – daniel451
    Mar 26, 2014 at 4:55
  • Yes. It should work. However, it might destroy all of your data and configuration - so, and I cannot stress this enough, back up zealously (even more so when running an alpha or beta). Mar 26, 2014 at 4:59
  • Working Great with me. Just disable NVIDIA if the plan is to go go for 14.04. Backup all your data, do a fresh install. Apart from the NVIDIA card, its running like a Bird. Need to do "sudo apt-get upgrade" every day
    – Tasos
    Mar 26, 2014 at 5:08

2 Answers 2

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Installing a "Beta" of Ubuntu is a misconception.

There are only installation media labeled "Beta", but what you are going to install is the development version and it will identify itself as Ubuntu Happy Codename (development branch). Once development phase is completed, it will receive an update of the base-files package which will make it identify itself from there on as Ubuntu 00.00 and will behave like any other installation. This also includes receiving release upgrades depending on the update policy.

You can also upgrade an existing installation to a development release at any time. However, you should be aware of what questions are appropriate for "ubuntu+1".

And of course be careful when updating the development branch, as Jo-Erlend Schinstad already said in his answer. Generally it's not particularly dangerous to run the development version on secondary devices during the last weeks of the development process, but when something does go wrong despite all QA effort, it happens when you really have better things you would want to do.

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Upgrades during development is just normal upgrades. However, if stability is important to you, then I would recommend waiting until it's released. If you do install the development release, then you might want to only upgrade when you have time to fix any issues. I've usually done this on Friday afternoons so that if something breaks, I have the weekend to sort it out.

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