0

I think this is may be a silly question but, I keep asking, I have Ubuntu 12.04 which I have just upgraded to 14.04 using:

apt-get install update-manager-core
do-release-upgrade --check-dist-upgrade-only --devel-release

I' m running a web mail server on it which made me think of switching to Ubuntu Server for security issues.

But I have two questions, First does it come with interface, I mean not only Console, and Second and the most important, can I do that from Terminal or I have to format again and lose all my work?.

2 Answers 2

1
  1. Ubuntu server is a command prompt only system.
  2. You can install a desktop on Ubuntu server but that makes it a desktop version with server software. Nothing wrong with that either though.

of switching to Ubuntu Server for security issues.

Like what security issues? I see no problems using a desktop system with server software. If all you use it for is a mailserver remove firefox if that one is a concern.

can I do that from Terminal or I have to format again and lose all my work

You can do that from terminal, you can also re-install but that does not also mean you loose your work. Ever heard of backing up your files?

You can remove the Ubuntu 12.04 desktop with (this will not work for 13.10, 14.04)(source:psychocats):

sudo apt-get remove account-plugin-aim account-plugin-facebook account-plugin-flickr account-plugin-google account-plugin-icons account-plugin-identica account-plugin-jabber account-plugin-salut account-plugin-twitter account-plugin-windows-live account-plugin-yahoo acpi-support acpid activity-log-manager-common activity-log-manager-control-center adium-theme-ubuntu aisleriot apg app-install-data-partner appmenu-gtk appmenu-gtk3 appmenu-qt apt-xapian-index apturl apturl-common avahi-autoipd avahi-daemon bamfdaemon baobab binutils bluez-alsa bluez-cups bluez-gstreamer branding-ubuntu brasero brasero-cdrkit brasero-common brltty checkbox checkbox-qt compiz compiz-core compiz-gnome compiz-plugins-default cryptsetup-bin cups-bsd dc dconf-tools deja-dup doc-base duplicity dvd+rw-tools empathy empathy-common eog espeak-data evolution-data-server evolution-data-server-common example-content firefox firefox-globalmenu firefox-gnome-support folks-common fonts-kacst fonts-kacst-one fonts-khmeros-core fonts-lao fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-opensymbol fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-sil-padauk fonts-takao-pgothic fonts-thai-tlwg fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-tlwg-kinnari fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-tlwg-mono fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-tlwg-sawasdee fonts-tlwg-typewriter fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-tlwg-umpush fonts-tlwg-waree foomatic-db-engine freerdp-x11 gcalctool gcc gcc-4.7 gedit gedit-common geoclue geoclue-ubuntu-geoip gir1.2-accounts-1.0 gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1 gir1.2-atspi-2.0 gir1.2-dbusmenu-glib-0.4 gir1.2-dee-1.0 gir1.2-gdata-0.0 gir1.2-gmenu-3.0 gir1.2-gnomebluetooth-1.0 gir1.2-gnomekeyring-1.0 gir1.2-goa-1.0 gir1.2-gst-plugins-base-0.10 gir1.2-gstreamer-0.10 gir1.2-gtksource-3.0 gir1.2-gudev-1.0 gir1.2-indicate-0.7 gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-3.0 gir1.2-messagingmenu-1.0 gir1.2-peas-1.0 gir1.2-rb-3.0 gir1.2-signon-1.0 gir1.2-soup-2.4 gir1.2-syncmenu-0.1 gir1.2-totem-1.0 gir1.2-totem-plparser-1.0 gir1.2-ubuntuoneui-3.0 gir1.2-unity-5.0 gir1.2-webkit-3.0 gnome-accessibility-themes gnome-bluetooth gnome-contacts gnome-control-center gnome-control-center-data gnome-control-center-signon gnome-desktop3-data gnome-font-viewer gnome-games-data gnome-mahjongg gnome-media gnome-menus gnome-online-accounts gnome-orca gnome-power-manager gnome-screensaver gnome-screenshot gnome-session gnome-session-bin gnome-session-canberra gnome-session-common gnome-settings-daemon gnome-sudoku gnome-system-log gnome-system-monitor gnome-terminal gnome-terminal-data gnome-user-guide gnome-user-share gnomine growisofs gstreamer0.10-alsa gstreamer0.10-gconf gstreamer0.10-plugins-base-apps gstreamer0.10-pulseaudio gstreamer0.10-tools gstreamer0.10-x gtk2-engines-murrine guile-1.8-libs gvfs-bin gwibber gwibber-service gwibber-service-facebook gwibber-service-identica gwibber-service-twitter hplip hplip-data hwdata ibus-gtk3 ibus-pinyin ibus-pinyin-db-android ibus-pinyin-db-open-phrase ibus-table indicator-appmenu indicator-datetime indicator-messages indicator-power indicator-printers indicator-session indicator-sound intel-gpu-tools kerneloops-daemon landscape-client-ui-install laptop-detect libaccount-plugin-1.0-0 libaccounts-glib0 libaccounts-qt1 libart-2.0-2 libasound2-plugins libatk-adaptor libatk-adaptor-data libavahi-core7 libavahi-gobject0 libbamf3-0 libboost-date-time1.49.0 libbrasero-media3-1 libbrlapi0.5 libc-dev-bin libc6-dev libcamel-1.2-40 libcanberra-gtk-module libcanberra-gtk0 libcanberra-gtk3-0 libcanberra-gtk3-module libcanberra-pulse libcanberra0 libclutter-1.0-0 libclutter-1.0-common libclutter-gst-1.0-0 libclutter-gtk-1.0-0 libcmis-0.2-2 libcogl-common libcogl-pango0 libcogl9 libcompizconfig0 libcrypt-passwdmd5-perl libcryptsetup4 libcurl3-nss libdaemon0 libdbusmenu-qt2 libdecoration0 libdee-1.0-4 libdmapsharing-3.0-2 libdotconf1.0 libebackend-1.2-5 libebook-1.2-14 libecal-1.2-15 libedata-book-1.2-15 libedata-cal-1.2-18 libedataserver-1.2-17 libespeak1 libexempi3 libexiv2-12 libexttextcat-1.0-0 libexttextcat-data libfile-copy-recursive-perl libfolks-eds25 libfolks-telepathy25 libfolks25 libfreerdp-plugins-standard libfreerdp1 libgail-common libgail18 libgdata-common libgdata13 libgeoclue0 libgexiv2-1 libglew1.8 libglewmx1.8 libgmime-2.6-0 libgnome-control-center1 libgnome-desktop-3-4 libgnome-media-profiles-3.0-0 libgnome-menu-3-0 libgnome-menu2 libgnomekbd-common libgnomekbd8 libgoa-1.0-0 libgoa-1.0-common libgomp1 libgtkmm-3.0-1 libgtksourceview-3.0-0 libgtksourceview-3.0-common libgtkspell-3-0 libgweather-3-1 libgweather-common libgwibber-gtk3 libgwibber3 libhpmud0 libhyphen0 libical0 libido3-0.1-0 libindicate5 libitm1 libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0 libjs-jquery liblcms1 liblouis-data liblouis2 liblua5.1-0 liblvm2app2.2 libmessaging-menu0 libmetacity-private0a libmission-control-plugins0 libmng1 libmusicbrainz5-0 libmx-1.0-2 libmx-bin libmx-common libmysqlclient18 libmythes-1.2-0 libnotify-bin libnss-mdns libnux-3.0-0 libnux-3.0-common liboauth0 libopencc1 libpackagekit-glib2-14 libpam-freerdp libpam-gnome-keyring libpeas-1.0-0 libpeas-common libprotobuf7 libprotoc7 libproxy1-plugin-gsettings libproxy1-plugin-networkmanager libpulsedsp libpython3.2 libqjson0 libqt4-dbus libqt4-declarative libqt4-designer libqt4-help libqt4-network libqt4-script libqt4-scripttools libqt4-sql libqt4-sql-mysql libqt4-sql-sqlite libqt4-svg libqt4-test libqt4-xml libqt4-xmlpatterns libqtassistantclient4 libqtcore4 libqtgui4 libqtwebkit4 libquadmath0 libquvi-scripts libquvi7 libraw5 libreoffice-base-core libreoffice-calc libreoffice-common libreoffice-core libreoffice-draw libreoffice-emailmerge libreoffice-gnome libreoffice-gtk libreoffice-help-en-us libreoffice-impress libreoffice-math libreoffice-ogltrans libreoffice-pdfimport libreoffice-presentation-minimizer libreoffice-presenter-console libreoffice-style-human libreoffice-style-tango libreoffice-writer librest-0.7-0 librhythmbox-core6 librsync1 libsane-hpaio libsensors4 libsgutils2-2 libsignon-extension1 libsignon-glib1 libsignon-plugins-common1 libsignon-qt1 libsnmp-base libsnmp15 libsonic0 libspeechd2 libspeexdsp1 libssh-4 libstlport4.6ldbl libsync-menu1 libsyncdaemon-1.0-1 libtelepathy-farstream2 libtelepathy-logger2 libtimezonemap1 libtotem-plparser17 libtotem0 libubuntuoneui-3.0-1 libufe-xidgetter0 libunity-core-6.0-5 libunity-misc4 libunity-protocol-private0 libunity-webapps0 libunity9 libuuid-perl libvncserver0 libwacom-common libwacom2 libwebkitgtk-3.0-0 libwebkitgtk-3.0-common libwmf0.2-7-gtk libyaml-tiny-perl libyelp0 libzeitgeist-1.0-1 light-themes lightdm-remote-session-freerdp lightdm-remote-session-uccsconfigure linux-headers-generic-pae linux-libc-dev make manpages-dev mcp-account-manager-uoa media-player-info metacity-common mousetweaks mscompress mtools mysql-common nautilus nautilus-sendto nautilus-sendto-empathy nautilus-share network-manager-pptp network-manager-pptp-gnome notify-osd notify-osd-icons nux-tools obexd-client onboard oneconf overlay-scrollbar overlay-scrollbar-gtk2 overlay-scrollbar-gtk3 pcmciautils pinyin-database pkg-config plymouth-theme-ubuntu-logo policykit-desktop-privileges pptp-linux printer-driver-c2esp printer-driver-foo2zjs printer-driver-hpcups printer-driver-min12xxw printer-driver-postscript-hp printer-driver-ptouch printer-driver-pxljr printer-driver-sag-gdi printer-driver-splix protobuf-compiler pulseaudio pulseaudio-module-bluetooth pulseaudio-module-gconf pulseaudio-module-x11 pulseaudio-utils python-apport python-configglue python-debtagshw python-dirspec python-gconf python-gi-cairo python-gnupginterface python-gst0.10 python-httplib2 python-imaging python-lxml python-mako python-markupsafe python-oauth python-openssl python-pam python-pexpect python-piston-mini-client python-problem-report python-protobuf python-pyinotify python-qt4 python-qt4-dbus python-renderpm python-reportlab python-reportlab-accel python-serial python-simplejson python-sip python-twisted-bin python-twisted-core python-twisted-names python-twisted-web python-ubuntu-sso-client python-ubuntuone-client python-ubuntuone-control-panel python-ubuntuone-storageprotocol python-uno python-xapian python-zeitgeist python-zope.interface python3-aptdaemon.pkcompat python3-brlapi python3-cairo python3-crypto python3-gi-cairo python3-httplib2 python3-louis python3-lxml python3-oauthlib python3-pyatspi2 python3-pycurl python3-speechd python3-virtkey qdbus qt-at-spi radeontool remmina remmina-common remmina-plugin-rdp remmina-plugin-vnc remote-login-service rhythmbox rhythmbox-data rhythmbox-mozilla rhythmbox-plugin-cdrecorder rhythmbox-plugin-magnatune rhythmbox-plugin-zeitgeist rhythmbox-plugins rhythmbox-ubuntuone rtkit samba-common samba-common-bin sane-utils seahorse session-migration sessioninstaller sgml-base shotwell signon-keyring-extension signon-plugin-oauth2 signon-plugin-password signon-ui signond sni-qt software-center software-center-aptdaemon-plugins sound-theme-freedesktop speech-dispatcher ssh-askpass-gnome syslinux syslinux-common syslinux-legacy telepathy-gabble telepathy-haze telepathy-idle telepathy-indicator telepathy-logger telepathy-mission-control-5 telepathy-salut thin-client-config-agent thunderbird thunderbird-globalmenu thunderbird-gnome-support toshset totem totem-common totem-mozilla totem-plugins ttf-indic-fonts-core ttf-punjabi-fonts ubuntu-artwork ubuntu-desktop ubuntu-docs ubuntu-mono ubuntu-settings ubuntu-sounds ubuntu-sso-client ubuntu-sso-client-qt ubuntu-system-service ubuntu-wallpapers ubuntu-wallpapers-quantal ubuntuone-client ubuntuone-client-gnome ubuntuone-control-panel ubuntuone-control-panel-qt ubuntuone-couch udisks unity unity-asset-pool unity-common unity-greeter unity-lens-applications unity-lens-files unity-lens-gwibber unity-lens-music unity-lens-photos unity-lens-shopping unity-lens-video unity-scope-gdocs unity-scope-musicstores unity-scope-video-remote unity-services unity-webapps-common unity-webapps-service uno-libs3 update-inetd ure usb-creator-common usb-creator-gtk vino wodim xcursor-themes xdiagnose xfonts-mathml xul-ext-ubufox xul-ext-unity xul-ext-websites-integration yelp yelp-xsl zeitgeist zeitgeist-core zeitgeist-datahub zenity zenity-common && sudo apt-get install lubuntu-desktop ubuntu-minimal && sudo /usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm-set-defaults -g lightdm-gtk-greeter

And ofcourse you will make a backup before you do this.

1
  • Thanks @Rinzwind, Firefox, I would keep that in mind, unfortunately I have already upgraded, but that was a great command no doubt, but you said 'You can do that from terminal', how is that?, I think that is the easiest way and no need to backup, because it could be error prone.
    – TiyebM
    Jun 4, 2014 at 10:18
0

First, you are nor using the right command for this upgrade.

explainshell

do-release-upgrade will try to upgrade to last version, but...

--check-dist-upgrade-only will only verify if there is a new version without upgrading.

--devel-release will try to upgrade to the last development version (actualy, Utopic Unicorn, also known as Ubuntu 14.10)

The correct command to upgrade from Ubuntu 12.04 to Ubuntu 14.04 is the following:

sudo do-release-upgrade

As said by Rinzwind, there is no particular security problem preventing from using a Desktop version of Ubuntu to run server software. The reason why Ubuntu Server work without graphical interface is to use less system resources. But is you want to have a real Ubuntu Server, you should do a clean install.

4
  • Thanks for your help, it actually suggested that: 'Checking for a new Ubuntu release New release '14.04' available. Run 'do-release-upgrade' to upgrade to it.', I’m still looking for a way to do it using Terminal if that is even possible.
    – TiyebM
    Jun 4, 2014 at 10:07
  • I'll try to adapt @Rinzwind command, I'll update my answer when it's done.
    – Dremor
    Jun 4, 2014 at 10:23
  • Sorry, I wasn't able to adapt it... You should try en full install of Ubuntu Server instead, but like Rinzwind said, there isn't real security issue with using server software with a Desktop edition of Ubuntu. I use Ubuntu Gnome as server since a while, I haven't got any security problem yet.
    – Dremor
    Jun 6, 2014 at 9:45
  • I understand @Dremor, thank you for the advice.
    – TiyebM
    Jun 6, 2014 at 14:08

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .