Upgrading Ubuntu advise

**zOOmz** · March 21st, 2013

Hello, everyone!

I recently had a Windows apocalypse happen to my computer, and I could no longer boot up with Windows. So, a few years ago, a former IT manager installed Unbuntu when he partitioned my computer. I have not used it, just briefly. Now I am booting up in Ubuntu and I have some catching up to do. My major question is this: I have version 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope with GNOME and I was going to upgrade, but read that you can't just jump to the newest version, but you must go through all previous versions until you get to the newest (prerequisites).

Is this true?

Also, I have 1GB RAM, lots of space though. Are the newer versions of Ubuntu okay for an older system?

Thanks for any help! I have used Sun/UNIX quite a bit, but this is my first real experience with LINUX.

zOOmz

**wildmanne39** · March 21st, 2013

Hi, I recommend Lubuntu or xubuntu for 1 gig of ram, but you should wipe the drive and do a clean install you do not want to try to upgrade from that old of version it would be very slow and painful if you could do it at all and most likely would not work properly when you were done.
Thanks

**matt_symes** · March 21st, 2013

Hi

I have to agree with wild man here.

A fresh install is what you want.

I would advise Xubuntu.

If you could supply more detailed information about your hardware, you'll get a much better answer though.

(wireless chip, video adaptor etc)

Kind regards

**tgalati4** · March 21st, 2013

Clean install. Ubuntu is the spare tire that you rarely use, but when you need it, it's good to a have a fresh tire. How did Windows ball it self up?

**Impavidus** · March 21st, 2013

In principle you could upgrade from 9.04->9.10->10.04->12.04(->12.10), but downloading and burning a live disk and reinstalling is faster and saver. As you never used your Ubuntu there's nothing you want to keep on it, so you won't need time to restore all your files and settings. With 1GB RAM I suggest Xubuntu. It will also look more familiar to you than the current Ubuntu.

Of course you can use your Ubuntu 9.04 to get any important files from your windows partition and store them on an external backup drive before reinstalling.

**BrunoLotse** · March 21st, 2013

I have 1 gig of RAM. Recently upgraded online from oneiric to precise.
My old SONY VAIO is just flying with Ubuntu

**zOOmz** · March 23rd, 2013

Thank you to everyone who responded to my post!!
I never expected to ever use Ubuntu, and now that I was kind of forced to use it, I really like it for many reasons.
But I have to say that my inexperience is kind of daunting, and after reading a bit about upgrading, I agree that I need to do a fresh install.

The biggest issues that I am dealing with is deciding whether to format my hard drive and get rid of Windows altogether. The problem with that is that I work in AutoCAD, and from what I know so far, I would not be able to use my Windows version of AutoCAD in LINUX, so if that is true, I cannot format the drive, and must keep the present partitions.

My other problem, and I guess this should be a new thread, but I will mention it here anyway, because of all the really nice folks who have responded to this thread.

The IT manager who installed LINUX Ubuntu on my computer promised me that there would not be a password to get into admin, but now I try to get into it, and it is prompting me for a password! I have tried all the non-password passwords (password, 1234, 0000, etc) and nothing lets me in. I can't even change the time. Is there a work-around for this?

Thank you so much for the help!!

zOOmz

**Impavidus** · March 23rd, 2013

Yes, you can reset your password. See http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/resetpassword

But mind the difference between the root password (disabled by default, for good reason and in principle you won't need it) and your own password with which you can do root stuff using sudo: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo