Software Not Updating Using Cron

[arnold.pietersen]

Hi

I am running the following cron job every day at 1 o clock in the mornings in /etc/crontab:

0 1 * * * root apt-get update >> /home/arnold/ubuntu-update-cron.log

The log file has the following entries:

Hit:1 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Get:2 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease [102 kB]
Get:3 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports InRelease [102 kB]
Get:4 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [102 kB]
Get:5 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [307 kB]
Get:6 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main DEP-11 64x64 Icons [217 kB]
Get:7 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [185 kB]
Get:8 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe DEP-11 64x64 Icons [261 kB]
Get:9 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/multiverse amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [5,888 B]
Get:10 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [3,328 B]
Get:11 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [4,712 B]
Get:12 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [62.4 kB]
Get:13 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main DEP-11 64x64 Icons [57.6 kB]
Get:14 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [51.3 kB]
Get:15 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/universe DEP-11 64x64 Icons [85.1 kB]
Fetched 1,547 kB in 11s (130 kB/s)
Reading package lists...

However, when I run System Tools -> Administration -> Software Updater, it show a number of software packages which requires updating.

Any help will be appreciated in tweaking the cron to update the software packages.

Kind Regards

ARNOLD

[Impavidus]

apt-get update will only refresh the list of available upgrades, it won't install any upgrades. And you're creating an ever-growing and probably root-owned log file in your home directory.

But there's no need to do it this way. Open your software updater and check its settings. There should be a setting to check for updates daily or some other interval and security updates can even be installed automatically. Also look into unattended upgrades, which can install all updates automatically and autoremove old packages. Some disable it because they want to know when something gets upgraded.

Checking and installing updates automatically won't make it run at a fixed time of the day, but it will work even if your computer is off or off-line at 1 o'clock. It will typically run shortly after boot or shortly after midnight.

[arnold.pietersen]

Hi Impavidus

Thanks for your reply.

I have free bandwidth between 12 midnight and 7AM in the morning. Thus, I want my system to automatically update between that time. Even if the update packages just download between that time, that will be fine.

Kind Regards

ARNOLD

[deadflowr]

You can set up cron-apt to set a very specific time:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AutoWeeklyUpdateHowTo#cron-apt_method