Installing Ubuntu 24 w/o erasing???

[spencer2]

So; long time Ubuntu user who has installed multiple Ubuntus over nearly 20ish years.

I did the dist-upgrade from U22, got a message that there was an error on the install & I've been stuck since.

I've tried multiple recovery modes & multiple old option in the boot menu & every time I just get the loading screen -- even when booting old versions that should be U22 & not U24. I do have other Ubuntu OS'es on other partitions; so I went to other partitions to try & find a few key files to save -- and while gpartd does see the primary partition; it does not have an icon in my system menu.

So, I've made a Ubuntu 24 boot USB & am trying to install it on my primary partition & for some reason I don't feel like I see the option to install the OS on top of the current partition w/o erasing the disk. I feel like in the past, there has been an option to install on top of what is already present: essentially like a dist upgrade.

If I had to choose between a fresh OS that doesn't erase the files or fixing whatever went wrong w/ my distribution upgrade; I'd rather just use the USB for the fresh install -- but either is fine. My keepas database is on the gunked up partition that failed to upgrade correctly (as well as a handful of other files that I'd really rather not lose).

Pretty please; what am I missing in either my installation that wants to erase data instead of upgrading distribution OR how can I fix whatever went wrong w/ my upgrade.

*** Edit: when going through the install process, I'm only getting 2 options (erase & manual); I don't have the "install ubuntu alongside" option in the set up. I'm pretty sure that option is the one that I'm used to seeing in most USB install. ***

[spencer2]

Long story short: my laptop's primary partition won't load ever since I upgraded to U24 from U22.

I've created an install USB to try & fix the issue; but its not working. On all the videos of U24 USB installs, 1 of the 3 options is 'install along side': which I really feel like I've used in past ubuntu usb versions to install new versions w/o erasing my current data.

This 'install alongside' option is not showing up for me currently. All I have is erase & manual.

Why doesn't my install usb have an "install alongside" option??

I really don't want to delete my whole primary partition because of a failed upgrade.


** I do have a slightly more thorough post about trying to fix the problem; but now I don't know why the 'install along side' option isn't present.

[QIII]

Threads merged. Near duplicates, but slightly different information given.

[tea for one]

I've created an install USB to try & fix the issue; but its not working.

There have been some recent posts where the install session did not behave as expected.
Possibly linked to the software used to create the USB.

If the installer fails/stops/crashes/misbehaves, create the USB with one of the following:-
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb
https://www.ventoy.net/en/doc_start.html
https://rufus.ie/en/
Startup Disk Creator (included in Ubuntu iso)

[guiverc]

It's helpful if you're specific with details.

I see mention of Ubuntu 24; so this is a Ubuntu Core 24 install?? Sorry I'm not familiar with the 24 or year product, as I use the year.month system such as 24.04.

There isn't mention of Desktop or Server either, as they use different installers; but given reference to 24 it's likely a server install... though unclear.

The `ubuntu-desktop-installer` of 24.04 can have a forced format issue; which can prevent a non-destructive re-install, so I'll provide a link to a askubu answer where I mention it.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1515...515281#1515281

This only impacts the `/` partition, so if you have data in a separate `/home` directory; you won't be forced to re-format the data directory.

To my knowledge though, this ONLY impacts ISOs using the `ubuntu-desktop-installer`, which is not used by Ubuntu Core 24.

[spencer2]

I am trying to install normal desktop Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. I upgraded from Ubuntu Studio 22 using terminal 'sudo apt dist-upgrade'; at the end of the upgrade, laptop said something didn't complete correctly & from then on, whenever I try to boot U24.04, the loading circle just spins & never boots up.

I did go in to multiple recovery modes; used various permutations of '--fix-broken install' on multiple recovery mode options & none of that has fixed the issue by either fixing the U24 issue or reverting back to the Ubuntu Studio 22 that should be in past recovery modes.

I then made a Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 USB to do the install; I just dl'ed from the normal Ubuntu website to download the installer:

(https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/create-...2-requirements
&
https://ubuntu.com/download?_ga=2.49...759.1725819494).

I know that in the past, I tend to upgrade along side my current distros & am not usually stuck either upgrading or losing all my data. Also, I know that most installers have the 'alongside' option, because I've seen that choice in many of the YouTube videos discussing installing Ubuntu desktop 24.04 & that option is not in my install. Its also not a lack of space on the partition as there is 60 gigs of space on my primary partition (several posts have suggested needing at least 30-ish gigs of extra space).

Do I just need to use this Ubuntu Studio 24.04 installer?

https://ubuntustudio.org/2024/04/ubu...-lts-released/

[spencer2]

mkusb's website says it erases the data: that's what I'm trying to avoid.
I did use rufus at first & for some reason, either the boot .iso wasn't saving as an .iso or rufus wasn't able to see the ISO w/o the .iso suffix.
Ventoy doesn't really sound like it'd do anything & I have been using start up disk creator to make my last several usbs.

[spencer2]

Update:

I did make an Ubuntu Studio 24 USB & got the .iso file from UStudio's official website. When I did the install process; I got the same 2 'erase or manual' options. I know the 3rd 'install alongside' option is part of UStudio 24's install as the YouTube tutorials do have the 3rd option in their videos.

So again: for some reason, my installs are not providing the 3 options (along side, erase & manual): I am only getting the same 2 -- erase & manual.

I appreciate the help: sorry about being grouchy. Its just that I have work files on my partition that I really need to get to & its very frustrating that there still seem to be so many problems w/ the installers -- combined w/, for some reason, not being able to access the partition from other partitions or just do a recovery mode return to a previous version: because the upgrade messed up.

Thank you again

[guiverc]

I am trying to install normal desktop Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. I upgraded from Ubuntu Studio 22 using terminal 'sudo apt dist-upgrade'; at the end of the upgrade, laptop said something didn't complete correctly & from then on, whenever I try to boot U24.04, the loading circle just spins & never boots up.

Do I just need to use this Ubuntu Studio 24.04 installer?

https://ubuntustudio.org/2024/04/ubu...-lts-released/

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Desktop uses ubuntu-desktop-installer, which has been the primary installed used by desktop since Ubuntu 23.04 Desktop. No installer is perfect, and it can potentially have issues with some hardware setups; it can't do everything the prior ubiquity installer did (some because its been intentionally prevented) but has many benefits too.

Ubuntu Studio 22.04 LTS used the calamares installer, so it used a different installer; at 24.04 the calamares installer is used by Lubuntu, Kubuntu and Ubuntu Unity. At 24.04 the Ubuntu Studio 24.04 LTS ISO uses the ubuntu-desktop-installer which is the same installer used by Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 LTS.

You ended your question mentioning the Ubuntu Studio Installer which is a rather different thing, it'll add the Ubuntu Studio system to an existing Ubuntu installation, ie. you need to have Ubuntu installed before you use it. For details of that you can visit

https://ubuntustudio.org/ubuntu-studio-installer/

The Ubuntu Studio Installer isn't found on Ubuntu Studio ISOs, as there is no need; it cannot install a system, just adds/converts an existing installation to a Ubuntu Studio system; the Ubuntu Studio DVD (ISO) already contains Ubuntu Studio.

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is using the 6.8 kernel, where the kernel and specifically kernel modules (aka drivers) can have issues with certain hardware, meaning if your box (GPU or graphics usually) has issues with the 6.8 kernel, you'll find all Ubuntu systems (or any GNU/Linux using the 6.8 kernel) will have the same issue... Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS Desktop ISOs are now available using that 6.8 kernel (Ubuntu 22.04 Server & older media used older kernels), so you could try seeing if that helps, but issues with kernel modules usually appear when you boot, and not as install issues. The Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS ISO will use the ubiquity installer so its a different installer.


You also mention (I've quoted it) using `apt dist-upgrade` to upgrade a system; that will upgrade packages as doesn't have the restrictions that exist on the `apt upgrade`, but it will NOT change your release; the `do-release-upgrade` command does that. The instruction page/doc for 22.04 to 24.04 upgrades is https://help.ubuntu.com/community/NobleUpgrades where you'll find no reference to `apt dist-upgrade` so I could be missing something; or your details are incorrect. FYI: I use the command `apt full-upgrade` on this box three+ times per day as I rarely use `apt upgrade`, but I do read the packages to be upgraded/removed (which is where apt upgrade is safer for those less careful).

[spencer2]

I don't remember the exact order of the terminal commands that I entered when I did the original upgrade: hence some of the 'dist-upgrade vs. do-release-uprgade': I think i did the 'dist-upgrade' & then 'do-release'. That sounds familiar.

I did just try running through recovery mode again (Sat, 9/21) & while I'll have to add a couple images in a second post, I did take pictures of the responses that I got from going through recovery mode & using the commands from this page:

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/how-t...einstalling-it


I apologize that I lack the knowledge of others; but I have had Ubuntu for a long time & have upgraded many a distribution. I've also been using Ubuntu Studio since like at least Ubuntu Studio 14 or so. I did not upgrade to Ubuntu Studio 23 as I tend to only upgrade the LTSes, so I don't know if the issue/change that is described about Ubuntu 23 would apply to my laptop.

After going through the recovery mode today & following the directions that terminal kicked out; upon reboot, my laptop is just loading still -- so I'm curious if I'm having the 6.8 kernel issue that is described. If it is the kernel issue; does that just mean that I can't upgrade to U24? What is being done for kernel issues?

If a lot of others are having issues with the U24 installer; is there a plan to fix that & how long would I need to wait to get a fixed installer?