As a long-time Windows user, I'm considering installing Linux Mint 22.1. My question is, if I install it now, will I be able to simply upgrade to Mint 23 in 2029, or will I need to do a complete reinstall or switch to a different distribution? I've tried Mint and it seems to work great with my Wi-Fi, and I've read it's one of the best options out there. I'm just trying to understand how updates will work in the long run.
4 Answers
Honestly, just install it! Update to the next versions as they come. Many users have had no issues upgrading through several major releases. It’s made to be hassle-free—much easier compared to Windows migrations.
Don't worry too much about the future! By the time you're ready to upgrade, you'll have learned a lot about Linux, and Mint is pretty solid. Just follow basic update steps, and you'll be fine.
When you install now, you can choose whether to do an in-place upgrade to the next version or start fresh. Both options are available, and you can even switch to another distro if you prefer later on!
You can just update it when new versions come out! With Mint, the package manager APT will keep you up to date easily through the Mint Update Manager. It's generally simpler than what you have to deal with for Windows upgrades.
That sounds great, but I've had my fair share of troubles with updates on Debian-based distros. Sometimes major updates can go south and lead to a fresh install. It's hit-or-miss for sure.
And if you ever run into issues, just use the command line: `sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y` to keep it up to date!