Overview
This guide explains how to upgrade an Ubuntu system from 22.04 LTS (Jammy) to 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat).
This is a production-ready runbook including real prompts you’ll see during upgrade.
Purpose
-
Upgrade Ubuntu safely
-
Handle interactive prompts correctly
-
Avoid breaking services during upgrade
Prerequisites
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Ubuntu 22.04 LTS system
-
Root or sudo access
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Stable internet connection
-
Minimum 5–10 GB free disk space
-
Backup of critical data (VERY IMPORTANT)
Phase 1 — Verify Current Version
cat /etc/os-release
Confirm:
VERSION="22.04 LTS"
VERSION_CODENAME=jammy
Phase 2 — Update Current System
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
During this step:
-
Package lists will be fetched
-
System will upgrade installed packages
If prompted:
Press Y to continue
Phase 3 — Install Upgrade Tool
sudo apt install update-manager-core -y
Configure Release Upgrade
sudo nano /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades
Find:
Prompt=normal
Change to:
Prompt=lts
Save:
-
CTRL + X
-
Press Y
-
Press ENTER
Phase 4 — Prepare System
sudo apt dist-upgrade -y
During this step:
-
System may install/remove dependencies
-
Kernel updates may be applied
Phase 5 — Reboot System
sudo reboot
Phase 6 — Run Release Upgrade
sudo do-release-upgrade
Interactive Prompts Explained
1. Checking for new release
System checks availability of Ubuntu 24.04
2. Upgrade Summary Screen
Displays:
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Packages to install
-
Packages to upgrade
-
Packages to remove
Prompt:
Do you want to start the upgrade?
Action:
Press Y
3. Download Packages
-
Shows download progress
-
No input required
4. Configuration File Prompts
You may see:
A new version of config file is available
Options:
-
Y → install new version
-
N → keep existing version
Recommendation:
Press N (safer)
5. Service Restart Prompt
Restart services during package upgrades without asking?
Action:
Select Yes (recommended)
6. Obsolete Packages
Remove obsolete packages?
Action:
Press Y
7. GRUB / Kernel Prompt
- Keep default selection unless experienced
8. Final Prompt
System upgrade is complete. Restart required
Action:
Press Y
Phase 7 — Final Reboot
System will reboot automatically or prompt:
Reboot now?
Action:
Press Y
Phase 8 — Verify Upgrade
cat /etc/os-release
OR
lsb_release -a
Confirm:
VERSION="24.04.4 LTS"
VERSION_CODENAME=noble
Optional Cleanup
sudo apt autoremove -y
Important Notes
-
Always take backup before upgrade
-
Ensure stable internet connection
-
Do not interrupt upgrade process
-
Perform upgrade during maintenance window
-
Ensure sufficient disk space
Troubleshooting
Upgrade not detected
sudo do-release-upgrade -d
Fix broken packages
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt -f install
Key Takeaways
-
Safe upgrade path for production systems
-
Handles all interactive prompts
-
Ensures minimal downtime