How do I upgrade from 14.04 LTS to 16.04.1 LTS?

Question

So, today is July 21st and this page. gives me an option to download 16.04.1 LTS. However, attempting to upgrade gets me this message -

$ sudo do-release-upgrade
Checking for a new Ubuntu release
No new release found

What is wrong? Does it matter that I am running apt-get update behind apt-cacher-ng?

Note: Commenting out the files in apt.conf.d that used apt-cacher-ng did not make a difference.

Edit: Explanation for possible duplicates: Why is "No new release found" when upgrading from a LTS to the next? deals with upgrade from 12.04LTS to 14.04LTS. My question is specific to 14.04 LTS to 16.04.1 LTS upgrade. Old answers, while good for archival purposes are less relevant in a fast changing package like ubuntu. Moreover none of the answers answer what is wrong. The link andrew.46 pointed out is mentioned in one of the comments. This Q & A is more helpful for people upgrading today than the work around mentioned in "Why is "No new release found" when upgrading from a LTS to the next?".

Solution 1

This is an issue that has appeared before: 4 years ago when upgrading from 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin) to 14.04.1 LTS (Trusty Tahr):

• Why is "No new release found" when upgrading from a LTS to the next?

It looks like a similar issue exists for the upgrade from 14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahr) to 16.04.1 LTS (Xenial Xerus) with the relevant update log not yet updated. There is a choice of two reasonable solutions at the moment:

1. Wait a little until this document is updated and then upgrade as normal

2. Use the following syntax now:

   sudo do-release-upgrade --devel-release
   

Ubuntu documentation speaks on this option of using the --devel-release or -d option:

For further stability of a LTS release there is a slight change in behaviour if you are currently running a LTS version. LTS systems are only automatically considered for an upgrade to the next LTS via do-release-upgrade with the first point release. So for example 14.04 will only upgrade once 16.04.1 is released. If you want to update before, e.g. on a subset of machines to evaluate the LTS upgrade for your setup the same argument as an upgrade to a dev release has to be used via the -d switch.

And certainly at the moment this should be a safe course to take. When undertaken on my own Trusty system:

andrew@corinth:~$ sudo do-release-upgrade
[sudo] password for andrew: 
Checking for a new Ubuntu release
No new release found
andrew@corinth:~$ sudo do-release-upgrade --devel-release
Checking for a new Ubuntu release
Get:1 Upgrade tool signature [198 B]                                           
Get:2 Upgrade tool [1,265 kB]                                                  
Fetched 1,265 kB in 0s (0 B/s)                                                 
authenticate 'xenial.tar.gz' against 'xenial.tar.gz.gpg' 
extracting 'xenial.tar.gz'
[...]

And the process rolls on installing Xenial by utlising this alternative file. A few hints at upcoming resolution of this issue:

1. A few enquiries in IRC (thanks @ThomasWard) indicate imminent fixing of the issue pending the fixing of any bugs in the upgrade path...
2. A personal email to myself from a developer has indicated that this should be fixed in the week commencing July 25th
3. A Launchpad bug and Feature Request filed on this issue has some interesting comments...

Crossed fingers for a resolution soon!!

Note: The update log altered on July 29th my time, so issue now resolved...

References:

• Ubuntu Help Docs: do-release-upgrade
• Bharath/Lord Noh: "No new release found" upgrading from 14.04LTS to 16.04.1 [Bug + Feature Request]

Solution 2

For me the solution was not -d but rather -p. Maybe this is helpful for some of you encountering this problem.

Edit to explain (from man do-release-upgrade):

-d, --devel-release
              Check if upgrading to the latest devel release is possible

-p, --proposed
              Try upgrading to the latest  release  using  the  upgrader  from
              Ubuntu-proposed

do-release-upgrade has several useful switches. Reviewing the man page is always a good idea.

Comments

[andrew.46]

Hmmm..... from elsewhere on Ask Ubuntu: try do-release-upgrade -d or update-manager -d askubuntu.com/q/125392/57576

[Organic Marble]

I have not been able to upgrade yet either (without the -d, it works fine with that).

[Lord Loh.]

@andrew.46 - in the -d going to get me to 16.04.1? or just 16.04? I should not have to install the development release, should I?

[andrew.46]

@LordLoh.I have added some more info to a formal answer. Remember that 16.04.1 is simply the original release plus all of the latest updates added in. Same as installing the release 16.04 and then running sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

[Daniyal Javani]

Finally, seems this bug has been fixed!

[andrew.46]

@LordLoh. Seems to be finally resolved :)

[Lord Loh.]

:-) Just noticed. Will run an upgrade once I reach home :-)

[andrew.46]

Try a bug report from here: bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader

[Lord Loh.]

Thank you. Did that - bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader/+b‌​ug/…

[andrew.46]

@LordLoh. Good on you!! I have added a link to this bug report from my answer.

[Thomas Ward]

Note that this is a case of the upgrade path not being enabled for another week, while bugs get squished and while things 'settle'; I asked this in the support rooms on IRC and got from-the-release-team answers stating this for the most part.

[andrew.46]

@ThomasWard Thanks for looking into this. Seems a pity that this question is heading for closure on the strength of a 4 year old question when this issue is of great interest and relevance to a more modern release. But I guess that is what 'Reopen' is for...

[zymhan]

@ThomasWard I appreciate that you were able to find that out. It is frustrating that this information isn't more widely publicized, given the emphasis on how LTS releases should "just work".

[Lord Loh.]

answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader‌​/… - I put in a feature request for a modifed error message. Something like - No new release found. Next release expected on 2016-07-29.

[jadenPete]

Just right now, as I speak, the 14.04.5 XOrg has moved from proposed to main, and the log has been updated!

[Erdnase]

So you all conclude that this issue is resolved now? I am still getting the same "No new release found " message when upgrading from 14.04.05 to 16.04.01.

[daaxix]

I am as well, over 6 months on from the end of July. I'm still seeing "no new release found" when attempting to upgrade.