Well, I was mistaken earlier about the config.
Despite this, it appears to me at least, that this issue still needs to be reviewed by the ZorinGroup given multiple members posting information that shows that there is a discrepancy.
To this end, I did forward this as well, to the ZorinGroup.
Interestingly, with the following command (to simulate unattended-upgrades) :
sudo unattended-upgrades --debug --dry-run
The first line in the result is the following one :
Could not figure out development release: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/distro-info/zorin.csv'
So indeed, it seems some configuration data are missing for Zorin auto updates.
I use arch and rpm systems, and it's not a difficult question to see where an update comes from.
yep same here it can't find that csv
That is true, but that is also shifting the goal posts.
That is not the question you asked.
What you asked was answered directly, here:
Admittedly, it is not very clear, so I answered both possible intentions:
Checking for available updates, which is not difficult.
And checking the history of available releases, independent of what is on the system, which there are many ways to do, but I listed one.
Yes not my original question, but history and the origin of a package update would have helped in troubleshooting, because for a while, everyone tried to convince me that there wasn't anything wrong. I just wanted to know if there are security updates available.
But yes it's not important, just auxiliary questions and it seems weird that it's difficult, nevermind.
From what I am seeing, I think there is sufficient grounds to believe something is wrong - and enough I took an action to escalate that.
However, as my initial post points out, there actually is a logical reason why nothing might be broken, yet the service still not provide the available packages. That was a post I did make, though, also pointed out at that time that I still believe something was not working as intended. This may have contributed to you feeling dismissed initially.
Your clarification of the config demonstrated something is wrong.
Thanks, I would really love to test Zorin to be able to suggest it for our users. It looks nice and familiar, it's based on ubuntu/debian, so it should be stable. I just didn't test anything yet, because I ran into this thing.
I do believe the ZorinGroup is best qualified to check the configuration for Zorin package allowance, but as we wait, there are many good, stable, solid and easy to use Distro's to try out. You probably have tried out a few.
That is what makes this particular issue a stickler.
With Open Source, you can use the modular packages and open source packages to customize a comparable distro. For example, using the Zorin Themes on another distro.
You could use Ubuntu or Debian or even Mint and configure it to closely match how Zorin OS works by using the same themes and extensions and even apps, from the Zorin Repo (depending on Gnome version and release version) but this particular issue that halted you... is not so easy for you as a Zorin OS user, to solve singly.
But at least it allows you options.
You could hop on Ubuntu, add the Zorin Extensions and the like and keep on sailing.
Hi everyone,
We just published a fix for the issue with the unattended-upgrades package in Zorin OS 18 earlier today. You should be able to apply this fix by installing the latest updates from the Software Updater and restarting your computer.
....Or not....
In general, warnings are always issued before adding third-party software. Is this extra risky? More than getting no updates and using old software?
What irritates me, however, is that as a user, I have always assumed that I would receive automatic updates for all my installed software as soon as I activated the corresponding field in Software & Updates.
However, it is much more complicated than that.
To receive automatic updates for flatpaks and snaps, you have to activate this in gnome software, otherwise they are not included. I'm not sure if they can be installed unattended.
Now I have read that third-party repositories are also not included. This means that if, for example, you add a repository to always receive the latest .deb version of a piece of software (e.g. a browser or graphics drivers), and have set up automatic updates, you will not receive them at all without editing the config files for unattended updates?
If adding third party repositories, users are notified of updates. So, it does not mean that upgrades cannot happen or are silently ignored.
It means only that with the Unattended Upgrades path, updates will not be automatically applied without notifying you.
Adding third party repositories can have some small risk that falls more under mixing differing repositories than anything else.
I am personally wary of "over warning" about adding third party repositories.
Third Party Repositories are a Big Part of what makes GnuLinux and FOSS. For those who blanket it as something to be avoided, they oversimplify how it works and exaggerate the risk.
Okay, so the updates of third party repos are not made automatically as e.g. in Windows.
Would it be better to add
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
to autostart or to create a cron job, possibly with an additional reboot? Then they would be included. I read that it can lead to problems when it is launched at startup.
What is the difference to unattended updates? Why do they not include all software sources?
Can I test the fix for unattended-upgrades without rebooting on Zorin 18 live session, e.g. by restarting a service or logout...?
Not at all.
Youa re actually touching on the primary problem with Unattended Upgrades (When it works.)
Windows OS can do it because Microsoft is a Centralised Authority.
One Desktop.
One environment. One Display manager.
It is the only source.
GnuLinux is diverse and modular.
So Unattended Upgrades is designed more for risk management than it is for convenience.
It's primary role is to make sure that Security Updates get through - not for end users to not monitor their packages.
RIsk, in this context is actually something you have experienced but probably not paid much attention to.
Ever run the terminal command and then get a prompt seeking clarification?
Or a dependency error?
OR that needs more steps like a separate confirmation window as seen with Ms TTF installer or GDM3 configuration?
With Unattended Upgrades, these packages that need attendance become a clear problem.
And this is exactly why setting up a chron job to run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade is a bad idea.
And there is more. Some package upgrades require a reboot. With unattended upgrades, where a reboot is needed and occurs, then the system may not boot back up due to init failure with no one around to manage it.
Technically, yes. But it would be pointless.
Some packages need a reboot to see if the upgrade worked, which is out on a Live session.
And a live session runs as overlayFS in RAM, so is not actually indicative that an upgrade is working properly, allowing false positives (Or false negatives.)
Updates are for installed bare metal systems so we do not test those in Live Sessions.
Thank you very much for your explanation. I have often received error messages at upgrades and I don't like automatic updates that run at the most inconvenient times or render the computer for an indefinite period of time unusuable like in Windows. But I am interested in the topic, and I can understand the concern when someone wants to set it up for all employees in the office or for their elderly parents, for example, so that everything runs as automatically as possible.
After the fix the error when running
sudo unattended-upgrade --debug
Could not figure out development release: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/distro-info/zorin.csv'
doesn't appear and there are much more Zorin ppas included. Yesterday it were 4, today 17.
That was a quick fix (Thanks Mr. Zorin). I installed the update yesterday (13th) and today (14th, new day, new session) waiting to see what happens. At uptime 33 min, log shows it hasn't run yet. Is it known when this is supposed to check?
I have decided on these settings:
subscribed to: all updates (was custom)
automatically check: daily
security updates: display immediately
other updates: display weekly
note that I did not choose any 'download' option. I want to see (display) the proposed updates first. So, with these settings, I think I should be notified that they are ready to install. Right?
At /lib/systemd/system in
apt-daily-upgrade.timer the time is set to 6:00 and in the apt-daily.timer to 6:00 and 18:00.
However, I have read that these times are not adhered to precisely in order to prevent server overload, so I'm not sure when the updates/upgrades are done actually.
With
systemctl list-timers
you can list the timers.