Score:0

Subscribing to ESM throws error - "ESM is not available for platform ppc64el"

cn flag

Tried ESM. And here's what it throws :

# ua enable esm-infra
One moment, checking your subscription first
UA Infra: ESM is not available for platform ppc64el.
Supported platforms are: amd64, i386, i686, x86_64.
#

For now, I did a free subscription to check. Wondering if ppc64le is supported with buy subscription only. However, when I attempt to buy, it doesn't mention anything about ppc64le as well.

I am now fine to even do a reinstall of Ubuntu newer version (say, 18.04) rather than upgrade. However, I dont have access to CDROM drive or a USB. If at all there is a way to install newer version from the command line of the existing Ubuntu OS on my system, please suggest the commands. Whereas, I do read somewhere that that's not possible!

Please let me know how else do I fix this mess?

PS: This question is a follow on to Unable to upgrade Ubuntu 16.04.7 to 18.04. No packages needing update, yet throws "Please install all available updates..."

guiverc avatar
cn flag
To install a later version; you can have your boot loader (usually `grub`) boot a *live* system from ISO contained on a local drive and install to another disk/partition. There are multiple answers for doing that on this site (*I used it to QA-test on a laptop with no working USB ports but I have no experience on ppc64el*)
Score:2
in flag

Based on the Ubuntu Wiki for the ppc64el platform, 16.04 is no longer supported; even under ESM. If you upgrade to 18.04, then you will have a little over a year of security updates remaining:

Ubuntu PowerPC 64-bit Little-endian – Supported Versions

As for the upgrade process, how did you install 16.04 (or an earlier version) if not by DVD or USB? Can you machine boot from any device other than the internal storage device(s)?

hemanth kumar avatar
cn flag
I do have the boot machines ... however, since this is an experiment stage, its hard to get the approvals to get the 18.04 Ubuntu version onto the boot machines. This machine running Ubuntu has plenty of disks, so if there is a way I can put the Ubuntu 18.04 onto one of the disks, and do the installation through there, that is also possible.
hemanth kumar avatar
cn flag
To make the discussion complete, is it right if I understand that since 16.04 is no longer supported; even under ESM, it means - "Once an Ubuntu release goes out of support there is absolutely no way to upgrade it. Only way is to reinstall it" ? If my understanding is wrong, then I would request you to kindly suggest how I can proceed with upgrade as well, as I am still keeping both upgrade & reinstall options open to solve the issue am facing. Plus, it can benefit others too. Thanks.
in flag
If the repositories are still available, then an upgrade may be possible. However, if the repositories that you need in order to perform an update have been removed, then a re-install is necessary. Quite a bit has changed between 16.04 and 18.04, though, so starting fresh would ensure the least amount of cruft being carried forward unnecessarily.
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