Score:3

Ubuntu

Why is Ubuntu 20.04 asking me to upgrade to 22.04 (with 116 days left of upgrades and bug fixes) if this version is supposed to be EOL only in 2025?

Something Something

12/25/23, 10:29 PM

Every time I log in and every day a popup box warns me that this version Kubuntu focal 20.04.5 LTS has only 116 days left of updates and bug fixes. It looks like it comes from the KDE Daemon?

If I hover over the KDE daemon icon I get this (note the one day difference between them - weird).

However looking at the releases page it says Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS end of standard support is in 2025 and end of life is 2030.

$ cat /etc/os-release 
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="20.04.5 LTS (Focal Fossa)"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS"
VERSION_ID="20.04"
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
VERSION_CODENAME=focal
UBUNTU_CODENAME=focal

I am very confused. Do I really need to upgrade to 22.04 in 116 days?

693

2 + 6

upgrade

release-management

20.04

Terrance

12/25/23, 11:19 PM

The command `ubuntu-security-status` should show you how much time you have left on updates. If it is different than 4/2025 you will probably need to file a bug with Canonical.

guiverc

12/26/23, 3:36 AM

Kubuntu is a *flavor* of Ubuntu, thus comes with three years of *supported* life as stated in all release notes & annoucements; eg. "*Maintenance updates will be provided for 5 years for Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Cloud, and Ubuntu Core. All the remaining flavours will be supported for 3 years. Additional security support is available with ESM (Extended Security Maintenance)*" from https://fridge.ubuntu.com/2022/09/01/ubuntu-20-04-5-lts-released/ so the number of days matches Kubuntu 20.04 LTS

guiverc

12/26/23, 3:38 AM

Your base Ubuntu system gets patches for 5 years, but all Kubuntu/KDE packages lose *team* support as do all other 'universe' or community packages; though the repository stays open so any MOTU can still *patch* & fix bug reports for the full five years, but all guarantees on 'universe' packages end at 3 years. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FocalFossa/ReleaseNotes/Kubuntu

Something Something

12/26/23, 3:42 AM

@guiverc you should write an answer. I need to keep Ubuntu 20.04 as it's supported by Xilinx.

guiverc

12/26/23, 3:49 AM

Thanks @HenriqueBucher, I'm booting a Lubuntu 20.04 system currently to check it's not seen there (*I don't believe it is, but if it is I'd like to know for Lubuntu user enquiries, esp. when I post warnings of EOL soonish*).. I'll do some testing first.. If it appears (*on updating packages*) I may have details on reason for additional info beyond above comments for answer too...

Terrance

12/26/23, 4:40 AM

I can confirm what @guiverc has mentioned. I tested an installation of Kubuntu (KDE) and it is throwing those messages about having 116 days left. However, my Xubuntu install is not throwing them, so I have a feeling that Lubuntu won't throw those messages about time left for support.

Score:4

Ubuntu

guiverc

12/26/23, 4:52 AM

Kubuntu is a flavor of Ubuntu, thus comes with three years of supported life as stated in all release notes & annoucements; eg.

"Maintenance updates will be provided for 5 years for Ubuntu Desktop,Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Cloud, and Ubuntu Core. All the remaining flavours will be supported for 3 years. Additional security support is available with ESM (Extended Security Maintenance)"

from https://fridge.ubuntu.com/2022/09/01/ubuntu-20-04-5-lts-released/ so the number of days matches Kubuntu 20.04 LTS, which matches the Kubuntu 20.04 LTS release notes too

I booted up one of the Lubuntu 20.04 LTS systems I have, let it sit idle for some time & explored the system trying to trigger upgrade notices (it only reported updates were available); but none mentioned the 2023-April EOL date as per your post. I applied all upgrades, rebooted & tried again, still no message with it left ~15 minutes some of which had my explore the system trying to trigger messages (this time I only got messages saying no updates were available as expected). However I did not get any release-upgrade offers. or messages triggered by the Ubuntu-release-upgrade tool which maybe what causes you to see what you posted. If it's the release-upgrade tool that causes the message, I didn't make that offer upgrade on this system.

I've heard mention of what you describe a number of times before, but I've never seen it on systems I use. For the record; the Lubuntu box I tested also has xubuntu-desktop installed on it too (ie. multi-desktop install) so it wasn't a clean system; but I suspect both Xubuntu & Lubuntu act the same in this regard.

(Lubuntu uses the LXQt desktop, thus has Qt5 & a number of Kubuntu components included in the install, but there are still many differences with what you as a Kubuntu user are using compared to my testing with a Lubuntu install; my concentration with Lubuntu is because that's one team I'm heavily involved with)

+ 2

guiverc

3/28/24, 10:02 PM

Don't forget you can explore what parts of your installed system are EOL in 2023-April, and which parts are not EOSS until 2025-April using `ubuntu-security-status`. I'll provide a link to the Lubuntu 20.04 warning (https://discourse.lubuntu.me/t/lubuntu-20-04-lts-is-nearing-its-eol-end-of-life/4087) where I use one of my boxes as an example. Run & explore the results on your own system !

guiverc

3/28/24, 10:04 PM

Note: The 'universe' or *flavor* packages are guaranteed for 3 years of support for *team* packages (Kubuntu provided a guarantee for the packages they included on their ISO, Lubuntu for theirs etc) but Ubuntu allows bug fixes for five years for 'universe' packages like 'main' so if bug reports are filed, and a *developer* with upload rights (MOTU etc) fixes it via SRU, fixes can still be applied. This has been done before, but its rare with no guarantee it'll get done. If you'd like to help out here, that would be welcome !

Score:1

Ubuntu

Organic Marble

12/26/23, 3:39 AM

Ubuntu flavor LTS's are supported for 3 years.

Kubuntu is a flavor.

This is why I install Ubuntu and then the MATE desktop. Volia, not a flavor.

+ 4

guiverc

12/26/23, 3:43 AM

This may prevent the message (*I've not tested it*), but alas it doesn't improve the security status of the system any... You'll still get the same fixes as a Kubuntu/Ubuntu-MATE system would have received; just without the warning that part of your system is not *guaranteed* to receive security fixes.

Organic Marble

12/26/23, 3:44 AM

It prevents the message and the complaining on Ask Ubuntu if I have a question.

Something Something

12/26/23, 1:18 PM

@OrganicMarble I gave the answer to guiverc since he had effectively responded to the question in the comments above a few minutes prior to yours.

Organic Marble

12/26/23, 1:37 PM

@HenriqueBucher the other answer is better, cheers!

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Why is Ubuntu 20.04 asking me to upgrade to 22.04 (with 116 days left of upgrades and bug fixes) if this version is supposed to be EOL only in 2025?

Post an answer

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