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Does anybody know if there is a way to disable or skip the phased updates on Ubuntu 22.04 so the package installation candidate is updated to the latest version of the package immediately?

I have tried the suggestions to disable here - https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/phased-updates-in-apt-in-21-04/20345

However, the candidate version of the required packages always remains at the older version when I check with the command apt-cache policy.

Holly Sherlock
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1 Answers1

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Phased Updates are one layer of protection for your system. Folks who disable this layer of protection should have the skills, experience, and willingness to troubleshoot problems and file bugs. You're volunteering to be a tester.

Only folks who know what they are doing should do this.

If you really want to bypass phasing, then insert the correct apt option into the command:

apt -o APT::Get::Always-Include-Phased-Updates=true upgrade

or

apt -o APT::Get::Always-Include-Phased-Updates=true install <package_name>
  • Before using this option, it's wise to run apt-cache policy <packagename> to verify that the package you in question is really phasing. It's not a magic incantation to solve every apt-related problem.

But what if you have a whole lab of machines? And each is phasing at a different time, and it's a big mess?

The answer is NOT to disable phasing. Instead, have all your machines phase together by setting a common Machine-ID string.

Here's an example apt config file to set a Machine-ID string for apt. Let's call it /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20phased-updates. This apt-specific string, whatever you choose, should be identical for all machines that you want to phase together. Each machine in your lab gets this file.

// To have all your machines phase the same, set the same string in this field
// If commented out, apt will use /etc/machine-id to seed the random number generator
APT::Machine-ID "aaaabbbbccccddddeeeeffff";

Alternately, if you really want the latest and greatest for autoinstalls, AND subsequently to phase together....

// To have all your machines phase the same, set the same string in this field
// If commented out, apt will use /etc/machine-id to seed the random number generator
APT::Machine-ID "aaaabbbbccccddddeeeeffff";

// Always include phased updates
// After your initial build, you would comment this out.
// If left in place you will always include phased updates instead of phasing all machines together.
APT::Get::Always-Include-Phased-Updates "1";
user535733
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