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I'm a new user here and I'm also a Linux newbie. So last night I tried Ubuntu for the first time (kinda), and as I was getting the hang of it I noticed an option to update my OS to version 12.04, so I said "Why not? Let's start with something fresh and new"... Bad choice. As soon as the process was over and I restarted my netbook (I first had some problems booting it up), the desktop appeared and I was like, what?

Some parts of the taskbar were black, the resolution was way too low (even for a NETBOOK) and I couldn't even find the start-like button to show all of the apps. Pretty good for a first time, huh?

I apologize if I don't add much information or a picture, I don't even know what version I had before I updated! I guess it's a matter of time until I learn the basics of this OS.

If someone could help me to revert this (maybe getting back to the previous version) I would truly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

Froquenst
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1 Answers1

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  1. Any Ubuntu version earlier than 12.04 has reached End of Life, so you can't revert back to it. You have no reasonable alternative except for backing up your personal files and reinstalling a currently suported operating system.

  2. The minimal systems requirements have increased a lot since Ubuntu 12.04, so you may not be able to install the latest version of Ubuntu because of the minimal hardware requirements. Assuming that your netbook has at least 1 GB RAM, you could install Ubuntu on it, but your performance would be very slow, so you are better off choosing a more lightweight *buntu edition, and if your netbook has less than 4 GB RAM choose the 32-bit version. Check your hardware against the systems requirements here: How do I find out which version and derivative of Ubuntu is right for my hardware in terms of minimal system requirements?.

  3. Whatever version of Ubuntu you choose you have an additional choice of the regular release or the Long Term Support (LTS) release. The regular release is supported by updates for only 9 months after it is released. The LTS release is supported for either 5 years in the case of Ubuntu or 3 years in the case of other LTS *buntu editions. The latest LTS release is 14.04.

  4. The classic GNOME 2 desktop has been updated to GNOME 3 and is no longer available. If you want a lightweight desktop environment that is similar to GNOME 2, it has been replaced by the MATE desktop environment in Ubuntu MATE. Ubuntu MATE does not yet have an officially supported LTS release, only a regular release. Of all the *buntu editions that will run on a netbook, Ubuntu MATE looks the best on netbooks in my opinion.

karel
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