need help upgrading from 19.4 by fresh install

[Antediluvian]

I have everything on one 500GB SSD and a data folder with all my data in various folders (Desktop, Business, Non-Business and then lower-level folders by topic). So I do not use the default MX structure.

Do you mean "and a data partition with all my data"? If so that should simplify the detailed instructions of @m_pav I think.

[DukeComposed]

Do you mean "and a data partition with all my data"?

We're still waiting on OP to provide the requested QSI to know the answer to that question. I'm particularly interested to know what "I do not use the default MX structure" means.

[oops]

... Yes, but it is more easy to resize the swap partition than the others partitions.

Resizing partitions is not a trivial operation, especially for "not an expert" users. Perhaps you meant resizing a swap file.

Resizing swap files is not a trivial operation for "not an expert" users who, often, don't even know what a swap file is.

Either you suggest new users invest in a huge amount of swap space they likely don't need, won't use, and which will eat half their root partition in a default MX install, or you suggest to new users that resizing swap is "easy". In the latter case, there's nothing wrong with starting with a small swap file.

8GB/512GB = 0,015625 = 1.56% of the full hdd size ... where is the problem ?

[uncle mark]

Do you mean "and a data partition with all my data"?

We're still waiting on OP to provide the requested QSI to know the answer to that question. I'm particularly interested to know what "I do not use the default MX structure" means.

I think he just meant he has his data folders laid out differently than the MX defaults.

[MXRobo]

@oops Was going to post after post #4, but had to run.
Don't fully understand it, but recently Stevo commented regarding that "(and a swap partition too ~same size of the RAM)" is old-school because swap has been compressed for decade(s) - hopefully, I'm not conflating that with a swap file; yet the installer (or something) still mentions that the swap should be at least as big as ram for hibernation.
Possibly correct for MX-25.
Cheers all!

[Seeker]

Hi all: I was away, now I'm back. Have to get newer MX because can no longer update Firefox with my old version. Re file org questions: I created a Data folder, where I have all my data, organized in folders Business and Non-Business, and, within them, folders like Insurance, Photos, etc. The only folders from the MX default installation that I use are Desktop and Downloads. Several times a week I transfer my data from Downloads to Desktop. Later, I go through Desktop, and either delete or transfer to relevant folders within my Data folder. So when I back up I back up Data and Desktop. I have tried to back up my Thunderbird, but when I check the Thunderbird file on my backup devices, I don't see anything in it. Basically, I am asked you guys what newer version of MX to use and how to do a fresh install on my X220, which has a 500GB SSD. thanks!

[Stuart_M]

...Have to get newer MX because can no longer update Firefox with my old version.
...

It is easy to update Firefox in MX-19.4 Xfce to the latest version (135.0 as of 14 February). See the viewtopic.php?t=83815 thread titled "Updating Firefox in MX-19" which was started yesterday, 13 February 2025.

Actually I'll save you time and tell you how here.

1. Go to https://mirror.freedif.org/MXLinux/repo ... f/firefox/ and download either MX-21 or MX-23 Firefox Debian files to your MX-19 installation. (That link is for the MX repository.)
   Both of those two files will install the latest version of Firefox, which is 135.0 as of 14 February 2025, in MX-19.4. I have tested both of those files myself, installing into MX-19.4 and both work equally well.
2. Now just install Firefox 135.0 using Thunar and either double-clicking on the Debian file or right-click the Debian file and choose "Install Deb Files" to install it.
3. That's it. Once it is installed you will see Firefox 135.0 installed in MX-19.4

In my Post 5 of the first link posted here you will see how to install other Firefox versions in MX-19.4.

This is the method I will be using to upgrade Firefox in MX-19.4 that I currently use full time.

[DukeComposed]

Basically, I am asked you guys what newer version of MX to use and how to do a fresh install on my X220, which has a 500GB SSD. thanks!

Use MX 23. Beyond that, we still haven't seen the QSI that was requested when you started this thread a week ago.

[Seeker]

thanks stuart and duke: I just installed per instructions above by mistake Firefox 135 32bit, rather than 64bit. Also, I've lost all my Firefox history. Yikes! What to do?
Meanwhile, how do I send the QSI--in fact, what is that?

[Seeker]

Here is my QSI:

Code: Select all

System:    Kernel: 4.19.0-27-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.19.0-27-amd64 
           root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm 4.14.0 vt: 7 
           dm: LightDM 1.26.0 Distro: MX-19.4_x64 patito feo October 21  2019 
           base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 4286CTO v: ThinkPad X220 serial: <filter> 
           Chassis: type: 10 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: LENOVO model: 4286CTO serial: <filter> UEFI-[Legacy]: LENOVO 
           v: 8DET63WW (1.33 ) date: 07/19/2012 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT0 charge: 64.7 Wh (96.3%) condition: 67.2/85.9 Wh (78.3%) volts: 12.1 
           min: 10.8 model: SANYO 45N1175 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: Not charging 
CPU:       Info: Dual Core model: Intel Core i5-2520M bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Sandy Bridge 
           family: 6 model-id: 2A (42) stepping: 7 microcode: 2F cache: L2: 3 MiB 
           flags: avx lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 19934 
           Speed: 910 MHz min/max: 800/3200 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 910 2: 942 3: 988 4: 1395 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected 
           Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: Vulnerable 
           Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion 
           Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable 
           Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI 
           Type: mmio_stale_data status: Unknown: No mitigations 
           Type: retbleed status: Not affected 
           Type: spec_store_bypass 
           mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced / Automatic IBRS, IBPB: conditional, STIBP: 
           conditional, RSB filling, PBRSB-eIBRS: SW sequence 
           Type: srbds status: Not affected 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics 
           vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0126 
           class-ID: 0300 
           Device-2: Chicony Lenovo Integrated Camera (0.3MP) type: USB driver: uvcvideo 
           bus-ID: 1-1.6:4 chip-ID: 04f2:b217 class-ID: 0e02 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.14.0 driver: 
           loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1 
           Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1600x900 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 423x238mm (16.7x9.4") 
           s-diag: 485mm (19.1") 
           Monitor-1: VGA-1 res: 1600x900 hz: 60 dpi: 94 size: 434x236mm (17.1x9.3") 
           diag: 494mm (19.4") 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Sandybridge Mobile v: 3.3 Mesa 18.3.6 compat-v: 3.0 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Definition Audio vendor: Lenovo 
           driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:1c20 class-ID: 0403 
           Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k4.19.0-27-amd64 running: yes 
           Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 12.2 running: yes 
Network:   Device-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network vendor: Lenovo driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k 
           port: 5080 bus-ID: 00:19.0 chip-ID: 8086:1502 class-ID: 0200 
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak] driver: iwlwifi v: kernel 
           modules: wl port: efa0 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:0085 class-ID: 0280 
           IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 117.23 GiB (25.2%) 
           SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required. 
           ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 860 EVO 500GB size: 465.76 GiB 
           block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> 
           rev: 3B6Q scheme: MBR 
Partition: ID-1: / raw-size: 463.73 GiB size: 455.38 GiB (98.20%) used: 117.23 GiB (25.7%) 
           fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1 
Swap:      Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default) 
           ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 2 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 
           dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 50.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 3633 
Repos:     Packages: 2313 note: see --pkg apt: 2307 lib: 1192 flatpak: 6 
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nordvpn.list 
           1: deb https://repo.nordvpn.com/deb/nordvpn/debian stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.skype.com/deb stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/teams.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/ms-teams stable main
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:      Processes: 216 Uptime: 1h 30m wakeups: 2 Memory: 7.68 GiB used: 2.45 GiB (31.9%) 
           Init: SysVinit v: 2.93 runlevel: 5 default: 5 tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 
           alt: 8 Shell: quick-system-in default: Bash v: 5.0.3 running-in: quick-system-in 
           inxi: 3.3.06