Upgrade to Ubuntu 14.04.5 from 18 with Step-by-Step Guide | PF

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In summary, it seems that you want to switch to Ubuntu 14.04.5 from your current Ubuntu 18 installation. This is because a component of the CFD software you are running, OpenFOAM, only works on the older version of Ubuntu. One option is to uninstall Ubuntu and reinstall Windows before installing Ubuntu 14, but this will erase all your current data. Another option is to install Ubuntu 14 in a virtual machine using Virtualbox. Alternatively, you can boot from a CD/DVD or USB drive and choose the "Erase disk and install Ubuntu" option, but this may require changes to your computer's BIOS or UEFI firmware. It is important to note that switching to an older version of Ubuntu may create
  • #1
member 428835
Hi PF!

I'm trying to switch to Ubuntu 14.04.5. Currently I am running Ubuntu 18. How do you recommend I do this; do I have to uninstall Ubuntu, reinstall Windows, and then go to 14?
 
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  • #2
joshmccraney said:
I'm trying to switch to Ubuntu 14.04.5

Is there a particular reason why you want to go back this far? This version's support period expired in April 2019.

joshmccraney said:
do I have to uninstall Ubuntu, reinstall Windows, and then go to 14?

If you have all your data backed up on separate media, you can just run the Ubuntu installer from CD/DVD (or USB stick if you have one) and tell it to reformat your hard drive. That will erase whatever you currently have installed.
 
  • #3
Thanks for replying PeterDonis!

PeterDonis said:
Is there a particular reason why you want to go back this far?
Yea, I'm running a CFD software called OpenFOAM and a particular component only works on an older version of the software, which only runs on an older version of Ubuntu.
PeterDonis said:
If you have all your data backed up on separate media, you can just run the Ubuntu installer from CD/DVD (or USB stick if you have one) and tell it to reformat your hard drive. That will erase whatever you currently have installed.
Can you elaborate here (I'm not too great with computers). How do I tell it to reformulate the HD? When I first installed Ubuntu I did it from the previous Windows that the computer was running. But I'm unsure how to do this from Ubuntu.
 
  • #4
joshmccraney said:
I'm running a CFD software called OpenFOAM and a particular component only works on an older version of the software, which only runs on an older version of Ubuntu

Have you considered running the older version of Ubuntu inside a virtual machine? Virtualbox will do that. You can install virtualbox from the Ubuntu 18 package manager, and then run it and install Ubuntu 14 in a virtual machine.

joshmccraney said:
How do I tell it to reformulate the HD?

If you boot the computer from the Ubuntu install CD/DVD, and it detects an existing installation on your hard drive, it will give you several options, one of which will be something like "Erase disk and install Ubuntu". That's the one to choose if you want to reformat the hard drive. Note that this will erase everything that's currently on your hard drive, including your existing Ubuntu 18 installation.

joshmccraney said:
When I first installed Ubuntu I did it from the previous Windows that the computer was running.

How did you do that? Did you boot the computer from an Ubuntu install CD/DVD? Or something else?
 
  • #5
PeterDonis said:
Have you considered running the older version of Ubuntu inside a virtual machine? Virtualbox will do that. You can install virtualbox from the Ubuntu 18 package manager, and then run it and install Ubuntu 14 in a virtual machine.
I thought about this a while ago, but the CFD software is very slow on a virtual machine.

PeterDonis said:
If you boot the computer from the Ubuntu install CD/DVD, and it detects an existing installation on your hard drive, it will give you several options, one of which will be something like "Erase disk and install Ubuntu". That's the one to choose if you want to reformat the hard drive. Note that this will erase everything that's currently on your hard drive, including your existing Ubuntu 18 installation.
I actually can't use a CD/DVD, though I have a thumbdrive that's worked before.

PeterDonis said:
How did you do that? Did you boot the computer from an Ubuntu install CD/DVD? Or something else?
I booted from an external HD. I had to formulate the HD so it was bootable (from Windows, which is what I was running) and then restarted the computer in a weird way. Does this sound familiar at all?
 
  • #6
joshmccraney said:
I actually can't use a CD/DVD, though I have a thumbdrive that's worked before.

Ok, that would work the same as far as the installer goes.

joshmccraney said:
I booted from an external HD. I had to formulate the HD so it was bootable (from Windows, which is what I was running) and then restarted the computer in a weird way. Does this sound familiar at all?

I'm not sure. I've always used either a CD/DVD or a bootable USB drive and just booted the Ubuntu installer from that. (The Ubuntu installer is just a version of the appropriate Ubuntu system that boots from CD/DVD or USB stick, and then runs the installer program from the booted Ubuntu system.)

If the external HD is bootable and has Ubuntu on it, and it was connected to the computer by USB, it would be the same as booting from a USB drive.

You might also have had to make changes in your computer's BIOS or UEFI firmware when you booted from the external HD the first time. I don't know if that's what you mean by restarting "in a weird way". Did you reformat the computer's internal HD when you did this? Or do you boot from the external HD whenever you want to boot Ubuntu 18, and then just unplug the external HD and reboot in Windows?
 
  • #7
I don't think I would do this, switching back to 14.04 might solve this problem, but it might create some new ones too!

What openFOAM package is causing the problem?
 
  • #8
PeterDonis said:
Ok, that would work the same as far as the installer goes.
I'm not sure. I've always used either a CD/DVD or a bootable USB drive and just booted the Ubuntu installer from that. (The Ubuntu installer is just a version of the appropriate Ubuntu system that boots from CD/DVD or USB stick, and then runs the installer program from the booted Ubuntu system.)

If the external HD is bootable and has Ubuntu on it, and it was connected to the computer by USB, it would be the same as booting from a USB drive.

You might also have had to make changes in your computer's BIOS or UEFI firmware when you booted from the external HD the first time. I don't know if that's what you mean by restarting "in a weird way". Did you reformat the computer's internal HD when you did this? Or do you boot from the external HD whenever you want to boot Ubuntu 18, and then just unplug the external HD and reboot in Windows?
I've reformatted the internal HD, so it always boots as Ubuntu.

And I'll give it a whirl tomorrow (today is busy) and see if it works. Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!
 
  • #9
pbuk said:
I don't think I would do this, switching back to 14.04 might solve this problem, but it might create some new ones too!

What openFOAM package is causing the problem?
In the Dambreak tutorial, turning off gravity implies surface tension is dominant, and thus contact angles dictate flow. The build in alphaContactAngle contact angle models are aphysical. So I want to employ the Kistler contact angle model. But I'm having difficulty getting it to work on Ubuntu 18, but a recent lab graduate did it in Ubuntu 14.

I have the .C and .H files, but cannot seem to get FOAM to work with them.
 
  • #10
joshmccraney said:
So I want to employ the Kistler contact angle model. But I'm having difficulty getting it to work on Ubuntu 18, but a recent lab graduate did it in Ubuntu 14.
I am not sure that this has anything to do with Ubuntu versions, more likely the 'recent lab graduate' had installed the latest version of OpenFOAM from its own repository using the instructions at https://openfoam.org/download/7-ubuntu/. If you didn't do that and just did sudo apt install openfoam you will get a very old version.
 
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  • #11
Jusy read through again; you only have the source files and even if OpenFOAM can deal with this it probably expects the gcc compiler and other build tools to be installed which they won't be on a new install. Are you getting any error messages that might point at the problem(s)?
 

1. What is Ubuntu 14.04.5 and why should I upgrade to it?

Ubuntu 14.04.5 is a version of the popular Linux-based operating system. It is a Long Term Support (LTS) release, meaning it will receive important security updates and bug fixes for a longer period of time compared to other releases. Upgrading to it can provide improved stability and security for your system.

2. How do I upgrade to Ubuntu 14.04.5 from my current version?

The recommended way to upgrade to Ubuntu 14.04.5 is through the built-in Software Updater tool. This can be accessed by going to the "Updates" tab in the Software & Updates application and clicking "Install Updates". Alternatively, you can use the command "sudo do-release-upgrade" in the terminal to initiate the upgrade process.

3. Is it necessary to back up my data before upgrading to Ubuntu 14.04.5?

While the upgrade process is designed to preserve your data, it is always recommended to back up your important files and documents before making any major changes to your operating system. This can provide an extra layer of security in case anything goes wrong during the upgrade process.

4. Will upgrading to Ubuntu 14.04.5 affect my installed programs and settings?

In most cases, upgrading to Ubuntu 14.04.5 will not affect your installed programs and settings. However, it is always a good idea to check for compatibility with the new release before proceeding with the upgrade. Some programs or settings may need to be reconfigured or updated after the upgrade.

5. Can I revert back to my previous version of Ubuntu after upgrading to 14.04.5?

It is possible to revert back to your previous version of Ubuntu, but it is not recommended. It can be a complicated and time-consuming process, and there is no guarantee that it will be successful. It is best to thoroughly research and backup your system before attempting to revert back.

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