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Block system updates untill convenient time

freeze certain updates
uitstekende documentatie in : https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/p/mintupdate.html ; zie zotero

use apt-mark

The most important system parts are :
- Linux kernel
- bootloader Grub
- systemd
- login manager LightDM
- linux-firmware
- the microcode packages
Updates to these parts are not as urgent as updates to browsers , etc,
and could lead in rare cases to your system being froozen as well
==>
- postpone those updates until a convenient time when you’re in no hurry.
- meanwhile, group them in a batch
this is what apt-mark does.

configuring apt-mark

  • Make sure that all applications that use apt (Update Manager, Software Manager, Synaptic Package Manager, Software Sources etc.) are closed.
  • exec in a shell (make sure you select the whole line -it is a long one- and paste it on one line
sudo apt-mark hold "grub-*" "grub2*" systemd "systemd-*" lightdm slick-greeter "linux-generic*" "linux-headers-generic*" "linux-image-generic*" "linux-signed-generic*" "linux-signed-image-generic*" linux-firmware intel-microcode amd64-microcode

with this 1 line of code , all system updates are locked , except :
E: Unable to locate package linux-signed-generic
E: Couldn’t find any package by glob ‘linux-signed-generic‘
E: Couldn’t find any package by regex ‘linux-signed-generic‘
E: Unable to locate package linux-signed-image-generic
E: Couldn’t find any package by glob ‘linux-signed-image-generic‘
E: Couldn’t find any package by regex ‘linux-signed-image-generic‘

To check which packages have been put on hold : apt-mark showhold

installing cummulative updates

At a convenient time (WE) you can always unfreeze the vital system parts that were locked :
- ==Launch Timeshift and create a one-time snapshot.==
- Make sure that all applications that use apt (Update Manager, Software Manager, Synaptic Package Manager, Software Sources etc.) are closed.
- exec in a shell (select the whole line -it is a long one- and paste it on 1 line in the shell)

sudo apt-mark unhold "grub-*" "grub2*" systemd "systemd-*" lightdm slick-greeter "linux-generic*" "linux-headers-generic*" "linux-image-generic*" "linux-signed-generic*" "linux-signed-image-generic*" linux-firmware intel-microcode amd64-microcode
  • check : apt-mark showhold If everything has been unlocked, this command should show no output.
  • Launch Update Manager, refresh it and install any new updates
  • reboot
  • re-enable apt-mark hold