User Guide
1.1.2 System snapshots
Timeshift, the system snapshot utility, is available in all versions of Linux Mint.
It can be used to create snapshots manually but also to automate system snapshots.
Linux Mint recommends the automation of daily and boot snapshots.
If an update, a mistake, a bug or a malicious program breaks something on your computer, you can restore the operating
system from any snapshot, thus cancelling the problem as if it never happened.
Note: System snapshots only cover the operating system itself. They do not include or affect your personal data.
1.1.3 The different types of updates
There are different types of updates:
• ‘Software updates’ are updates which fix bugs (or also sometimes which bring new features).
• ‘Security updates’ are updates which patch vulnerabilities.
• ‘Kernel updates’ represent the installation of a newer kernel.
Security is very important but also very technical. Vulnerabilities don’t always affect your computer and can be quite
difficult to understand. Most people don’t understand them at all and their personal computers are rarely at risk. That
said, a security breach can have dire consequences, so it is always recommended to take them seriously.
Software updates aren’t as important. They bring bug fixes or improvements which are not related to security.
Note: In Linux Mint, kernel updates bring both security patches and bug fixes (and sometimes even new features),
and they impact critical parts of the operating system. This makes kernel updates important from a security point of
view, but also prone to regressions which can be hard to fix for novice users.
1.2 Kernel updates
The kernel is the central part of the operating system. Among other things, it is responsible for hardware support.
Note: In Linux Mint, kernel updates bring both security patches and bug fixes (and sometimes even new features),
and they impact critical parts of the operating system. This makes kernel updates important from a security point of
view, but also prone to regressions which can be hard to fix for novice users.
From a security point of view, it is important to apply kernel updates.
A kernel regression could however affect your ability to connect to the Internet, to start your desktop environment or
even to boot the operating system.
For this reason it is important to be cautious when applying kernel updates and to know how to revert them when
something goes wrong.
4 Chapter 1. Update Manager