How to Upgrade from Debian 10 Buster to Debian 11 Bullseye

Debian is a popular Linux distribution known for its stability and security. The latest version of Debian, known as Bullseye, was released on August 14th, 2021, and offers several new features and improvements over the previous version, Debian 10 Buster. This article will guide you through upgrading your Debian 10 Buster to Debian 11 Bullseye.

Before you begin, it is essential to note that upgrading your Debian distribution can be risky. It is always a good idea to back up your important files and data before proceeding.

Step 1: Update Debian System Packages

Update your current Debian 10 Buster installation by running the following command in the terminal.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Ensure to reboot if you have updated hundreds of packages, including the Kernel.

reboot

Step 2: Change “sources.list” to Bullseye

Now, it is necessary to update the sources list from Buster to Bullseye. This can be done quickly with a single command instead of manually editing the “/etc/apt/sources.list” file. In the terminal, use the following command.

sudo sed -i 's/buster/bullseye/g' /etc/apt/sources.list

Step 3: Run the Upgrade to Debian 11 Bullseye

First, synchronize the cache with the Debian 11 Bullseye repositories by running a quick APT update command.

sudo apt update

To upgrade to Debian 11 Bullseye, use the following command in the terminal.

sudo apt full-upgrade

After the upgrade process is finished, reboot your system by executing the command in the terminal.

Step 4: Upgrade Post-Installation Check

Verifying the Debian operating version and building by using the CAT command is recommended now that the upgrade process has been completed.

cat /etc/os-release

Example output confirming the upgrade:

Step 5: Clean Up Obsolete Packages (Optional)

To keep your Debian 11 system clean and efficient, removing old and obsolete packages that are no longer needed after a successful upgrade is recommended. This can be done by using the –purge and autoremove command as follows:

sudo apt --purge autoremove

Troubleshooting

Nvidia Drivers

Some reports have emerged of users encountering upgrade troubles with Nvidia drivers, and it is now advised to remove these as follows.

First, to eliminate any remnants of Nvidia on your system, use a command to remove it altogether.

sudo apt autoremove nvidia* --purge

The second method of installing Nvidia drivers is using the “.run” file. Remove the runfile type of installation, use the following command.

sudo /usr/bin/nvidia-uninstall

If none of the above options work, try removing the CUDA toolkit installation using the following command as a last resort.

sudo /usr/local/cuda-X.Y/bin/cuda-uninstall

Conclusion

Debian 11 Bullseye offers several new features and improvements over the previous version, Debian 10 Buster. Upgrading your Debian distribution can be risky, but by following the steps outlined in this guide, you can upgrade your Debian 10 Buster to Debian 11 Bullseye with minimal risk. As always, backup your important files and data before proceeding.