Learn how to upgrade Raspbian Wheezy to Raspbian Jessie. Our Server Management Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

How to Upgrade Raspbian Wheezy to Raspbian Jessie

Upgrading from Raspbian Wheezy to Raspbian Jessie enhances security, introduces newer software, and improves compatibility with modern applications and libraries.

However, it may also present compatibility challenges with older software.

Today, our experts will guide you through this step-by-step process to ensure a smooth upgrade.

Before proceeding, consider the following:

• Create a complete system backup to safeguard against data loss or system instability.
• Ensure that critical software and scripts are compatible with Jessie, as some applications may function differently or be unavailable.

Step-by-Step Guide to Upgrade

1. To prepare for the upgrade, update all existing packages on Wheezy:

   
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt full-upgrade
sudo apt autoremove


   After updating, reboot the system if required:

   
sudo reboot

2. Then, modify the sources list to replace Wheezy repositories with Jessie ones. So, open the sources list file:

   sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

   Now, replace all instances of wheezy with jessie. The updated sources list should resemble:

   deb http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian/ jessie main contrib non-free rpi
3. Also, check Raspberry Pi-specific software sources:

   sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/raspi.list
4. Furthermore, replace Wheezy with Jessie in this file as well.
5. Then, refresh package lists to load new Jessie repositories:

   sudo apt update
6. Next, upgrade the system by installing Jessie packages:

   sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt full-upgrade


   During the upgrade, we may be prompted to confirm configuration file replacements. Accepting the updated versions is usually safe if we haven’t customized them.
7. After upgrading, remove obsolete packages and perform a cleanup:

   sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt clean

8. Then, reboot to apply all changes.

   Upon rebooting, we might see messages like “Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain”. These messages are normal—wait until they stop before proceeding.
9. After rebooting, log in to your Raspberry Pi. If the GUI does not start automatically, launch it manually:

   startx

Installing New Packages from Raspbian Jessie

At this point, we can add the new packages that were introduced with a fresh installation of Raspbian Jessie.

sudo apt-get install rc-gui libreoffice libreoffice-gtk alacarte bluej greenfoot claws-mail

These packages include:

• rc-gui: GUI version of the raspi-config command-line tool.
• LibreOffice & libreoffice-gtk: Office suite and GTK integration.
• Alacarte: Menu editor.
• BlueJ & Greenfoot: Java IDEs.
• ClawsMail: Email client.

For a minimal installation, we can install only rc-gui and alacarte or skip these altogether if not using the GUI.

Common GUI Issues After Upgrade

Sometimes, UI issues may arise after upgrading. In this case, apply the following fixes:

• cp -ax /usr/share/themes/PiX ~/.themes

  This ensures that Raspbian loads the new PiX GTK theme.
• sudo rm /etc/xdg/autostart/clipit-startup.desktop

  Prevents ClipIt from auto-starting on boot.
• sudo rm /etc/xdg/autostart/wicd-tray.desktop

  Stops the Wicd network manager from auto-starting.
• sudo rm -rf /var/lib/menu-xdg

  Removes excessive shortcuts from the “Other” menu.
• sudo raspi-config nonint do_boot_behaviour_new B4

  Configures the system to boot directly to the desktop and log in automatically.
• sudo rm /usr/share/applications/obconf.desktop

  It hides the Openbox Window Manager shortcut, which is replaced by the new Appearance Settings.

[Need assistance with a different issue? Our team is available 24/7.]

Conclusion

According to our Experts, an upgrade from Raspbian Wheezy to Raspbian Jessie will boost security, software support, and overall performance.

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to upgrade Raspbian Wheezy to Raspbian Jessie.