Upgrading Fedora Silverblue to Fedora Linux 44: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Fedora Silverblue is a robust, immutable desktop operating system built on Fedora Linux, perfect for everyday use, development, and containerized workflows. One of its standout features is the ability to perform atomic upgrades and rollbacks, ensuring system stability. This guide will walk you through the process of rebasing your Silverblue installation to the latest Fedora Linux 44 release. You'll learn two methods—using the graphical GNOME Software or the terminal—and how to safely revert changes if something goes wrong.

Upgrading Fedora Silverblue to Fedora Linux 44: A Step-by-Step Guide — Source: fedoramagazine.org

What You Need

A working Fedora Silverblue system (currently on Fedora 43 or earlier)
An active internet connection
Administrative (sudo) privileges
Basic familiarity with the terminal (if using the command-line method)

Step 1: Update Your Current System

Before rebasing, ensure your existing system is fully updated. This minimizes compatibility issues and ensures a smooth transition.

Using the terminal: Open a terminal and run sudo rpm-ostree update. Wait for the update to complete.
Using GNOME Software: Launch GNOME Software, go to the Updates tab, and install any pending updates. Reboot if prompted.

After updating, your system should be on the latest point release of your current Fedora version. This step is crucial because it applies all security patches and dependency updates that may be required for the rebase.

Step 2: Choose Your Rebase Method

You can rebase to Fedora Linux 44 through either GNOME Software (graphical) or the terminal. Both achieve the same result; pick the one you're most comfortable with.

Method A: Rebasing via GNOME Software

Access the Updates screen: Open GNOME Software and click on the Updates tab. You should see a notification indicating that Fedora Linux 44 is available.
Download the new image: Click the Download button. This will fetch the Fedora 44 Silverblue image from the repositories. The download may take several minutes depending on your internet speed.
Install the upgrade: Once the download finishes, the button changes to Restart & Upgrade. Click it. The system will apply the new image and reboot automatically.
Boot into Fedora 44: After the reboot, you'll land in the new Fedora Linux 44 environment. That's it—your rebase is complete!

Method B: Rebasing via Terminal

Check available refs: Run ostree remote refs fedora to confirm that the Fedora 44 branch is available. The output should include a line like fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue.
Pin the current deployment (optional but recommended): Pinning preserves your current system as a boot option in GRUB, providing a quick fallback. Identify the deployment number (0 for the first entry) with rpm-ostree status, then pin it: sudo ostree admin pin 0. To unpin later, use sudo ostree admin pin --unpin 2 (adjust the number as needed).
Perform the rebase: Execute sudo rpm-ostree rebase fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue. This command downloads and stages the new OS image.
Reboot: Finally, restart your system with sudo systemctl reboot. During boot, the new Fedora 44 deployment will be selected by default.

Step 3: Verify the Upgrade

After rebooting, log in and check that you're running Fedora 44. You can confirm by running cat /etc/fedora-release or hostnamectl. Also test common applications and your workflow to ensure everything functions correctly.

Step 4: How to Roll Back (If Something Goes Wrong)

One of Fedora Silverblue's best features is effortless rollback. If you encounter boot issues, application crashes, or any other problems, follow these steps to revert to your previous system:

Access the GRUB menu: During boot, press ESC (or Shift on some systems) to display the GRUB menu. You'll see multiple entries—one for Fedora 44 and one for your previous version.
Select the previous deployment: Use the arrow keys to choose the entry labeled with your old Fedora version (e.g., Fedora 43) and press Enter. Your system will boot into that earlier version.
Make the rollback permanent: Once booted into the old system, open a terminal and run sudo rpm-ostree rollback. This sets the previous deployment as the default for future boots.
Remove the Fedora 44 deployment (optional): If you want to clean up, you can delete the failed deployment with sudo rpm-ostree cleanup -m. Be careful—this is irreversible.

Remember, you can always retry the rebase later after resolving any issues.

Tips for a Smooth Rebase

Back up important data before starting. Although Silverblue's atomic nature is safe, a backup provides extra peace of mind.
Use the terminal method if you prefer more control or are comfortable with command-line tools. It also provides detailed feedback.
Pin your current deployment as described in Method B. This preserves a guaranteed working state and is the simplest way to recover.
Check for incompatible packages after the rebase. Some layered packages may need updating—run rpm-ostree status to see if any components are out of sync.
Wait for stable release if you're on a pre-release branch. Fedora 44 release candidates are stable, but the final version is recommended for daily use.
Join the Fedora community forums or mailing lists if you encounter issues. Other users often share solutions for common problems.

With these steps, you can confidently upgrade your Fedora Silverblue to Fedora Linux 44 while retaining the ability to revert if needed. Enjoy the latest features and improvements!