Direct Upgrade from Zorin OS 12 to 15

Hello all. I purchased Zorin OS 12 Ultimate a year ago and I want to upgrade to OS 15 Ultimate and have been waiting for the direct upgrade package to be released. Has it been released somewhere already or is it still coming out in the future? I don't come to these forums very often and I apologize if this has already been covered somewhere but I couldn't find it.

Hello all. I purchased Zorin OS 12 Ultimate a year ago and I want to upgrade to OS 15 Ultimate and have been waiting for the direct upgrade package to be released. Has it been released somewhere already or is it still coming out in the future? I don't come to these forums very often and I apologize if this has already been covered somewhere but I couldn't find it.

To the best of my knowledge, a Direct Upgrade is not available at this time. I am not a spokesperson for the Zorin Team nor do I work for the Zorin Team.

https://www.linuxtechnews.com/user-frie ... -04-2-lts/
"Direct upgrades from Zorin OS 12 to 15 without re-installing the operating system, will be available later this year."
Comments toward this have, indeed, been made. It's the end of the year, now.

Now, this already exists within Ubuntu; you can directly upgrade from Ubuntu 16.04 to Ubuntu 18.04 without doing a full re-install.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-up ... -to-18-04/
This may be possible more easily with Core or Lite Zorin and even Core is iffy. Zorin is based on Ubuntu but it is still a distro with it's own differences. For example; Zorin App Menu.
Zorin Ultimate comes with a whole lot of extras. And upgrading from Zorin 12.4 (Ubuntu 16.04) to Zorin 15.1 (Ubuntu 18.04) may adjust the desktop core without too much trouble, all those other software packages may have conflicts.
Imagine, you bought Zorin 12.4 Ultimate, then upgraded directly to Zorin 15- and a bunch of those packages that you got with Ultimate stop working. You'd be upset.
The Zorin Team wants to avoid that problem and I Do Not Blame Them.
So, no news on direct upgrade, yet.
(Though, I do wonder what WOULD happen if someone tested direct upgrade of Zorin 12.4 to Zorin 15 using the Ubuntu Method... Hmmm...)

Dastrev; the below rant may not apply to you. I type the following for the benefit of all.
On a Sidenote:
I also do not know whether or not someone who bought Zorin 12.4 Ultimate can upgrade to Zorin 15 Ultimate without purchasing Zorin 15 Ultimate. And I really think this is the angle that drives many users to ask. They are not asking if they can save a wee bit o' trouble in the installation; they are asking if they can Upgrade to Ultimate 15 for Free.
This is a slippery slope.
Because will this mean that you should feel entitled to upgrade to Zorin 18 for free? At one point does the funding for the project stop? Then, there is no more Zorin, like Antergos, the project dies.
I would caution many users to consider this problem very carefully. A direct Upgrade to the next LTS Distro is a fine offer for convenience. But it is not necessary and it also carries an element of risk where a fresh install would be cleaner and better.
I am no holds barred; I speak Freely when I say that the Doubled Price tag on Zorin 15 is a deterrent. I speak freely when I suggest that it puts some people off (Even if in the end, it really is worth the money and still costs less than many alternatives). I speak freely when I suggest that a better method of funding may include a Patreon style account where donors may contribute as they wish, as much as they wish (It would gather more funding).
No one ever listens to me... What do I know? Nothing. That's what.

That being said, for those hoping that a direct upgrade can get them Zorin Ultimate for free- I wouldn't bet on it.
While the Zorin Team has given a lot of help to those that bought Zorin 12.4 Ultimate shortly before the release of Zorin 15, there are limits to reason.
And the purpose of buying Ultimate is to Support the Developer, getting it for free becomes pointless and shooting oneself in the foot.

Thanks for the response. I don't at all mind paying for Zorin 15.1 Ultimate, I just don't really want to have to do an entire new install and am hoping for an easy update instead.

Thanks for the response. I don't at all mind paying for Zorin 15.1 Ultimate, I just don't really want to have to do an entire new install and am hoping for an easy update instead.

Why not send a PM to Azorin and see if he has a timeframe available on the Direct Upgrade package? It can't hurt to ask.

I would have thought the principal issue would be data and printers and any other hardware drivers needed. In 12 (and 15) I did a reinstall using the 'something else' method - which should have been used at point of install, or it won't work. I posted such here:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14472

Always remember to 'play safe'! Backup all your critical data - computers have a mind of their own ... when they've a mind to!

I would have thought the principal issue would be data and printers and any other hardware drivers needed. In 12 (and 15) I did a reinstall using the 'something else' method - which should have been used at point of install, or it won't work. I posted such here:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14472

Always remember to 'play safe'! Backup all your critical data - computers have a mind of their own ... when they've a mind to!

Thanks. I'll have a look at this and consider it.

(Though, I do wonder what WOULD happen if someone tested direct upgrade of Zorin 12.4 to Zorin 15 using the Ubuntu Method... Hmmm...)

As it happens I have adopted a New Year policy of distro streamlining. I have decided that I don't need multiple versions of the same distro, so some will be culled. I still love my Zorin 12.4 Ultimate rig but have decided to move forward and just concentrate on 15.1 Ultimate. My plan is as follows:

1/ Do a fresh installation of Z15 on a 500GB SSD
2/ Copy the Home folder from Z12 to Z15 - either directly or via Déjà Dup
3/ Enjoy my Zorin hybrid for the next few years

I have more or less the same apps installed on both but Z12 has naturally got way more stuff on it as it's been in use longer but I reckon with a few tweaks it should work. If anyone has tried something similar or has any comments, I'd be happy to hear them.

(Though, I do wonder what WOULD happen if someone tested direct upgrade of Zorin 12.4 to Zorin 15 using the Ubuntu Method... Hmmm...)

As it happens I have adopted a New Year policy of distro streamlining. I have decided that I don't need multiple versions of the same distro, so some will be culled. I still love my Zorin 12.4 Ultimate rig but have decided to move forward and just concentrate on 15.1 Ultimate. My plan is as follows:

1/ Do a fresh installation of Z15 on a 500GB SSD
2/ Copy the Home folder from Z12 to Z15 - either directly or via Déjà Dup
3/ Enjoy my Zorin hybrid for the next few years

I have more or less the same apps installed on both but Z12 has naturally got way more stuff on it as it's been in use longer but I reckon with a few tweaks it should work. If anyone has tried something similar or has any comments, I'd be happy to hear them.

I've never been keen on Deja Dup and never sure what it did. My preferred method of /home backup is to ensure all files including hidden ones are shown in user /home folder/s then create a folder on external drive - e.g., Backup of Zorin 12, open that folder and drag and drop all home folders and files by using Ctrl+ A, Ctrl+ C then Ctrl+ V on the external folder.