Upgrading Linuxcnc

If the pc is new enough to have come with windows10, I would try the new Stretch iso.
www.linuxcnc.org/testing-stretch-rtpreempt/

Hi Todd....
my machine has a 64 bit micro....do I need to download the i386 files as well? And am I correct that the subdirectories contain duplicates of the files listed individually...and once copied off onto a USB memory stick, the stick is bootable and will install the system?
(I'm completely new to the linux world...so please be patient, and assume I am totally ignorant...)

No, you only need to down load the ISO that you intend to use.

The 386 version is the one for 32-bit systems (and will work on most 64-bit systems as well).

The AMD64 one is for 64-bit computers only. (both Intel and AMD).

Yes, these ISOs are complete installation disks. They can boot a live Linux system direct from a DVD disk or USB flash drive, and run Linux and Linuxcnc without installing (for testing or other uses), or be used to install the Linux OS and Linuxcnc on to your computers hard-drive.

one more quick question...does the r12 and r13 refer to linux CNC versions? I assume I would want the R13 as the latest?
Sorry,,,just want to be sure I'm not spinning my wheels on this.

Yes, that's the ISO version (not LinuxCNC version AFAIK)
So unless you have a very specific reason, just use the latest

OK...what am I doing wrong??:
I copied the files
linuxcnc-stretch-uspace-amd64-R13.iso.zsync
linuxcnc-stretch-uspace-amd64-R13.iso
to both a DVD and memory stick. F12 brings up the alternate boot memory, but I get the message that SELECTED BOOT DEVICE FAILED on both of the media types. If I boot normally, both devices are readable on the target computer.

Copy will not work, you need a iso image writer, like DD or clonezilla for Linux or win32imager or rufus or diskimager orsimilar in windows.
The image needs to be writen to USB, not copied.

Ah So...Thanks.....

I do have one more unanswered question: Is it OK, or NOT OK to allow the linuxCNC installation to upgrade Linux OS? The system keeps telling me that there are several hundred updates, but I vaguely remember seeing a note to never allow the updates to happen.

You can update everything except the OS (Operating System).

JT

You can always :
Sudo apt update
Sudo apt dist-upgrade