System Auto-Update Scripts

A comprehensive solution for keeping your Linux system up-to-date with automatic restart detection and optional automation.

Installation

Quick Install from GitHub

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/bk86a/self-update.git

# Navigate to the directory
cd self-update

# Make scripts executable (if needed)
chmod +x *.sh

# Run your first update
./quick_update.sh

Alternative: Download ZIP

If you don't have git installed:

# Download and extract
wget https://github.com/bk86a/self-update/archive/main.zip
unzip main.zip
cd self-update-main

# Make scripts executable
chmod +x *.sh

# Run update
./quick_update.sh

Features

• Safe Updates: Handles package updates, distribution upgrades, and cleanup
• Standalone Cleanup: Remove unused packages without full updates (cleanup mode)
• Automatic Restart Detection: Detects when system restart is required and handles it automatically
• Comprehensive Logging: All operations logged to /var/log/system_update.log
• Lock Mechanism: Prevents concurrent update operations
• Flexible Usage: Run manually or set up automated daily updates
• Cancellable Restart: 30-second countdown allows cancellation of automatic restart
• Enhanced Cleanup: Advanced package removal with autoremove, autopurge, and autoclean

Files Overview

File	Purpose
system_update.sh	Main update script with restart detection
quick_update.sh	Convenient wrapper that handles sudo automatically
auto-update.service	Systemd service definition for automation
auto-update.timer	Daily timer with randomized delay
install_service.sh	Installer for automated service

Quick Start

Manual Updates

Run updates whenever needed:

./quick_update.sh

The script will:

1. Check for available updates
2. Install all updates
3. Clean up unnecessary packages
4. Automatically restart if required (with 30-second warning)

Cleanup Only

Remove unused packages and clean cache without installing updates:

sudo ./system_update.sh cleanup

This performs:

• apt autoremove - Remove unused packages
• apt autopurge - Purge configuration files of removed packages
• apt autoclean - Clean package cache
• Safe operation with dry-run preview and error recovery

Automated Daily Updates

Set up automatic daily updates:

sudo ./install_service.sh

This installs a systemd timer that runs updates daily with a randomized delay (up to 1 hour).

Detailed Usage

Manual Execution

# Run with automatic sudo handling
./quick_update.sh

# Or run directly as root
sudo ./system_update.sh

# Clean up unused packages only (no updates)
sudo ./system_update.sh cleanup

# Show help and usage options
./system_update.sh help

Automation Management

# Install automated updates
sudo ./install_service.sh

# Check status
sudo systemctl status auto-update.timer

# View logs
sudo journalctl -u auto-update.service

# Disable automation
sudo systemctl disable auto-update.timer
sudo systemctl stop auto-update.timer

What the Script Does

Full Update Mode (default)

1. System Detection: Identifies hardware (including Raspberry Pi models) and OS version
2. Package List Update: Refreshes package repositories
3. Upgrade Check: Identifies available updates
4. System Upgrade: Installs package updates
5. Distribution Upgrade: Handles distribution-level updates
6. Firmware Update: Optional Pi firmware update (disabled by default)
7. Comprehensive Cleanup: Removes unused packages and cleans cache
8. Restart Detection: Checks if system restart is required
9. Automatic Restart: Initiates restart with cancellable countdown

Cleanup Mode (cleanup option)

1. Package Cleanup: Removes unused packages (apt autoremove)
2. Configuration Cleanup: Purges leftover configuration files (apt autopurge)
3. Cache Cleanup: Cleans package cache (apt autoclean)
4. Safe Operation: Shows what will be removed before proceeding
5. Error Recovery: Automatically fixes broken packages if cleanup fails

Safety Features

• Root Check: Ensures script runs with proper privileges
• Lock File: Prevents multiple simultaneous update operations
• Error Handling: Exits safely on errors with proper cleanup
• Package Recovery: Automatically fixes interrupted package operations
• Lock File Recovery: Removes stale apt lock files from crashed processes
• Retry Logic: Retries failed operations with exponential backoff
• Logging: Comprehensive logging of all operations
• Cancellable Restart: 30-second countdown allows manual cancellation

Log Files

• Main Log: /var/log/system_update.log
• Service Logs: sudo journalctl -u auto-update.service

Requirements

• Ubuntu/Debian-based Linux distribution (including Raspberry Pi OS)
• Root privileges (sudo access)
• apt package manager

Raspberry Pi Compatibility

This script is fully compatible with Raspberry Pi devices running Raspberry Pi OS (Raspbian). The script automatically:

• Detects Raspberry Pi hardware
• Updates system packages via apt
• Firmware updates are DISABLED by default (see below)
• Handles ARM architecture specifics
• Logs hardware detection for troubleshooting

Raspberry Pi Firmware Updates

⚠️ IMPORTANT: The script does NOT update Pi firmware by default because:

• rpi-update installs bleeding-edge, experimental firmware
• It can make your Pi unstable or unbootable
• Regular apt updates include stable firmware updates

Only enable firmware updates if you have specific firmware issues:

# Enable firmware updates (NOT recommended for most users)
RPI_UPDATE_FIRMWARE=true ./quick_update.sh

# Or set as environment variable
export RPI_UPDATE_FIRMWARE=true
./quick_update.sh

Tested on:

• Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit and 64-bit)
• All Raspberry Pi models (Pi 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Zero series)

Customization

Modify Update Schedule

Edit the timer in auto-update.timer:

[Timer]
OnCalendar=daily           # Change frequency (daily, weekly, etc.)
RandomizedDelaySec=1h      # Change randomization window

Modify Restart Delay

Edit the countdown in system_update.sh:

for i in {30..1}; do       # Change from 30 seconds to desired time

Troubleshooting

Check if Updates are Running

ps aux | grep system_update

View Recent Logs

# View main log file
sudo tail -f /var/log/system_update.log

# View systemd service logs (if using automated updates)
sudo journalctl -u auto-update.service -n 100

# Check timer status
sudo systemctl status auto-update.timer

Check Lock File

ls -la /var/lock/system_update.lock

Manual Lock Removal (if script crashed)

sudo rm -f /var/lock/system_update.lock

Fix Broken Package Manager

If apt/dpkg is in a broken state:

sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get install -f

Common Issues on Raspberry Pi

# If you get "git: command not found"
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y git

# If you get permission denied
chmod +x *.sh

# Enable firmware updates on Pi (only if needed for specific issues)
RPI_UPDATE_FIRMWARE=true ./quick_update.sh

Security Considerations

• Script requires root privileges for system updates
• Lock file prevents concurrent executions
• Non-interactive mode prevents hanging on prompts
• Comprehensive logging for audit trails
• All operations are logged for security auditing
• No network connections beyond standard package repositories

Security Best Practices

• Always review scripts before running with sudo privileges
• Test on non-critical systems first
• Maintain backups before running automated updates
• Monitor logs in /var/log/system_update.log
• Use automation carefully - consider your update schedule needs

License

This project is provided as-is for system administration purposes. Use at your own discretion and ensure you have proper backups before running automated updates on critical systems.

Disclaimer: This software is provided "as is" without warranty. Users are responsible for testing and validating the software in their environment before production use.