Upgrading Fedora Silverblue to Fedora Linux 44: A Comprehensive Guide

Overview

Fedora Silverblue is an immutable desktop operating system built on Fedora Linux, designed for reliability, container workflows, and daily use. One of its standout features is the ability to perform atomic upgrades and easily roll back if something goes wrong. This guide walks you through the process of rebasing your Silverblue system to Fedora Linux 44, whether you prefer a graphical interface or the command line. You'll also learn how to revert safely in case of unexpected issues.

The upgrade uses rpm-ostree, the underlying technology that manages atomic deployments. By following these steps, you can smoothly migrate to the latest Fedora release while retaining the ability to fall back to your previous system state.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure your current Silverblue installation is fully up to date. Apply any pending updates and reboot if necessary. To update via terminal, run:

$ rpm-ostree update

Alternatively, use GNOME Software to install all available updates and restart. After updating, verify your current deployment with:

$ rpm-ostree status

This shows the active deployment and its index number (starting from 0). You'll also need a stable internet connection to download the new Fedora 44 image.

Step-by-Step Guide

There are two primary methods to rebase to Fedora Linux 44: using GNOME Software (graphical) or the terminal (command line). Both produce the same result, so choose the one that suits you best.

Method 1: Using GNOME Software

After updating your system, open GNOME Software and navigate to the Updates tab. If Fedora 44 is available, you'll see a notification indicating a new version is ready. Click the Download button to fetch the new image. This process may take several minutes depending on your connection speed.

Once the download completes, the button changes to Restart & Upgrade. Click it to begin the rebase. Your system will reboot automatically after a brief preparation phase. When you log back in, you should be running Fedora Linux 44. You can confirm this by checking /etc/fedora-release or running cat /etc/os-release in a terminal.

Method 2: Using the Terminal

For those who prefer the command line, the terminal method offers more control. First, verify that the Fedora 44 remote reference is available:

$ ostree remote refs fedora

Look for a line like fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue. If it's present, you're ready to proceed.

Optional: Pin your current deployment – Pinning prevents automatic cleanup and keeps the old system in GRUB until you manually remove it. Use the following command (where 0 is the index of your current deployment from rpm-ostree status):

$ sudo ostree admin pin 0

To unpin later, use sudo ostree admin pin --unpin 2 (replace 2 with the correct index).

Now rebase to Fedora 44:

$ rpm-ostree rebase fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue

The command will download the new image and stage it. Once completed, reboot your system:

$ systemctl reboot

After restarting, you should boot into Fedora 44. Verify with rpm-ostree status – the top deployment should show fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue.

How to Roll Back

If you encounter boot issues or other problems after upgrading, rolling back is simple. At startup, press ESC (or hold Shift on some systems) to reveal the GRUB menu. Select the entry corresponding to your previous Fedora release (the one before 44) and boot into it. This temporary fix lets you access your old system.

To make the rollback permanent, run this command after booting into the old version:

$ rpm-ostree rollback

This sets the previous deployment as the default for future boots. If you pinned the old deployment, it will remain even after rollback. You can remove pinned deployments later with sudo ostree admin pin --unpin <index>.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the system update before rebasing. Older packages may conflict with the new image. Always run rpm-ostree update first.
• Not verifying remote refs. If you mistype the branch name, rpm-ostree rebase will fail. Double-check with ostree remote refs fedora.
• Forgetting to reboot after the rebase. The new deployment is staged but not active until you restart.
• Ignoring the deployment index when pinning. Using the wrong number can pin an older or newer deployment. Always check rpm-ostree status first.
• Not pinning before rebasing if you want a guaranteed fallback. While rpm-ostree rebase does keep the old deployment, it may be automatically cleaned up later. Pinning ensures it stays.
• Panicking if GRUB doesn't show. On systems with fast boot, GRUB may not display unless you press a key. Try repeatedly pressing ESC during startup.

Summary

Rebasing Fedora Silverblue to Fedora Linux 44 is a straightforward process that can be done via GNOME Software or the terminal. The key steps are: fully update your current system, download the new image (either through the GUI or by running rpm-ostree rebase), and reboot. If something goes wrong, you can easily roll back using GRUB and the rpm-ostree rollback command. By following this guide and avoiding common pitfalls, you'll enjoy the latest Fedora features with the reliability of atomic updates.