Prevent ubuntu server from updating to 16.04.3

I've ran into a Problem as I was newly installing ubuntu server. I accidently shot my old install by removing the /etc/ folder completely. As all the scripts i had on the server were backed up onto my windows machine i figured i'd install the os fresh. But now when i run the sudo apt update and sudo apt dist-upgrade. I get updated to 16.04.3 which introduced a lot of new issues that I don't want to deal with. So I was wondering if I could update to a later 16.04.2 build and preventing ubuntu server from updating to 16.04.3. I just need security patches. Thx in advance

2 Answers

The number after the second point of LTS releases is really confusing.

If you initially install the 16.04 (without any points), it has the 4.4 kernel that will get security updates. But if you install regular updates the 16.04.3 version will be shown.

If you install a "point release", like 16.04.2 it has the 4.8 that is not supported during the full 16.04 life cycle. The 4.8 kernel is not supported any more, it will be upgraded to 4.10.

So if you want a "stable" release in terms of kernel and X.org drivers it is preferred to install the 16.04 version of Ubuntu. The 4.4 kernel will get security updates till 2021.

P.S. It is unclear what are the issues you "don't want to deal with". The most important difference is in the major kernel version.

Most of the times there are only two version of a package available in Ubuntu repositories.

1. The main package with the version it was released in: dist like xenial.
2. The last updated version of the package either it security or dist-updates like: xenial-updates.
3. sometimes there is a difference between security and dist-updates which brings us to 3 different version.

Anyway, first all necessary packages to hold the state on 16.04.2 should exist, then you have to specifically choose between these 2 or 3 to install and after all hold these specific packages from being updated, which I believe introduces security concerns.

So If you update your packages, even through upgrade and not dist-upgrade, if not 100%, but you are updating almost > 90% of your packages to the last version, which will brings you to the 16.04.3.