Updating the system

CatOS follows the Arch Linux rolling-release model. An update may involve Arch, CatOS, optional CachyOS repositories, and user-selected AUR packages.

Preview repository updates with checkupdates from pacman-contrib:

checkupdates

On Btrfs systems, inspect recent snapshots before a major update:

snapper list

Run a complete repository upgrade:

sudo pacman -Syu

To include AUR packages, use one helper:

yay -Syu

or:

paru -Syu

Read replacement and conflict prompts, .pacnew and .pacsave notices, kernel and DKMS output, graphics-driver messages, bootloader generation, and AUR recipe changes.

Find pending configuration files:

sudo find /etc -name '*.pacnew' -o -name '*.pacsave'

Reboot after kernel, CPU microcode, graphics-driver, systemd, glibc, initramfs, encryption, or bootloader changes. Confirm the update completed successfully first.

For keyring errors, check the clock, update keyrings, and immediately finish the upgrade:

timedatectl
sudo pacman -Sy archlinux-keyring catos-keyring
sudo pacman -Su

Do not stop after the database refresh.

If an update prevents booting and Btrfs boot snapshots are enabled, use an earlier snapshot for diagnosis. See Snapshots and recovery.