about ubuntu

If you open the Update Manager, don't you get the proposal to install a new release?
Peter

Ubuntu 6.10 is very old and it's not supported yet, also next version (7.04) is not supported, so upgrade is very complicated -- I recommend new clear installation...

Yep, download it from www.ubuntu.com and burn an ISO CD. You can choose between 8.04 and 8.10.
- 8.04 means: (the latest version): Includes the latest enhancements and is maintained until 2010
- 8.10 means: Released April 2008 and maintained until April 2011 – ideal for large deployments

Hope it helps.
Peter

Ubuntu from 6 to 8 series still supported on security at least, support for 9 comming,
see : http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-716-1

But not common programs...

Yup. Either copy your data to a new partition, mostly i think that's just a case of copying your "/home" folder across - or save it to an external drive or to dvds/cds. Make a new cd of Ubuntu 8.04 (or 8.10) and install it but try to go for the "Manual Partitioning" option and make sure you see an UNticked box for "Format Partition?" on every partition. Also make sure that your Ubuntu partition is "Mount Point /". you know the / signifies the root mount point of the file-structure.

Hopefully that should just refresh and upgrade your system leaving all files and programs untouched but it's easy to get something a little wrong and end up wiping your data so take care.

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

http://www.ubuntulinux.org/getubuntu/download

If you are still having trouble with this then please post it as a new question. Only the most recent questions tend to get looked at so posting/reposting a question just before america arrives online after work/school gives the best chance of getting a good few answers.
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+addquestion

If the problem has been resolved then please follow the link to the forum thread and mark it as Solved.

Good luck and many regards from
Tom :)