How to update Bitcoin client?

[ondoin2]

Today I downloaded and installed the new version of Bitcoin (0.5.0). Should I uninstall the old version first or install it and overwrite the old version?

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[Drsmite]

If you happen to be using Ubuntu you can use the repo that was added with 0.5.0 instead of having to hit the website for every update.

[pharcyde]

I upgraded to 0.50 on a mac a week ago. I only had a few bitcoins (0.012), so I had no worries about loosing them. I just installed the new version and then deleted the old one, the coins were in the new version without a hitch. Now that I have bought into bitcoin and have a more coins, I'd be a bit worried about upgrading when a new version comes out. I guess, I should get into the habit of backing up the wallet.dat file and learn to work with it when I need to upgrade to a new version.

[Gabi]

Backuping wallet.dat is a good idea regardless if you update or not. I know you think your mac will never break cause it's a mac but well it can very well break and if you get more bitcoins and you don't have a backup of the wallet.dat they will be lost