# Changing the gems version for ruby1.9 (in Ubuntu)

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/changing-the-gems-version-for-ruby1-9-in-ubuntu/151865>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [October 27, 2008, 7:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/changing-the-gems-version-for-ruby1-9-in-ubuntu/151865 "2008-10-27T07:45:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![puexian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@puexian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/puexian)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 7:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/changing-the-gems-version-for-ruby1-9-in-ubuntu/151865/1 "2008-10-27T07:45:38Z")

</div>

I need a newer version of gems visible to my ruby1.9 installation.  
Ruby1.9 came bundled with an old version of gems.

I have another gem installation which is visible to my ruby1.8  
installation that would work, but I can not figure out how to do either  
one of the following:  
a)set the 1.9 ruby to use the other version of ruby gems that I have  
installed on my computer  
b)upgrade the gems currently working with ruby1.9

when I try to run:  
$sudo gem1.9 update --system

I get the following:  
ERROR: While executing gem … (RuntimeError)  
gem update --system is disabled on Debian. RubyGems can be updated  
using the official Debian repositories by aptitude or apt-get.

but this works fine:  
($sudo gem update --system)

Thanks