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[Solved] Installing different kernels

Posted: 8. Oct 2016, 14:42
by cavit8
How can I install additional kernels for testing?

In my attempt to figure out my USB problem, I'm exploring various kernels, older and newer, to see if there is one in particular that detects the USB ports correctly. Thus far I'm using live CD's which is a pain.

When following the instructions for installing the kernel here https://docs.salixos.org/wiki/How_to_in ... ent_kernel but modifying the command to

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spkg -i ...
so I add the kernel rather than update it, I get the error messages

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Skipping package kernel-firmware-20161001git-noarch-1 (package with same base name is already installed)
I get this error regardless of the package name. I don't have a literal match for the package name as per

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spkg -l | grep kernel
kernel-firmware-20160823git-noarch-1
kernel-headers-3.10.17_smp-x86-3
kernel-huge-smp-4.4.19_smp-i686-1
kernel-modules-smp-4.4.19_smp-i686-1
My understanding is by installing rather than updating, lilo will make the different kernels available, which is the whole point.

Re: Installing different kernels

Posted: 8. Oct 2016, 14:57
by mimosa
The kernel is excluded from upgrades to avoid unfortunate accidents. slapt-get has an option to override that, but it is probably better to install the kernel manually anyway - so you preserve the standard kernel and any others. vmlinuz should be a symlink to the actual kernel, and you can just change it to point at the one you want to test. If anything goes wrong, just use a live USB or the installation image to boot and fix it. Note the instructions about other kernel packages as well. You can also build your own kernel; the wiki instructions for this may be helpful even if you're getting it from a package.

Re: Installing different kernels

Posted: 8. Oct 2016, 15:55
by djemos
you can install the new kernel and kernel-modules-package with sudo installpkg kernel-package-name, sudo installpkg kernel-package-modules-name
This will not upgrade the running kernel and modules. It will just install the new kernel and modules.
But correct the link /boot/vmlinuz to point to default kernel and /boot/System.map.
Then if you have grub, run sudo update-grub
and reboot
This is the best solution to run multiple kernels.

if you have elilo or lilo then you have to do some extra actions. I will not write about them here. I think you know what to do.

Re: Installing different kernels

Posted: 8. Oct 2016, 16:35
by maroman
there is nice wiki article (little hidden, difficult to find)on the subject https://docs.salixos.org/wiki/How_to_in ... ent_kernel
at the moment there is kernel 4.4.23 easy to install.

cheers,

Re: Installing different kernels

Posted: 22. Oct 2016, 00:37
by cavit8
Thanks djemos

Works perfectly.

Re: [Solved] Installing different kernels

Posted: 11. Dec 2016, 07:38
by maroman
for salix 14.1 I have kernel 4.4.32.
but I wonder why the numbers are changing so fast :?: Linus produces new kernel every few days.

cheers,