Custom kernel & system update

chord · 2013-04-19 21:34:36

Hi guys!
I have two kernels: the stock kernel and the custom kernel.
My question is about system update. Since I installed custom kernel I did 'pacman -Syu' twice. Currently my stock kernel is 3.8.7-1, but my custom kernel still 3.8.5. Should I download new sources (for 3.8.7) and rebuild custom kernel or let him work as is?

graysky · 2013-04-19 21:46:04

Is this post a serious inquiry? Why wouldn't you want to run the latest upstream kernel? What is the goal of your custom kernel?

Last edited by graysky (2013-04-19 21:46:34)

chord · 2013-04-19 22:53:23

graysky wrote:

Is this post a serious inquiry? Why wouldn't you want to run the latest upstream kernel? What is the goal of your custom kernel?

I built custom kernel just for playing, as well as Arch installation at all. There is no especial goals or reasons.
So you suggesting to build latest 3.9-rc7?
I'm just interesting about compatibility of old kernel and new packages (that updates every day). May this disbalance cause problems or not?

Last edited by chord (2013-04-19 22:53:56)

Max-P · 2013-04-20 00:33:42

Given that "linux-lts" package is still at 3.0.73-1, you should be fine with your kernel.

Usually, the system is somehow quite independant of the running kernel. Many programs could run just fine with extremely old kernels. As far as I know, only very few packages depend on the kernel. As long as the kernel provides all the needed functions, everything will work fine without you having to update your custom kernel. The only package I know as of now that requires a specific kernel version is glibc, which requires 2.6.32 and up.

This kernel still boots fine and it's way older than yours: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/linux-openvz/

To sum it up: You should be fine. Just read the news and you will know if packages require newer kernels. But it's good to update once in a while too

tomk · 2013-04-20 01:05:57

chord wrote:

Since I installed custom kernel I did 'pacman -Syu' twice. Currently my stock kernel is 3.8.7-1, but my custom kernel still 3.8.5.

Which simply tells us that the Arch devs are more dedicated than you.

hadrons123 · 2013-04-20 02:54:06

chord wrote:

graysky wrote:
Is this post a serious inquiry? Why wouldn't you want to run the latest upstream kernel? What is the goal of your custom kernel?
I built custom kernel just for playing, as well as Arch installation at all. There is no especial goals or reasons.
So you suggesting to build latest 3.9-rc7?
I'm just interesting about compatibility of old kernel and new packages (that updates every day). May this disbalance cause problems or not?

Which kernel of yours is old?

Arch usually builds and works better with kernel release n+1, n -1 without any big issues.

chord · 2013-04-20 12:26:26

Thanks for your replies, guys!
Based on your answers I assuming that I shouldn't care about my kernel version right now. At least till 4.0 appearing.
Just monitoring some base packages requirement (like mentioned above glibs).

Thanks again.

hadrons123 · 2013-04-20 14:52:57

Who know when 4.0 comes.....

Arch Linux

#1 2013-04-19 21:34:36

Custom kernel & system update

#2 2013-04-19 21:46:04

Re: Custom kernel & system update

#3 2013-04-19 22:53:23

Re: Custom kernel & system update

#4 2013-04-20 00:33:42

Re: Custom kernel & system update

#5 2013-04-20 01:05:57

Re: Custom kernel & system update

#6 2013-04-20 02:54:06

Re: Custom kernel & system update

#7 2013-04-20 12:26:26

Re: Custom kernel & system update

#8 2013-04-20 14:52:57

Re: Custom kernel & system update

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