Arch Linux

winksaville

Member

Registered: 2015-09-21

Posts: 40

How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

I'm using Flutter/Dart and I'm having trouble running `../../bin/flutter analyze` from
`<flutter root>/packages/flutter_tools/`, where it sometimes hangs and doesn't complete.
Other people seem to be having similar problems:

  https://github.com/dart-lang/sdk/issues/40589
  https://github.com/flutter/flutter/issues/49185
  https://github.com/vladimiry/ElectronMail/issues/253

The suggested work-around is to downgrade the kernel to something before 5.5.x. The last kernel I used
was 5.4.15 so from https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/do … the_kernel
I tried to downgrade to that kernel using:

  sudo pacman -U linux-5.4.15.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst linux-headers-5.4.15.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

That "succeeded" and I was able to boot but `lightdm` didn't start. I'm assuming there are kernel modules/drivers
I need to downgrade, such as 'nvidia-*', so this first stab of mine didn't cut it.

Looking at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/do … g_packages there are several other approches
such as using Arch Linux Archive (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ar … cific_date)
or downgrade (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/downgrade/).

So I'm looking for advice on what the "best" approach might be. Using ALA and going back to a
specific date looks like a "good" approach but it seems heavier than I precieve is necessary.
On the other hand I'm worried `downgrade` won't be able to "properly" downgrade "all" of the
kernel module/drivers.

Suggestions?

-- wink

loqs

Member

Registered: 2014-03-06

Posts: 18,140

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

Replace nvidia with nvidia-dkms so DKMS will generate a module to match the kernel version,  or you would need nvidia 440.44-16 or 440.44-15 plus downgrade nvidia-utils to 440.44-3
Or linux-lts is a 5.4 based kernel ( 5.4.20 ) you can use either nvidia-lts or nvidia-dkms to provide the correct module for linux-lts.

https://git.archlinux.org/svntogit/pack … ges/nvidia

winksaville

Member

Registered: 2015-09-21

Posts: 40

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

@loqs, I successfully downgraded the kernel doing the following:

$ cd /var/cache/packman/pkg
wink@wink-desktop:/var/cache/pacman/pkg
$ sudo pacman -U gcc-9.2.0-4-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz gcc-libs-9.2.0-4-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz gcc-fortran-9.2.0-4-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz
$ sudo pacman -U linux-5.4.15.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst linux-headers-5.4.15.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst nvidia-dkms-440.44-15-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst nvidia-utils-440.44-3-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

I also add IgnorePkg to /etc/pacman.conf:

IgnorePkg   = gcc gcc-libs gcc-fortran linux linux-headers nvidia-dkms nvidia-utils

I got an error when I did nvidia-dkms I needed nvidia-utils and then when I tried to do nvidia-utils I got and error that gcc plugin was the wrong version so I downgraded that to the previous version. After doing so I was successfully able to execute `../../bin/flutter analyze`.

Thanks for the help!

jlg

Member

Registered: 2020-02-18

Posts: 7

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

any reason why you are doing all this instead of just using linux-lts? It is now at 5.4.20

@loqs, I successfully downgraded the kernel doing the following:

$ cd /var/cache/packman/pkg
wink@wink-desktop:/var/cache/pacman/pkg
$ sudo pacman -U gcc-9.2.0-4-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz gcc-libs-9.2.0-4-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz gcc-fortran-9.2.0-4-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz
$ sudo pacman -U linux-5.4.15.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst linux-headers-5.4.15.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst nvidia-dkms-440.44-15-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst nvidia-utils-440.44-3-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

I also add IgnorePkg to /etc/pacman.conf:

IgnorePkg   = gcc gcc-libs gcc-fortran linux linux-headers nvidia-dkms nvidia-utils

I got an error when I did nvidia-dkms I needed nvidia-utils and then when I tried to do nvidia-utils I got and error that gcc plugin was the wrong version so I downgraded that to the previous version. After doing so I was successfully able to execute `../../bin/flutter analyze`.

Thanks for the help!

winksaville

Member

Registered: 2015-09-21

Posts: 40

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

@jlg, I wasn't aware that downgrading tto linux-lts was an option, where is that documeted?

But, apparently 5.4.20 doesn't work with Dart, see: https://github.com/dart-lang/sdk/issues … -589800547 .

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 23,447

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke … ed_kernels

Also read that person's post again, they actually had a different issue. It should work with the LTS kernel. You also don't need to (and wouldn't have needed to)  downgrade the nvidia driver/utils packages. If you use DKMS that will rebuild for whatever kernel you have installed.

jlg

Member

Registered: 2020-02-18

Posts: 7

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

works for me on 5.4.20   
no need for DKMS in this case, there's also nvidia-lts

Note:  if switching to linux-lts don't forget to do a:
"grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg"   if you are using grub...

Last edited by jlg (2020-02-22 13:47:01)

jlg

Member

Registered: 2020-02-18

Posts: 7

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

To resume all you need to do is:

sudo pacman -S  linux-lts  nvidia-lts
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

reboot and select the lts kernel  at boot.  you can keep the regular kernel as well  and boot on it if you need it for something else.

winksaville

Member

Registered: 2015-09-21

Posts: 40

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

@jlg, Thanks for the additional information!

martosinc

Member

Registered: 2020-11-10

Posts: 7

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

To resume all you need to do is:

sudo pacman -S  linux-lts  nvidia-lts
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

reboot and select the lts kernel  at boot.  you can keep the regular kernel as well  and boot on it if you need it for something else.

OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! YOU ARE THE BEST!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

2ManyDogs

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2012-01-15

Posts: 4,646

Re: How to downgrade kernel 5.5.4 to 5.4.15

Closing this old topic.