Arch Linux

ipyakuza

Member

Registered: 2013-06-24

Posts: 50

Kernel Downgrade Related Packages

When having to downgrade or roll back my kernel to the previous release because something botched, what all related packages are required?  For example if I ls /var/cache/pacman/pkg/linux* I see the following package sets:
1. linux-#### = kernel
2. linux-api-headers = kernel api headers
3. linux-firmware-yyyymmdd = firmware
4. linux-headers = kernel headers

The problem I have is not knowing which all packages are required if I wanted to roll back N-1 kernel (previous).  The kernel and the headers versions match 1:1.  However api headers and firmware don't seem to match up very well.

Long story short I am arch-chrooted in with my mounts all setup properly.  I just can't seem to roll back to a previous kernel without a kernel panic on reboot. I would assume I am missing a certain related package.  Filesystem checks show all clean (ext4).

UPDATE: looking at the boot it notes initramfs unpacking failed: junk in compressed archive

Researching what this is and how to remediate...

Last edited by ipyakuza (2021-09-28 16:46:33)

ltsdw

Member

Registered: 2020-04-20

Posts: 76

Re: Kernel Downgrade Related Packages

generally I only downgrade the kernel and headers linux-####, linux-headers.

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,729

Re: Kernel Downgrade Related Packages

Just the kernel and the headers, and any out of tree binary modules you have installed.

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 30,498

Website

Re: Kernel Downgrade Related Packages

The kernel is one of few packages that you can downgrade in relative isolation.  If you are using linux-headers, they should be downgraded along with the kernel, as should any third-party modules that are not dkms versions (e.g., nvidia).  Other than that, you should be fine.  You could check `pactree -r linux` as any package that should be downgraded should be in the resulting list.

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"UNIX is simple and coherent" - Dennis Ritchie; "GNU's Not Unix" - Richard Stallman

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 77,248

Re: Kernel Downgrade Related Packages

Be weary of the zstd switch, though.
https://archlinux.org/news/moving-to-zs … kinitcpio/

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