Updating custom kernels.

yasar11732 · 2012-03-02 22:46:40

Hi,

I am on an old dell inspiron 6000 laptop, and trying to make a custom minimal kernel tailored for it. I wonder how often should I update it, if I should update it at all. My point of view on this issue is that, since my hardware is old, newer kernels won't be adding anything that I would need, since anything that can be added about this hardware, would already be included in kernel 3.2. However, I am not sure if this argument is valid, because I am not an expert on this issue. Could someone please enlighten me a little?

/dev/zero · 2012-03-03 01:13:45

I run a custom kernel (via ABS) on my laptop. It works like this: in my pacman.conf, I specify

IgnorePkg   = linux linux-docs linux-headers

So when I do

pacman -Syyu

I receive a warning about the ignored packages whenever the kernel has been updated. That tells me to recompile my kernel from ABS. I don't necessarily do it straight away, but I try to make time for it within the next 24 hours.

tomk · 2012-03-03 01:37:48

yasar11732 wrote:

My point of view on this issue is that, since my hardware is old, newer kernels won't be adding anything that I would need, since anything that can be added about this hardware, would already be included in kernel 3.2.

You're mistakenly assuming that new hardware support is the only difference between one release and the next.

yasar11732 · 2012-03-03 02:28:54

/dev/zero wrote:

I run a custom kernel (via ABS) on my laptop. It works like this: in my pacman.conf, I specify
IgnorePkg   = linux linux-docs linux-headers

I assume you don't use your custom kernel side by side with ARCH kernel right?

tomk wrote:

You're mistakenly assuming that new hardware support is the only difference between one release and the next.

That, and bug fixes and improvements. I am imagining all bug fixes and improvements related to my hardware would be already made. I guess you are suggesting that updating kernel matters regardless of the age of the hardware?

/dev/zero · 2012-03-03 03:10:21

yasar11732 wrote:

I assume you don't use your custom kernel side by side with ARCH kernel right?

Right. It didn't occur to me to do it any other way. Anyway, this keeps things simpler.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-03-02 22:46:40

Updating custom kernels.

#2 2012-03-03 01:13:45

Re: Updating custom kernels.

#3 2012-03-03 01:37:48

Re: Updating custom kernels.

#4 2012-03-03 02:28:54

Re: Updating custom kernels.

#5 2012-03-03 03:10:21

Re: Updating custom kernels.

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