Arch Linux

gen2arch

Member

Registered: 2013-05-16

Posts: 182

Is it safe to replace the arch kernel by linux mainline?

Hi,

I recently switched from the standard arch kernel to a self compiled linux mainline kernel from kernel.org with a patch applied to it. I did this because due to an upstream unfixed kernel regression current arch kernels result in an unbootable system on my notebook (screen blanks out while booting).

1) Is there anything special that needs to be taken into account besides the obvious (taking an arch's kernel currrent config, compiling and installing kernel, rolling an initrd, updating boot config).

2) in what ways exactly are arch kernels different from linux mainline?

Thanks for you help!

brebs

Member

Registered: 2007-04-03

Posts: 3,742

Re: Is it safe to replace the arch kernel by linux mainline?

Take a look

drcouzelis

Member

From: Connecticut, USA

Registered: 2009-11-09

Posts: 4,092

Website

Re: Is it safe to replace the arch kernel by linux mainline?

It's not a problem, but PLEASE install it by making a PKGBUILD file and using pacman. It'll make it easier to install, upgrade, switch, or uninstall.

If you haven't made a package before, it's easy. Remember, anything that you can download, patch, build, and install from the command line can EASILY be made into pacman package.

You can start by looking at a PKGBUILD file for a special kernel build from the AUR, then you can ask for help here if you need it.

nomorewindows

Member

Registered: 2010-04-03

Posts: 3,375

Re: Is it safe to replace the arch kernel by linux mainline?

The AUR already has a package available for the linux-next, linux-git, linux-mainline and some other various modified kernels which may already do the dirty work for you.
Depending on your video hardware, maybe you just need some extra modules placed in your /etc/mkinitcpio.conf.

Last edited by nomorewindows (2013-09-15 17:18:18)

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graysky

Wiki Maintainer

From: :wq

Registered: 2008-12-01

Posts: 10,603

Website

Re: Is it safe to replace the arch kernel by linux mainline?

Been running 3.11 since rc7 and no issues here with the exception of a network driver issue affecting the skge NICs on a few servers.[1]  Also, upstream has branded 3.11.1 as 'stable' whereas 3.11.0 is branded 'mainline.'  Not totally sure what the differences are

1. https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/36865

Last edited by graysky (2013-09-16 15:31:24)

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