Arch Linux

eduncan911

Member

Registered: 2015-05-02

Posts: 93

Website

[RESOLVED] Run older kernel?

Are there any issues with running an older kernel with latest system updates?

E.g. the latest updates (kernel built under gcc 5.1.0 and gcc 5.1.0 now in core) isn't compatible with VMware/Open VM Tools.  Therefore, I have built an older kernel around April 29th, 2015 under gcc 4.9.2 that does work. 

So, I am booting off of this older kernel, but I am running "pacman -Syu" every week to stay on tip.

Is there an issue doing this?

--
It's a problem with VMware, not Arch.

Because VMware Tools, nor OpenVM tools versions of "vmhgfs" is compatible when built under gcc 5.1.0 (and kernel built under it, both in tip), we have lost the ability to share files between the host and guest VMs.  If you care to read about the details and kernel downgrades, they are here:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=197684
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=196915

Last edited by eduncan911 (2015-05-23 21:33:32)

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: [RESOLVED] Run older kernel?

Have you tried using the -lts kernel?

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 19,804

Re: [RESOLVED] Run older kernel?

The major issue is that the pacman / ABC /pkgbuild for the kernel is set up to remove the kernel modules for the existing kernel when it is updated.  The LTS and mainline kernel can live side by side and the modules for both will exist in /lib/modules.   I often run a custom kernel (you can take the boy out of Gentoo, but you can't take Gentoo out of the boy)  Contrary to most wisdom expressed on these forums, I hand build my custom kernels and install them along side the custom kernel.

The problem with using older or multiple kernels occur when a package installs kernel modules and become a dependency of the kernel.  VMware and VirtualBox both do this.  It is up to the user to ensure the correct kernel modules are available for those packages for their system.

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eduncan911

Member

Registered: 2015-05-02

Posts: 93

Website

Re: [RESOLVED] Run older kernel?

Thanks everyone.

Have you tried using the -lts kernel?

Yes.  Since it's built under gcc 5.1.0, same problems arise.

The major issue is that the pacman / ABC /pkgbuild for the kernel is set up to remove the kernel modules for the existing kernel when it is updated.  The LTS and mainline kernel can live side by side and the modules for both will exist in /lib/modules.   I often run a custom kernel (you can take the boy out of Gentoo, but you can't take Gentoo out of the boy)  Contrary to most wisdom expressed on these forums, I hand build my custom kernels and install them along side the custom kernel.

The problem with using older or multiple kernels occur when a package installs kernel modules and become a dependency of the kernel.  VMware and VirtualBox both do this.  It is up to the user to ensure the correct kernel modules are available for those packages for their system.

That's what I was thinking.