Arch Linux

alaneuler

Member

Registered: 2015-08-09

Posts: 35

Website

[SOLVED] Is there need to update kernel after changing CPU?

Hi,

I have updated my CPU (any other hardware remains untouched), and I can use my new CPU out of the box.

But I have some problems for this: why can changing of CPU work so smoothly? Do I need to update my kernel (or kernel module) or something else?
I just want to dig deeper into the details of how it works.

Thank you for any information. (any link would be nice too :-))

Last edited by alaneuler (2017-03-26 02:26:42)

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 29,523

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Re: [SOLVED] Is there need to update kernel after changing CPU?

Why wouldn't changing it work smoothly?  As long as you hadn't specifically compiled your kernel to take advantage of processor-specific features (e.g., compiling your own kernel with march and/or mtune settings), then the stock arch kernel is suitable for any x86_64 processor (or i686 ... as long as you didn't switch between those).

Was there any step in the installation of arch linux where you were required to gather information about your cpu to decide which kernel to install or how to install it (x86_64 vs i686 is the only such choice).

---

"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" -  Richard Stallman

alaneuler

Member

Registered: 2015-08-09

Posts: 35

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Is there need to update kernel after changing CPU?

OK, thank you very much.

severach

Member

Registered: 2015-05-23

Posts: 192

Re: [SOLVED] Is there need to update kernel after changing CPU?

You're thinking Windows. Windows doesn't change hardware well because it remembers everything about your current hardware in the device manager. A hardware change remembers all the old stuff, and all the new stuff. Windows does this in case you have specific configurations for hardware devices.

Linux remembers very little about your hardare. Almost everything is learned anew on boot. In Arch, most of what little is stored is something you did during the install. When you change hardware and something doesn't work, you redo that part of the install and it will work again.

Last edited by severach (2017-03-27 20:06:26)