ZiaTioN wrote:Second question:
Where would I look to see if a newer kernel release is available on my system (downloaded by apt-get).
In both Red Hat and Debian, apt-get does not automatically download new kernels with a default apt configuration (and you really wouldn't want it to). You have to install the kernel specifically using apt, continued on your next question:
Last question:
If there is a newer kernal release available how would I update my system to boot into the newest kernel (or a kernel of my choice)? Is there any recompilation envolved if I want to use the same configuration as in old kernel releases?
In Red Hat all the system kernels should be configured the same so if you are currently using a system kernel with no 3rd party modules then you should be just fine upgrading to the next one. If you have 3rd party modules you'll have to add those modules to the new kernel configuration as well. Also in Red Hat when you install a new kernel via apt-get it will automatically add the new kernel to the GRUB menu for you (but not make it the new default, this you should rightly do manually).
Just type "apt-get install kernel" to see what kernels are available. It will also show you which one(s) you currently have installed:
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# apt-get install kernel
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Package kernel is a virtual package provided by:
kernel#2.6.5-1.309 2.6.5-1.309 [Installed]
kernel-smp#2.4.22-1.2179.nptl 2.4.22-1.2179.nptl
kernel-smp#2.4.22-1.2174.nptl 2.4.22-1.2174.nptl
kernel-smp#2.4.22-1.2140.nptl 2.4.22-1.2140.nptl
kernel-BOOT#2.4.22-1.2179.nptl 2.4.22-1.2179.nptl
kernel-BOOT#2.4.22-1.2174.nptl 2.4.22-1.2174.nptl
kernel#2.4.22-1.2179.nptl 2.4.22-1.2179.nptl
kernel#2.4.22-1.2174.nptl 2.4.22-1.2174.nptl [Installed]
kernel#2.4.22-1.2140.nptl 2.4.22-1.2140.nptl
kernel-smp#2.4.22-1.2115.nptl 2.4.22-1.2115.nptl
kernel-BOOT#2.4.22-1.2115.nptl 2.4.22-1.2115.nptl
kernel#2.4.22-1.2115.nptl 2.4.22-1.2115.nptl [Installed]
kernel-smp#2.6.5-1.332 2.6.5-1.332
kernel#2.6.5-1.332 2.6.5-1.332
You should explicitly select one to install.
E: Package kernel is a virtual package with multiple good providers.
As you can see I have kernel versions 2.4.22-1.2174.nptl and 2.4.22-1.2115.nptl installed. The latest 2.4 kernel available for install is 2.4.22-1.2179.nptl and this is how I will install it:
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# apt-get install kernel#2.4.22-1.2179.nptl
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
kernel#2.4.22-1.2179.nptl
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 removed and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 12.9MB of archives.
After unpacking 29.4MB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://ayo.freshrpms.net fedora/linux/1/i386/updates kernel#2.4.22-1.2179.nptl 2.4.22-1.2179.nptl [12.9MB]Fetched 12.9MB in 50s (253kB/s)
Committing changes...
Preparing... ########################################### [100%]
1:kernel ########################################### [100%]
copy from /lib/modules/2.4.22-1.2179.nptl/./kernel/fs/jbd/jbd.o(elf32-i386) to /tmp/initrd.Ox3982/lib/jbd.o(elf32-i386)
copy from /lib/modules/2.4.22-1.2179.nptl/./kernel/fs/ext3/ext3.o(elf32-i386) to /tmp/initrd.Ox3982/lib/ext3.o(elf32-i386)
Done.
The kernel/modules/initrd get installed in the usual places /boot and /lib/modules/<kernversion>. The RPM itself will be cached just like any RPM does in /var/cache/apt/archives (until you do an "apt-get clean"). It will add a menu option to your /boot/grub/menu.lst file that looks something like this:
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title Fedora Core (2.4.22-1.2179.nptl)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.22-1.2179.nptl ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.4.22-1.2179.nptl.img
It actually will stick it first in the list, but will increment "default=" so as your old kernel will continue to boot. If you have checked out the new kernel and want to make it the default just change that to "default=0" (0 is the first kernel entry in the list).
I hope those were the answers you were looking for.
