Re: [SPAM] Re: Kernel 2.6.15-4 freeze
On Wed, Feb 08, 2006 at 12:31:37PM -0900, Fielder George Dowding wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> I have noticed an unusual naming situation with the Debian 2.6.15-x
> series of kernel updates on my HP Pavilion zv6000 series (amd64 3200+)
> laptop.
>
> The usual situation I have come to expect with installing a kernel
> update under Debian using grub is to have the kernel name, shown as the
> installed version in the dselect listing,
> eg.: linux-image-2.6.15-1,
> be reflected in the boot menu (from /boot/grub/menu.lst),
> eg.: Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.15-1-amd64-k8
>
> However, I note, since the kernel update to the Debian -2, the listing
> in the grub menu has not changed. I now (suposedly) have the 2.6.15-4
> version of the Debian linux-image installed according to the dselect
> listing, but there is no other indication that the -4 update is
> installed. Here are examples of the strings I get identifying the
> installed and running kernel:
>
> $ uname -a
> Linux caleb 2.6.15-1-amd64-k8 #2 Sat Feb 4 00:09:56 UTC 2006\
> x86_64 GNU/Linux
>
> (title of default kernel in grub's menu.lst)
> Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.15-1-amd64-k8
>
> (there are three lines in dselect that refer to the currently installed
> kernel. The first is the update depends pseudo/meta package:)
> linux-image-2.6-amd64-k8 - Linux kernel 2.6 image on AMD64 K8 machines
> (with the comment:)
> This package depends on the latest binary image for Linux kernel 2.6 on
> 64bit AMD Athlon64, AthlonFX, Opteron1xx and Turion64 machines.
> (under the Inst.ver and Avail.ver columns, it shows:)
> 2.6.15-4
> (the next line in the listing is apparently the real kernel image. It
> show the following:)
> linux-image-s.2.15-1-amd64-k8 - Linux kernel 2.6.15 image\
> on AMD64 K8 machines
> (under the Inst.ver and Avail.ver columns, it shows:)
> 2.6.15-4
> (finally, the third line shows:)
> linux-image-amd64-k8 - Linux kernel image on AMD64 K8 machines
> (under the Inst.ver and Avail.ver columns, it shows:)
> 2.6.15-4
>
> I am just wondering why the current Debian version is not reflected in
> all the listings. Is this a problem? Should I be conserned? Should I
> change something in my setup? Should I just ingore this and unimportant
> and let the dd's get on with the important things in Debian?
>
> With a sincere desire to learn, fgd.
Grub lists the same info as the package name, which is the kernel
version and ABI version. There are usually multiple debian package
versions for a given ABI version.
ie:
vmlinuz-2.6.14-1-k7 is a 2.6.14 kernel with ABI 1 for a k7 cpu.
The version of this kernel in dpkg right now is:
ii linux-image-2.6.14-1-k7 2.6.14-2
So it is the second release of the 2.6.14-1 kernel.
Another one I have had was:
ii linux-image-2.6.12-1-k7 2.6.12-10
So 10th release of 2.6.12 ABI v1.
After all the changes could be as simple as a change in a package
description or a dependancy. It doesn't have to involve changing the
binary kernel. Or perhaps an additional module was enabled. This
doesn't make the kernel incompatible with the previous ones after all.
The ABI version only changes when a change is made that makes the binary
interface incompatible which would require a rebuild of external kernel
modules.
Very few kernels in debian have gone through ABI changes within one
kernel version so you will usually only see -1 kernels.
Len Sorensen
Reply to: