Re: How do Kernel updates work on Woody?
On Thu, Jul 15, 2004 at 11:42:50AM -0600, Paul E Condon wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 13, 2004 at 09:50:29PM +0530, Didar Hussain wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm a new Debian user. I want to know how do kernel updates
> > happen?
> >
> > Let me explain:
> >
> > I've installed "Woody" on my PC. The kernel is the default 2.4.18-bf2.4
> > There have been certain recent kernel vulnerabilities. I'm sure
> > these got patched. Then why is that when I do a `apt-get upgrade'
> > I do not see any kernel update mentioned? Will I see it only if
> > I install one of the optimized kernel-image packages?
> >
>
> Kernel images are never installed 'automatically'. To be kept informed
> of security problems with kernel-images in Stable (currently Woody),
> you should subscribe to the security-announce list. If there ever is a
> recognized problem, this list will tell you of it, and what to do
> about it. If you just want to try a different kernel, because you are
> curious, then you should choose a particular one to download and
> try. The on-screen instructions that are displayed by the install
> script of a kernel-image package are pretty explicit as to what you
> need to do. Be aware that the script makes changes to lilo or grub
> (whichever you use I think, but maybe only lilo), and your new kernel
> is not placed in service until you reboot your computer. Many serious
> Debian users would be seriously put out, if Debian were to create a
> script that automatically rebooted a computer. Hence, there is no
> automatic upgrade of the kernel. But the manual upgrade is easy.
>
> Also the changes to lilo that are made by the script should make it
> possible to boot your old kernel again, if it turns out that you
> don't like the behavior of the new kernel. If you have made any
> changes to your lilo.conf, you should check the script changes and
> fix any incompatibilities before you attempt to reboot.
>
> Do not be put off by these warnings. Mere mortals like me can do it.
Correct me if I am wrong, but a big point here is that a new kernel is
installed *in addition* to the old kernel, and does not replace it.
This makes a boot-time choice of kernel possible, and provides
a graceful fallback in case of trouble.
-- hendrik
>
> --
> Paul E Condon
> pecondon@mesanetworks.net
>
>
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