Re: Need clarifications about how to deal with the installed problematic kernel, linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64 (6.1.64-1)
On Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 01:48:52PM +0100, Stella Ashburne wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am using Debian Bookworm, the current stable release with the whole SSD being encrypted with LUKS2. After decryption, the file system of the logical volume is ext4.
>
> This is what happened to my computer many hours ago.
>
> My device upgraded to the latest kernel, linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64 and rebooted.
>
Yes, this was a problem that surfaced properly half way through the release
process. The release team had already put out the main updates: I was involved
with testing the images with the images team.
The issue itself is only occasional and is hard to track down. It only
affects ext4 - but that's the default file system used if you "just
install" Debian so the release team effectively stopped the release
process part way through.
We halted the release of installer images: so there are no installer images
out there for Debian 12.3 which would be problematic. The release team is
currently working on 12.4, images for which will probably be out within
the next couple of days.
(This will be the first time in a _long_ time that we've not put out a
release of images - breakage doesn't happen very often and the publicity
folks also got onto this to warn people.)
> A few hours later, Debian put out an advisory warning its users against upgrading to linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64, by which time it was too late for me.
>
Bad luck - but it looks as if you've done the right thing ...
> According to some people on social media, I should boot using the previous kernel, linux-image-6.1.0-13-amd64, which is problem-free.
>
> Question #1
>
> I power up my device and upon seeing the GRUB menu, I highlight "Advance options for Debian GNU/Linux" and press Enter.
>
> I highlight linux-image-6.1.0-13-amd64 and press Enter.
>
> After supply the decryption password and entering my desktop environment, I did the following:
>
> cat /etc/debian_user
> *Result* is 12.3, even though I boot using the previous kernel, linux-image-6.1.0-13-amd64
>
This is because base-files and everything else have been updated to reference
12.3 - so that probably comes from somewhere like /etc/debian_version
> uname -a
> *Result* is linux-image-6.1.0-13-amd64
>
Correct: you've booted using 6.1.0-13
> I remove the corrupt linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64 by typing the following commands in a terminal. They are:
>
> dpkg --search /boot/vmlinuz-*
>
> sudo apt-get remove linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64
>
> sudo update-grub
>
> sudo shutdown -r now
>
> Is the above the correct way to remove the most recent/latest kernel?
>
That will work: you might also want to apt-get purge linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64
but you've done the main thing.
> Question #2a
>
> Some users opine that after removing linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64, I should re-install linux-image-6.1.0-13-amd64. Why should I re-install linux-image-6.1.0-1-amd64?
>
If you'd removed 6.1.0-13 so that the later kernel was the only one - that
would be right - Otherwise you're fine.
> Am I right to state that Debian keeps the three recent kernels, including linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64, for situations such as this one? (The situation in which a corrupt linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64 was pushed to the repos for users to upgrade)
>
Routinely, I think it keeps only the latest and the previous - so in this case,
you would have had 6.1.0-14 and 6.1.0-13
> Question #2b
>
> Suppose I need to re-install linux-image-6.1.0-13-amd64 but some users told me that it is no longer in the repos.
>
> I can just download it manually by using the following link:
>
> https://packages.debian.org/bookworm/amd64/linux-image-6.1.0-13-amd64/download
>
> And then in a terminal, I type the commands:
>
> sudo dpkg -i linux-image-6.1.0-13-amd64
>
> sudo update-grub
>
> sudo shutdown -r now
>
That works: when the new kernel (presumably 6.1.0-15) comes out, that
will be installed appropriately.
> Is the above the correct way to install kernels that are not in the official repos?
>
That will work while previous kernels still exist in the repositories yes.
When I installed, I still had 6.0.1.12 available too because I'd had that
previously.
> Thanks for taking the time and effort to clarify my doubts.
>
> Best regards.
>
> Stella
>
>
No problem: debian-release team are working away quite hard at the moment
on sorting out the problems, providing a new kernel and, presumably,
removing the problematic kernel from the archive. It's been a long
weekend for them :(
All the very best, as ever,
Andy
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