How to install kernel in tar.xz format
 

Hi,

I have a laptop running Slackware-current. Today I updated the system to the latest and greatest, and it installed kernel 4.14. But with this kernel my Broadcom wireless does not work anymore and updating it with sbopkg fails. So I would like to install the stable kernel 4.13.14. I downloaded the linux-4.13.14.tar.xz from kernel.org, but this doesn't seem to be able to install in Slackware because installpkg want the package in txz format.

So does anyone know how to install a kernel downloaded from kernel.org?

Thanks in advance,
Marco

What you downloaded was just the source of the kernel. You'd need to configure it and then build it, then installing the modules and moving the bzimage.

If you're not familiar with kernel compiling and can't get the broadcom module to work, you may want to consider running the latest stable version of Slackware, 14.2. -current is an unstable development tree that can frequently break programs, and running it generally requires a decent knowledge of Linux and compiling so you can fix your system when dependencies get out of whack.

EDIT: If you do want to look into build a kernel, check the slackdoc page on it.

EDIT2: khronosschoty beat me with the link to slackdocs

You'll need to compile the kernel first. This guide might prove useful https://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sl...kernelbuilding


However, you might want to install Slackware64-14.2 instead of use current, since current is unstable. That is, unless you don't mind the occasional issue / bug and are okay with compiling your own kernel.

I actually switched from 14.2 to current because 14.2 is getting quite old. But maybe I should revert to the release version then. I'll look into building compiling the kernel myself too.

Thanks for the help,

regards,
Marco

Building a kernel is actually quite easy and very instructive. The kernel has the best help system that I have ever seen. Just unpack it in your home directory and cd to the top-level directory. Copy the stock kernel configuration file stored in /boot as .config. Then type make menuconfig. Go to the drivers section, find the driver for your broadcom card, and make sure it's set.

Broadcom cards usually need firmware too but you should have that already installed in /lib/firmware if the card worked before.

Oops! Went in twice!

Video tutorial on YouTube contain response to your question: https://youtu.be/Ycm1iV1WLEU

Whilst I'm in favour of building your own kernel, with -current you don't have to? Because -current is a complete distribution including kernel.

Didn't want the hassle of compiling a kernel on this laptop so I decided to go back to 14.2 release. Eventually all is running fine now.

The laptop has a Broadcom wireless but that installs flawless with the help of sbopkg.

Just a comment.... it may be worthwhile to examine your criteria for updating since "getting quite old' is actually insufficient unless one has a specific unmet need. It is very common that the urge to update mindlessly has come from earlier days when Linux was just becoming fully formed and before that as the consumer mindset manipulation that proposes "new and improved" is an equation, when it clearly is not infallibly so. There is also such a thing as "tried and true" or "combat proven", etc. Bottom line = Think before Update.