[SOLVED] Slackware 14.2 and Current Kernel 4.4.15

kjhambrick · 07-12-2016, 09:14 AM

All --

Is it OK to install kernel 4.4.15 from Slackware Current in Slackware 14.2 ?

Looking at the two changelogs, it seems OK to me but looking for opinions.

If not, building the kernel from source is definitely doable but looking for the easy-route

Thanks.

-- kjh

bassmadrigal · 07-12-2016, 09:29 AM

Should be fine, although, as always with kernels, I'd recommend doing an installpkg instead of upgradepkg so you can keep your original working kernel available. Then just add an entry to lilo.conf keeping your original intact.

kjhambrick · 07-12-2016, 09:47 AM

Thanks bassmadrigal

Absolutely !

Always installpkg, NEVER upgradepkg ( kernel-generic, kernel-huge, kernel-modules, kernel-source ) ...

Digging a bit ... One thing I noticed in Johnson's Changelog.txt under the notes for lilo made me look:

Code:

a/lilo-24.2-x86_64-3.txz:  Rebuilt.
  In liloconfig:  Skip the menu asking if the user wants a UTF-8 virtual
  console, and use the kernel default (currently this is UTF-8 active).

But there are no diffs in the two configs ( 4.4.15 vs 4.4.14 -- see below ) so I feel good about installing 4.4.15 from current into my 14.2 System.

Thanks again for the feedback !

EDIT: 4.4.15 + NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-367.27 are running fine on 14.2

-- kjh

Checking for utf in the configs for 4.4.14:

Code:

$ grep -i utf /boot/config-huge-4.4.14

CONFIG_NLS_DEFAULT="utf8"
CONFIG_NLS_UTF8=y

And after un-taring kernel-huge-4.4.15 into a temp directory and comparing the configs for 4.4.15 to 4.4.14:

Code:

$ diff -Naur /boot/config-huge-4.4.14 config-huge-4.4.15
--- /boot/config-huge-4.4.14    2016-06-24 13:38:55.000000000 -0500
+++ config-huge-4.4.15  2016-07-11 14:01:33.000000000 -0500
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #
 # Automatically generated file; DO NOT EDIT.
-# Linux/x86 4.4.14 Kernel Configuration
+# Linux/x86 4.4.15 Kernel Configuration
 #
 CONFIG_64BIT=y
 CONFIG_X86_64=y

bassmadrigal · 07-12-2016, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjhambrick

Code:

a/lilo-24.2-x86_64-3.txz:  Rebuilt.
  In liloconfig:  Skip the menu asking if the user wants a UTF-8 virtual
  console, and use the kernel default (currently this is UTF-8 active).

But there are no diffs in the two configs ( 4.4.15 vs 4.4.14 -- see below ) so I feel good about installing 4.4.15 from current into my 14.2 System.

This is only in the liloconfig script. Previously, as you finished your Slackware install and it would start the lilo installation prompts, it would ask if you wanted to enable UTF8 (and it would safe the "safe answer is to say no"). Pat decided it is time to move Slackware to UTF8, so he has now removed that question and lilo will default to UTF8 if you use liloconfig.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjhambrick

Checking for utf in the configs for 4.4.14:

Code:

$ grep -i utf /boot/config-huge-4.4.14

CONFIG_NLS_DEFAULT="utf8"
CONFIG_NLS_UTF8=y

And after un-taring kernel-huge-4.4.15 into a temp directory and comparing the configs for 4.4.15 to 4.4.14:

Code:

$ diff -Naur /boot/config-huge-4.4.14 config-huge-4.4.15
--- /boot/config-huge-4.4.14    2016-06-24 13:38:55.000000000 -0500
+++ config-huge-4.4.15  2016-07-11 14:01:33.000000000 -0500
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #
 # Automatically generated file; DO NOT EDIT.
-# Linux/x86 4.4.14 Kernel Configuration
+# Linux/x86 4.4.15 Kernel Configuration
 #
 CONFIG_64BIT=y
 CONFIG_X86_64=y

The kernel already had support for UTF8, it was just whether lilo had it and would boot the default console with support for it. UTF settings in lilo had no bearing on the usability within X itself, as those would rely on the settings of the WM/DE.

Also, the kernel configs between the same series of kernels rarely change. Typically, all your major changes are introduced with the 4.x.0 build, and then all the 4.x.1 and on builds are bug fixes for the first one. The kernel developers typically don't add to a kernel that already had a stable release, just patch things as they find issues. The new additions will go into future kernels, which is why with newer major releases, you typically need to revamp your config a bit (either by grabbing one from Pat if he has it available or modifying it yourself).

Didier Spaier · 07-12-2016, 01:08 PM

For the records

PS And the proposed patch.