According to kernel.org, the latest stable release is 2.6.21.1. I just updated my kernel today (May 3) and when I enter uname -r, it says the kernel version is 2.6.20-1.2944.fc6. My software updater application says there are no updated packages for my system.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

if you *really* want to upgrade to the latest kernel, you'll need to download the sources, build the kernel, then update your boot loader (probably grub) to load the new kernel.

Most linux distros take a while to release new kernels through their official updates. Typically it's only done when there's a significant improvement or security fix. Upgrading the kernel can have adverse affects on drivers and such, so lots of people prefer to only upgrade when necessary.

I would suggest that, unless you have a *really* good reason, there's no need to upgrade the kernel.

Reboot and select the new kernel from the grub menu. Then try again uname -r

BrianK is quite right.

Although the "vanilla" a.k.a the "Linus" kernel, v. 2.6.21 has been released 10 days ago, it will take a few more days/weeks until distros pick it up, compile it and release it for general use. It gives the various Linux vendors some time to add their black magic to the mix (by turning on/off various parameters) before compiling. There is usually no rush to upgrade and I trust the kernel masters at Red Hat will do a better job than me in optimizing the next Fedora kernel, just because they've been doing it for quite a while.

If you're still interested in building a vanilla kernel, I'd suggest you read Linux Kernel in a Nutshell, by Greg Kroah-Hartman, a kernel developer himself. You can buy it from O'Reilly or download PDF chapters on the author's web site.

I actually have 3 Linux distro's installed, and since I installed Kubuntu last, when I boot up I get Kubuntu's grub.

I updated the kernel of my OpenSUSE installation, and now when I select that OS in GRub, it says "Error 15: file not found". The grub entry for openSUSE is "2.6.18.8-0.1" and I'm sure the kernel update changed that version number, so now grub won't see "2.6.18.8-0.1" since it doesn't exist anymore. Anyone know how I can fix this?

Log in Kubuntu and mount the SUSE partition. Look in there under /boot for some file names such as vmlinuz-2.6.18.8-0.1 and initrd-2.6.18.8-0.1.img, in the place of 2.6.18.8-0.1 there should be the new kernel. Now edit your Kubuntu's menu.lst and replace the old kernel with the new one.

Awesome advice! I just had to change the "1" at the end of the version number to "3" and now openSUSE boots up. Thanks a lot.

Although I broadly agree with BrianK and bouchecl, if you still want to give it a try to build a custom kernel, it is plenty of guides out there to help you. Here's one: http://www.digitalhermit.com/linux/K...ild-HOWTO.html

I am currently running a custom 2.6.20.11 on my home AMD Athlon 3200+ machine. I tried to configure and remove too many of unneeded drivers at first. I removed too much, so it failed to recognise my sata raid setup. I had to reboot to the old kernel, rebuild the kernel with a previous config instead.

So there are some pitfalls, but my system is fine now

Good luck if you go ahead.

By the way, Fedora 7 is coming in 20 days time with the new 2.6.21 kernel, so you can wait and upgrade to that instead too...

I picked this up in the latest Fedora News, which might be of interest to the readers of this thread: