Kernel Panic after installing a updated Kernel in Linux Mint 18.1
 

Help Please!


FInally got rid of Win10 by instsalling Linux Mint 18.1 over the whole harddisk. Put in all extra programms that I use, like scribus etc.
After a while updated again. all clear. Updated Kernel, because it was said so, and can't boot anymore, because of that Kernel Panic error.
Happened to load in between my many tries, an older version, went well, but I don't know how to load that older version and even less how to get rid of the updated Kernel.
Can you please help me?

Do you see a Grub boot menu for a short time when you boot? If so, use the arrow keys to move down to an older kernel from which to boot.

To get rid of the updated kernel, once you've booted up into the older one, launch the Mint Update Manager, select View->Linux kernels, scroll down to the kernel you want rid of, click on it and select Remove.

How did you update the kernel ?. Was it just part of a normal update, or did you specifically select the kernel because it was listed ?. There are warnings re the latter IIRC.

No Grub menu
 

That is actually the bad news. That Grub menu doesn't come up. I hit once a button and then it showed up, can't remember which button and when I had to hit it. The other tips are helpful. Thank you. But I still don't know how I get into the Grub menu

The backup is not the problem. it's my travelcomputer that doesn't keep data, I don't have somewhere else. I would have in case of reinstallation to do all the extra programs again and that takes including the download etc. a few days. I don't have that time.

No reinstallation
 

I tried now the DVD with iso file. I hear the DVD work, but it doesn't take it to start from it, neither per USB. Any way out? I need this notebook.

Try pressing the left Shift key during the very early stages of reboot (hit it repeatedly).

Doesn't work. left shift, right shift, return, ctrl, even none of any combination.

Ok. Someone here http://askubuntu.com/questions/16042...u-at-boot-time suggests the Esc key for Ubuntu, on which Mint is based.

As one of the comments on that thread wisely points out: "wow, why can't we just pick one key for this?"

For more info: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Hidden

You should be able to boot a "system rescue" DVD (or stick), and, from this, mount the other partition read/write and then edit the grub configuration.

But the underlying issue remains: where did this updated kernel come from? Was it a distro-provided regular update? Or, do you have some kind of custom kernel?

Kernel panics normally occur when some module isn't, in fact, in-sync with the kernel to which it is inserted. But, distro distributors are usually very good at preventing that for you.

You should certainly open a trouble-ticket with the distro provider.

worked! is Kernel 4.8..... better?
 

esc button worked after a dozen tries. Somehow there is only a specific amount of hits right anything else ends in disaster. I still don't know the right number. :-) But thanks a million for this hint!

Kernel 4.4.64 is deleted and 4.4.57 works fine, so far.
I am offered 4.8.... is it wise to upgrade? I only use anything offered by the distributor, I am not into programming. That is what makes me so helpless.

I hate the way the Ubuntus handle the boot menu - especially the use of hidden. I just had a look at a dual-boot Mint - can you post this output so we can see the differences; should be able to suggest a fix for you

Yay. Thank goodness for that.

If I were you I would hold off on trying any of the other kernel versions for the moment until you get the Grub menu displaying for several seconds on boot in order to avoid the same problems as you've been having. Follow through on syg00's suggestion so that we can see what your current settings are.

Don't feel helpless. I'm in the same boat for example as I'm following Mint's recommendations and sticking with the 4.4 range. You just had the misfortune to be caught out by 4.4.64 conflicting with your machine. Hopefully it was just a blip and your machine will play ball with the next kernel released in the 4.4 range. It may even have been a timing-related problem and a second attempt at 4.4.64 may work. It's only happened to me once before and all I did was skip that release and wait for the next.

You wouldn't happen to have preleased updates selected in the "updates and software/developer options"

syg00 : can you post this output so we can see the differences... [/QUOTE]

Hi syg00
could you try in Chinese? At least then everyone understands that I don't understand. :-) What do I do with that code?

Yes and the time difference is very likely. My processor does work, but it is ancient and hasn't got the quickfix attitude of todays culture, so to speak.