[SOLVED] linux kernel suffix

Dillithamir · 06-02-2012, 05:40 PM

Sorry if this really is a noob of noob questions, but I've been googling for over an hour and I can't seem to find the right search term for the answer if it is out there.. without going through the process of learning how to compile a kernel, which I am not ready to do yet.

So Debian, advanced installer.

I am puzzled by the different suffixes of selecting a kernel for the base system.

I'm familiar with version history numbering, and i386 vs amd64 and the like... but...

Here's the list:

linux-image-2.6-486
linux-image-2.6-686
linux-image-2.6-amd64
linux-image-2.6.32-5-486
linux-image-2.6.32-5-686
linux-image-2.6.32-5-686-bigmem
linux-image-2.6.32-5-amd64
linux-image-686-bigmem
linux-image-amd64

... and I'm confused as to what the difference is between many of them.

This is going on an old Thinkpad t61 (core 2 duo 2 GB ram) and the installer recommends one, but I still want to be able to understand.

Could someone explain?

Thanks.

towheedm · 06-02-2012, 05:54 PM

You can get a description for each that would explain the difference. From the command line:

Code:

apt-cache show linux-image-2.6-486

would return:

Code:

Package: linux-image-2.6-486
Priority: optional
Section: kernel
Installed-Size: 48
Maintainer: Debian Kernel Team <debian-kernel@lists.debian.org>
Architecture: i386
Source: linux-latest-2.6 (29)
Version: 2.6.32+29
Provides: linux-latest-modules-2.6.32-5-486
Depends: linux-image-2.6.32-5-486
Filename: pool/main/l/linux-latest-2.6/linux-image-2.6-486_2.6.32+29_i386.deb
Size: 4288
MD5sum: 5aaec01bdf45b042dcb378f680c5cbf4
SHA1: 8d2a83b2edd03b916e000ae7031e76e935d47f72
SHA256: 219ddeeff920f79245c2cc9ba527116533cf06cc73fff45bc487e313473fe52c
Description: Linux 2.6 for old PCs (meta-package)
 This package depends on the latest Linux kernel 2.6 and modules for use on
 PCs with a 486, Pentium or compatible processor.
Tag: admin::kernel, role::dummy

If you are not comfortable with the CLI, you can get the same info from Synaptic. Simply select the package from the list and look at the description box.

Hope it helps.

Dillithamir · 06-02-2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by towheedm

You can get a description for each that would explain the difference. From the command line:

Code:

apt-cache show linux-image-2.6-486

If you are not comfortable with the CLI, you can get the same info from Synaptic. Simply select the package from the list and look at the description box.

Hope it helps.

Awesome, that gives me the kind of info I was looking for.

Thanks!