Another option is to install the kernel from Slackware-current. It is currently at 4.1.6, and you wouldn't have to compile anything. If you decide to do this, just install the kernel packages using installpkg (instead of upgradepkg, so you don't replace your working kernel), upgrade your lilo.conf to add the entries for the new kernel (don't replace your good kernel so you have something to boot to if you run into issues), run lilo to save the configuration, then reboot.

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As far as I know updating the kernel from 3.10.17 to 3.10.87 shouldn't be very disruptive and you can probably use the old kernel config more or less unchanged if you're keeping with 3.10.x. However, Pat does provide kernel configurations for 3.12.0 (which I'll presume to work with other 3.12.x versions) in slackware-14.1/testing.

Having used slackware for a few years, I can pretty much guarantee that Pat won't update a -stable kernel unless something really big happens. This shouldn't be an obstacle though if you want/need to update the kernel yourself. One of the nice things about slackware is that it gives you all the tools you need to build extra software.

I've recently switched back to 14.1 from -current because some proprietary application I use broke with some of the recent updates this past month. Going back to -stable fixed the problem I was having with my app, but introduced a 'new' bug where a power management module kicks one of the cpu cores to 100 after resuming from sleep and drains the rest of the battery if left unchecked. Turns out this is a kernel bug with 3.10.x, so I'm also concerned with being stuck with such an old kernel. I was able to blacklist the buggy module, so I don't get the 100 cpu usage anymore, but I'd prefer to have all my hardware working and enabled.

For my own case, I'll probably try to build a newer 3.10.x to see if the power management bug goes away, then maybe try the 3.12.x configs from the 'testing' dir if I'm still having an issue. I've never built a kernel using Pat's methods, so this will be interesting.

I had a similar problem - proprietary app that includes building a kernel module at install time. Although the module still builds and loads with the -current kernel since it was updated to 4.1.6, the app doesn't run. Rather than go back to 14.1, I rescued the previous -current kernel 3.18.11 from an installation on another partition that hadn't been upgraded yet. Perhaps using -current with previous kernel 3.18.11 will help your situation too.

chris

FWIW it shouldn't take much time nor commitment to test the -Current kernel since all one really has to do is boot from the install disk and at the prompt follow the "mount root" directions to point to your existing install. The only major caveat of which I'm aware would possibly be graphics modules such as the proprietary nvidia driver, but defaults should in most cases work sufficiently well to determine if it is worth the few minutes to add -Current's 4x kernel to your system and fully determine if it is a worthwhile upgrade.

Also FWIW I think it is really worthwhile to take serious note of the comment made regarding the utter lack of posts here over all these years of Slackware systems suffering from ANY security issues with the single exception of those rare instances of HUGE issues that affect ALL distros, like Heartbleed. While anecdotal with as many forums and news sources I habituate, I first heard of Heartbleed here, in the Slackware section. This seems inevitable to me since the sort of people who prefer Slackware, by proportion, lean toward the admin side of things, people who desire to own and control their systems and not leave that to others merely for convenience.

If someone is in this situtation, it is probably likely they don't have an install disc with -current laying around, or if they do, it may be out of date. It is probably easier to just grab the packages, installpkg them, update lilo.conf/run lilo, then reboot. That would take far less time than downloading the -current tree and create an iso, or even to download a -current iso from one of the mirrors that have them. not to mention the additional time to write that iso to a disc/usb drive.

As always, any current kernel should remain in lilo.conf so you have a fallback in case the new one doesn't work properly.

I was reading this thread a couple of weeks back and was going to ask this question, since I'm having repeated ehci pci resets of a Alcor Micro Technologies Multi Car Reader and recently my AR9271 is having weird drops so maybe a kernel update would address both. That is the first question, how do I scan the kernels for bug fixes for a specific issue? Google doesn't seem to help and kernel.org search engine doesn't make sense to me. Is there another way?

If my two issue are addressed in later kernels, is upgrading from 3.10.17-2 to 3.10.94 the same process steps as moving from 3.10.17-2 to 3.12.y or 4.1.6? I ask because I have only two experiences with kernels, first to upgrade 3.10.17-2 using Pat's slackpkg, and I of course built a generic kernel when installing. In both cases all the necessary files were given to me through the process.

Is upgrading the right term only when changing branches, ie. 3.10. to 3.12, and updating when adding patches? When upgrading or updating a kernel should I use AlienBob's Slackbook process of upgrading kernel's or Pat's own explanation on the installation disk? What repository has the kernel and kernel-modules and configs for each of the branches or patches? Are the kernel and kernel-modules in the slackware repository? I read that I need a config to create a kernel from source with a config and to look on slackware git for sample config's but I don't see one for 3.14 or 4.1.6 so how do I make the config I need for updates and upgrades?

I also have to incorporate a new update for my old NVIDIA card that just showed up in Slackbuilds. Which I believe I do after the update?

Advise for a novice is appreciated. I've read the slackbook and searched the LQ, but I'm still confused with terminology, so please be patient with my inquiries.
Thanks

Sorry I've moved these comments and questions to a separate new thread. "Updating or upgrade, which is what, and wlan0 issue."
Bassmadrigal gives a great response for those wondering about kernel upgrading/updating/patching.

I have considered this for days now and still conclude that someone so concerned about kernel version and security issues would not balk at the 45 minutes it might take to download and burn an Installation Disk and boot it up which has the advantage of creating nothing that requires "undoing". I, for one, am extremely fond of Patrick's inclusion of that ever so worthwhile stopping point in the first second of booting the CD which is so powerful and flexible it makes me wonder why other distros don't incorporate a similar setup. It remains a viable choice, imho, and I use it rather a lot for multiple reasons and situations.

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For me, downloading a new slackware ISO takes about 5 hours.

I have a dead simple script for compiling new kernels, grab it here:

https://github.com/ryanpcmcquen/linu...re/kernelMe.sh

Install and use instructions are at the very top of the script.

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