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Bucic
Asked: 2012-09-14 12:38:09 +0800 CST

How do I use apt-get to update to the latest kernel?

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My current kernel is 3.2.0-26 (my main computer) while on another of my Ubuntu computers, with which I didn't fiddle with unofficial updates, it's 3.2.0-30. Yet the Update manager on my main computer doesn't show available kernel updates. It shows other updates though.

I suspect is due to the fact that in the past I installed multiple mainline kernel versions (not recommended versions), up to 3.5* series.

What I'm after: Either: Fix automatic kernel updates. Or: Learn about a way to check for the latest official ubuntu kernel version and get it manually (I know how to install kernels from debs)

What I have already tried: Uninstalled unused kernels including "the generic one without a number" as per https://askubuntu.com/a/103875/29347 and then also https://ubuntugenius.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/ubuntu-cleanup-how-to-remove-all-unused-linux-kernel-headers-images-and-modules/

kernel

3 Answers

  1. Your problem with automatic updates may be because of the mainline kernels or because you removed the "generic" package.

    You can update to the latest kernel via apt-get as follows:

    sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-image-`uname -r`

    If you also need the headers (to compile kernel modules such as wireless drivers):

    sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`
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  2. In case you only want to update the default kernel you should be able to fix it with:

    sudo apt-get install linux-image-generic

    Since linux-image-generic always depends on the newest default kernel of your distribution, the kernel gets upgraded with the rest of the packages when you run apt-get upgrade.

    When you want to update a non default kernel you can do this by running this script:

    #!/usr/bin/env bash

sudo apt-get update
kernel_release="$(uname -r | cut --complement -d'.' -f3)"
kernel_release_versions="$(apt-cache search linux-image-${kernel_release})"
kernel_release_versions_generic="$(grep linux-image-"${kernel_release_version}".*-generic <<< "$kernel_release_versions")"
newest_kernel_of_release="$(echo "$kernel_release_versions_generic" | tail -n1 | cut -d' ' -f1 )"

sudo apt-get install $newest_kernel_of_release

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

    If you also need the header files, additionally run the following:

    newest_kernel_of_release_headers=${newest_kernel_of_release/image/headers}

sudo apt-get install $newest_kernel_of_release_headers
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  3. "You should be able to use any of the listed mirrors by adding a line to your /etc/apt/sources.list like this:

    deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu raring-security main

    "

    via

    http://packages.ubuntu.com/raring/all/linux-headers-3.8.0-31/download

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