[Solved] Where is the real kernel?

[rebelxt]

When running mintUpdate with levels 4 and 5 visible, it shows a level 3 "linux" package and a level 5 "linux-image-generic" package. If the level 3 "linux" package is selected for upgrade, it triggers a message:

The following package will be installed:
linux-image-3.2.0-31-generic

Is this the same package as the level 5 "linux-image-generic" package, or something different

A level 3 update should not trigger a level 5 update, so it would be reasonable to assume that they are different packages. If so, the level 5 package would have to be the real kernel. But then what is the level 3 package? Or is the level 3 update actually triggering a kernel update?

[karlchen]

Hello, rebelxt.

linux-image-3.2.0-31-generic is linux-image-3.2.0-31-generic, no matter whether a level 3 package displays it as a required package or whether you see it under level 5 directly.

No need to believe my words. Use Synaptic and checkout yourself. - By the way Synaptic does not know of or care about the 5 risk levels of MintUpdater.
If you locate the installed package "linux-generic" in Synaptic, then you will find that "linux-generic" depends on a package named "linux-image-3.2.0-xx-generic" where xx will be some number between 23 and 31 depending which kernel version is currently installed.
So if MintUpdater suggests updating "linux-generic" to the latest version which is 3.2.0-31 (for Mint 13), then doing so will make it necessary to update the current linux-image-3.2.0-xx-generic to linux-image-3.2.0-31-generic, no matter which risk level has been assigned to kernel updates.

Anyway. Ever since the Karmic Koala era, I have allowed the updater to install any new kernel release version and have never experienced any problems resulting from these updates. (Yet, there may be particular hardware setups where kernel updates may trigger problems. Very likely all my hardware has always been plain vanilla.) So my recommendation will be: allow MintUpdater to update to Linux kernel 3.2.0-31.

The level 3 "linux" package will be a so-called meta-package, i.e. one which itself does not hold any relevant files, but which holds together a set of packages, like e.g. the set of packages that make up the Linux kernel.

Kind regards,
Karl

[rebelxt]

@ karlchen: Thanks for the reply. Just to be explicit, my question had nothing to do with whether or not the kernel should be updated; only about what's going on with the level 3 and level 5 updates. Which means it is strictly about what mintUpdate is doing.

If I read your reply properly, a level 3 update package (linux) triggers a level 5 update package (linux-image-generic). This seems at least illogical, if not an actual bug.

Does anyone know the reasoning for this?

[proxima_centauri]

If I read your reply properly, a level 3 update package (linux) triggers a level 5 update package (linux-image-generic). This seems at least illogical, if not an actual bug.

You said you have levels 4 and 5 active, so it would make sense that level 5 packages will be updated.

If it was the case that you only had levels 1, 2, and 3 active, and a level 3 package lead to a level 5 update - then yes, that would be illogical and probably a bug.

[rebelxt]

When I start mintUpdate, I see this:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l60gbgxtb9ocvvo/Screenshot.png
After clicking on "Install Updates", this pops up:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l82uv7fr13v587x/additional-changes.png
Do I have a bug?

The screenshots themselves don't want to appear in this post, so you have to click the links to see them. Sorry.

EDIT: moved screenshots to a different location

[proxima_centauri]

You said you had all level's enabled (1-5), so that would be normal behaviour shown in the screenshots.

[rebelxt]

Actually, if you look at my original post, I said levels 4 and 5 were visible, not active. But that's beside the point.
The question is, should the level 3 update be triggering the level 5 update? That's what appears to be happening.

[proxima_centauri]

I'm not familiar with mintupdate so I assumed level 4 and 5 updates would only be visible if they were enabled.

Are you saying that level 4 and 5 updates are not enabled, and you get the message to upgrade the kernel image?

[rebelxt]

Are you saying that level 4 and 5 updates are not enabled, and you get the message to upgrade the kernel image?

That's correct. You can set the "visible" and "safe" defaults in preferences. I have "visible" but not "safe" set for levels 4 and 5. Then, as you can see in the screenshots, "upgrade" is not checked for those levels, and yet, the level 3 update appears to be triggering the level 5 update.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l60gbgxtb9ocvvo/Screenshot.png
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l82uv7fr13v587x/additional-changes.png

[proxima_centauri]

Please un-check level 4 and 5 updates from visible so only level 1, 2, and 3 are checked. Refresh and update.
Do you still get the option to upgrade the "linux" package? if so, with the additional level 5 update?

[rebelxt]

Please un-check level 4 and 5 updates from visible so only level 1, 2, and 3 are checked. Refresh and update.
Do you still get the option to upgrade the "linux" package? if so, with the additional level 5 update?

Yes!

[proxima_centauri]

Okay, if you're absolutely sure that level 4 and 5 updates are not checked as "visible" and not checked as "safe" (you should not see any level 4 or 5 updates in mintupdate at all), and you STILL are getting a prompt after refreshing the package list, that you need to update the level 3 package "linux" and by extension, the level 5 package - then we have a problem.

[rebelxt]

Here is a new screenshot showing the level 3 update and the additional change triggered by clicking on "Install Updates".

https://www.dropbox.com/s/c8sj1mx39t69cck/Update%20Manager.jpg

I won't disagree about the problem.

[proxima_centauri]

One last question, have you added any third-party repositories? Perhaps one is interfering.

I'm also told the "linux" package should not be installed by default.

[proxima_centauri]

It's looking like the "linux" package should be pinned as a level 5 update, but was not included in /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/rules , for whatever reason. I will contact the dev's about this and see what can be done.

Thank you for your patience.

[rebelxt]

I do have additional repositories. Here is a link to a screenshot of the list.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oc30fykpso7f034/Software%20Sources.png

[proxima_centauri]

I spoke with the Linux Mint dev's and the "linux" package has been added to /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintUpdate/rules to be shown as a level 5 update. This behaviour should no longer occur in the future.

Should be an update to version mintupdate 4.3.3

[rebelxt]

Should be an update to version mintupdate 4.3.3

It's actually mintUpdate 4.4.3, but yes, the fix is in, and it works.

Thanks