How to update my Kernel?

[junior-s]

Hello everyone, I'm currently using 3.5.0-17-generic and I'd like to update my Kernel to a newer version, BUT:

* How will that affect video drivers

I use Mint for gaming on Steam and the required driver for Nvidia is v310.14. Do I need to update the Kernel before or after the driver installation?

* How will that affect on proprietary drivers

I'd like to do a manual install of 310.32, but on Ubuntu and it's derivatives it breaks everything, specially librarires (error message: you do not have the required openGL version) and this only happens on Ubuntu and it's forks.

[junior-s]

And I'd also like to know HOW to update, where to download, how to install etc etc

Thanks

[anandrkris]

In my limited understanding, kernel upgrade is really not required and Nvidia official drivers could be updated without a kernel upgrade.

http://www.upubuntu.com/2012/10/install-nvidia-driver-31014-on-ubuntu.html

Although I have installed kernel 3.8 (for Fun + Experimentation) following this link. Some caution - I did face some issues and had to uninstall Nvidia drivers to go ahead with kernal upgrade. I am yet to get the Nvidia drivers working under bumblebee. (Have Nvidia 540M graphics Optimus card as secondary video card). So am yet to play TF2 in steam on the new 3.8 kernel. I will update here - guess it requires some re-installing of bumblebee , nvidia drivers, etc.

If everything is working fine and you're getting satisfactory performance on Steam games with your current driver setup, perhaps you're better off not upgrading.
Nvidia-current gets automatically updated after it becomes stable? Not sure...

[junior-s]

In my limited understanding, kernel upgrade is really not required and Nvidia official drivers could be updated without a kernel upgrade.

Of course they don't. It's just that my system is probably going to get screwed up after a official driver install (regarding those downloaded from geforce.com. When installed via Software Manager everythi g works fine).

As I said:

* How will that affect on proprietary drivers

I'd like to do a manual install of 310.32, but on Ubuntu and it's derivatives it breaks everything, specially librarires (error message: you do not have the required openGL version) and this only happens on Ubuntu and it's forks.

[catweazel]

* How will that affect on proprietary drivers

In one word or less, KABOOM!

The package manager should have 3.5.0-25 available, which is ok to install with proprietary drivers. dkms will look after the update to the drivers for you. Of course you must also install the 3.5.0-25 headers.

Other than that, you're asking for trouble if you're planning to go with kernel 3.7 or 3.8. dkms doesn't support those kernels yet so your proprietary video drivers will break.

[junior-s]

* How will that affect on proprietary drivers

In one word or less, KABOOM!

The package manager should have 3.5.0-25 available, which is ok to install with proprietary drivers. dkms will look after the update to the drivers for you. Of course you must also install the 3.5.0-25 headers.

Other than that, you're asking for trouble if you're planning to go with kernel 3.7 or 3.8. dkms doesn't support those kernels yet so your proprietary video drivers will break.

Thanks.

[catweazel]

Thanks.

You're welcome.

[anandrkris]

http://www.cyberwizzard.nl/site/blog-linux-gentoo-linux/175-ubuntu-kernel-38-and-nvidia-drivers.html - Ubuntu Kernel 3.8 and NVidia Drivers. Thanks to these patches my Nvidia 304.64 are now working.

Looks like my performance as such has improved a great deal. I played TF2 and SuperTuxKart. Better FPS and loads much faster.