boot last loaded kernel when get kernel panic

[bmike1]

often after I install mint and then update upon reboot my kernel panics. well if this happens to you open a terminal and :
Making older kernel the default

If you are comfortable with Linux terminal and commands, you can modify the /etc/default/grub file and add the following lines to it:

GRUB_DEFAULT=saved
GRUB_SAVEDEFAULT=true

And then update grub with:

sudo update-grub

I don't know why Mint doesn't make this the default but it is what it is!

[SMG]

often after I install mint and then update upon reboot my kernel panics.

Have you investigated why that is happening? It should not happen.

And the information you gave is not for booting a previous kernel. One boots into the grub menu, goes to Advanced Options and selects the prior kernel if they want to boot the previous kernel.

GRUB_DEFAULT is the default menu entry which means it could be different for each person's install. Just because for you it currently happens to be a prior kernel does not mean that is what it will be for other people.

I don't know why Mint doesn't make this the default but it is what it is!

Probably because it does not make sense to do that.

[bmike1]

every computer I've run mint on when the kernel panics after rebooting after a kernel update the solution was to load the previous kernel. and I thought the grub entries I posted did that. if not my computer is booting now.

[antikythera]

That only works once you have loaded the older kernel again from the advanced menu AFTER following your instructions to alter grub and update it. Otherwise it will continue loading the normal choice of the latest kernel installed.

[Cosmo.]

I don't know why Mint doesn't make this the default but it is what it is!

Take the following situation:
You have a computer with a Linux distro. Now you install a second Linux distro, dual-boot. After installing the second system you reboot and what do you expect: Of course, that the new system gets selected in the grub menu and after some seconds loaded. But with the settings you mentioned this will not happen. There will be not so many users, who find this sexy.

Further more this possibility is not made to prevent the loading of a new kernel, which has been installed out of a reason.

Third: There are users, who want it as you use it. There are others, who want to have pre-selected the first or the second or whatever system in the grub menu. Why should be your choice the default for everybody? There is only one thing near to sure: Who installs anything (here a system), wants to load it afterwards. Users, who have another choice, must set their choice.