Kernel Updates, is it advisable?

[andrewgouw]

My system is a LM 17.3 with the original kernel from when it was first installed as follows:
Operating System: Linux Mint 17.3 Cinnamon 64-bit
Cinnamon Version: 2.8.8
Linux Kernel: 3.13.0-37-generic.
Processor: AMD FX-8320 Eight-Core Processor x4
Memory: 15.7 GiB
I understand that the kernel version is already up to version: 4.4.0-98
If I update to this latest version what can I expect?

[slipstick]

The current version in the 4.4.0 series is 4.4.0-116 which has the latest patches for the Meltdown/Spectre exploits. I am running LM 17.3 with this -116 version kernel and it works great. Install the new kernel, but keep your old one - then if the new one doesn't work for you, you can select the old one at bootup from the "advanced options" menu in GRUB. Note - in the Update Manager, the version numbers greater than 100 are listed before the -9x versions (because 1 comes before 9 )

[Cosmo.]

If kernel 3.13 for works for you, you should better stay with it. kernel 3.13 is still supported and will so until LM 17.3 has reached its end in one year. Update to the latest available version of the 3.13 series. It should get offered in the level 5 section of the update manager.

[andrewgouw]

I'll try the update, although I might be looking for trouble, but what the heck, you won't learn if you don't dare to try.
So if it fails will it still let me boot or will I be totally out?

[slipstick]

If you don't delete your 3.13 kernel, then when you reboot you can choose the advanced options in GRUB (should be the second menu item), then select which kernel you want to boot. Boot from the 3.13 kernel and then in Update Manager, delete the 4.0.4 kernel that didn't work. Reboot again and you should automatically be back on 3.13 just as you are now. Note - if you don't delete the non-working 4.0.4 kernel, you will have to select advanced options everytime you boot in order to use the 3.13 kernel.

Cosmo.'s advice to stay with the 3.13 is, of course the safest option for the present, but in a year that will no longer be supported. By trying out the 4.0.4-116 kernel now you will learn whether or not it works for you. If it works, you know that you have a kernel in a series that will be supported for another 3 years with LM 18.3. If it doesn't work, then you have a year to decide what to do and will not be forced into a hasty decision. If you decide to stay with 3.13, then do as Cosmo. advised and upgrade to the latest kernel in that series. Either way you will need to change kernels, though staying within the 3.13 series is less likely to cause problems.

[andrewgouw]

You do boost my confidence. I will do as you said and update to 4.4.0-116 and hope it will work out.
Thanks for your help.

[andrewgouw]

I have just updated my kernel from 3.13.0-37 to 4.4.0-116
How do I boot to the new kernel?

[slipstick]

I have just updated my kernel from 3.13.0-37 to 4.4.0-116
How do I boot to the new kernel?

Just boot as normal - the new kernel should be automatically selected. If you want to make sure you are using the new kernel, open a terminal and enter

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uname -a

[andrewgouw]

I did just that and it does not show any 4.4 kernel. After boot sysinfo still reports I am in 3.13.
In /boot/grub/grub.cfg there is this mention: "menuentry 'Linux Mint 17.3 Cinnamon 64-bit, 4.4.0-116-generic (/dev/sdb2)"
but at boot the menu onlu mentioned 3.13 as usual.

[slipstick]

That's odd. I have updated the kernel several times and had no problems. I don't understand how /boot/grub/grub.cfg can have a menuentry for the 4.4.0-116 kernel and not display it at boot. Can you list what you see on the menu at boot time - each menu item in the order they occur? I think you can just hit a key, like the space bar or a down arrow to make the 10 second timeout stop to give you time to copy that down - then type it in to your next post here. It would also be helpful if you could copy and paste all the menuentry items in your /boot/grub/grub.cfg file, starting with the first "menuentry ...." through the "initrd ...." line in the last menuentry.

[andrewgouw]

The menu items at bootup are:
1. Limux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon 64-Bit, 3.13.0-37 generic (dev/sdb2)
2. Limux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon 64-Bit, 3.13.0-37 generic (dev/sdb2) Recovery
3. Memory test (memtest86+)
4. Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 113200)
5. Windows 7 (loader) on /dev/sdb2)

The Linux Mint 17.1 has not been changed when I updated from 17.1 to 17.2 to 17.3
Kernel was never updated. Usually the boot menu stays for 10 seconds before it boots to Linux Mint by default but a month or so ago it stops doing that. It sits there until I actually press the enter key to select.
What is causing that is unknown to me, and I have gotten used to it since I seldom reboot my computer. Maybe it is time that I do a fresh install of Linux Mint 18. The problem is the Windows licenses are a pain in the butt.
Hope you can help me out here.

[MrEen]

Maybe try sudo update-grub in the terminal, then reboot?

[slipstick]

It's almost like your bootloader isn't executing /boot/grub/grub.cfg, but is pointed somewhere else. Do you know if your system is UEFI/gpt or BIOS/MBR ?

To get some data, can you post the results of

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sudo parted -l && sudo blkid -o list

[andrewgouw]

First of all I have done "sudo update-grub" and rebooted. Nothing changed.
Here are the results of "sudo parted -l" and "sudo blkid -o list"
/dev/sdc is the Windows 7 system disk.

[JerryF]

I did just that and it does not show any 4.4 kernel. After boot sysinfo still reports I am in 3.13.
In /boot/grub/grub.cfg there is this mention: "menuentry 'Linux Mint 17.3 Cinnamon 64-bit, 4.4.0-116-generic (/dev/sdb2)"
but at boot the menu onlu mentioned 3.13 as usual.

Have you used Grub Customizer before? That may be the reason you're not booting with the currently installed kernel.

[slipstick]

I'm thoroughly confused now - why do your menu entries point to sdb2 which is a ntfs formatted partition - looks like they should say sda2, not sdb2. Did you install your bootloader to sdb2? My knowledge of msdos systems is a little shaky - I am more familiar with UEFI/gpt, which is what I have. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will help out here.

[MrEen]

I did just that and it does not show any 4.4 kernel. After boot sysinfo still reports I am in 3.13.
In /boot/grub/grub.cfg there is this mention: "menuentry 'Linux Mint 17.3 Cinnamon 64-bit, 4.4.0-116-generic (/dev/sdb2)"
but at boot the menu onlu mentioned 3.13 as usual.

Have you used Grub Customizer before? That may be the reason you're not booting with the currently installed kernel.

Good thinking. /dev/sdb2 is NOT where linux resides.

[andrewgouw]

I am puzzled myself. /dev/sdb is the Linux boot drive. /dev/sda is a new HDD with 2 partitions and formatted in NTFS because it is for data backup. Right now it is identified as /dev/sde.
I am flabbergasted myself what is going on with my system. Every time now if this new drive is not /dev/sda the drive is deemed corrupted and cannot be read. I really am afraid now that I have to do a new install.
Bummer. So far I think /bin/grub.d and /etc/fstab don't work right or even not at all. That it still boot and I can still do my stuff is beyond me.

[slipstick]

I don't understand what you mean when you say that /dev/sda has two partitions and is identified now as /dev/sde. That isn't what is shown in the screen shots. ???

There is one more way to gather information about your partition and boot setup that could be useful. Open a terminal window and run

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apt install bootinfoscript

then run

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sudo bootinfoscript

This should leave a file RESULTS.txt in your home directory. Copy and paste it here inside of Code blocks; i.e., click on the </> icon at the top of the reply box and then paste the file data in between the two brackets with the words "code" and "/code".

[andrewgouw]

/dev/sda1 and /dev/sda2 are listed as type ext4
/dev/sde1 and /dev/sde2 are listed as type ntfs
/dev/sde is the new hard drive that is partitioned and formated in ntfs while
/dev/sda is the system disk now. It used to be /dev/sdb and I don't know what made it change.
Attached is the result of the command you suggested. Did I do something wrong?