Linux Mint Forums

Is the default kernel in 18.3 already patched for the meltdown and spectre or not? That's what is confusing me, because I don't understand why a brand new installation of 18.3 requires a new kernel already. I don't udnerstand MESA and those other ones either. What is MESA? Completely new to this stuff!

No, the installation of Linux Mint is done from the DVD / USB thumb drive itself. After installing Linux Mint you should apply updates. You should apply all available updates level 1-3, and at least all security updates of higher level. Set up Timeshift so you can roll back updates if something doesn't work right (see installation guide, chapter on snapshots https://www.linuxmint.com/documentation.php). Mesa is the OpenGL driver https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesa_(computer_graphics).

Mr_Reed wrote:Is the default kernel in 18.3 already patched for the meltdown and spectre or not? That's what is confusing me, because I don't understand why a brand new installation of 18.3 requires a new kernel already.

18.3 was released around late November (Cinnamon/MATE) and mid December (xfce/KDE). The intended disclosure date for Meltdown & Spectre was January 09, and Ubuntu (who produce the kernels and many other packages used in Mint) barely made that date with Meltdown fixes. It's a bit hard to have something which may appear this week (?) available last month.

Mod note:
Split off from a different thread.