Not using latest kernel [SOLVED]

[fotoderek]

This is my first posting so I hope it is not considered disrespectful to tag onto this topic. I realise that the OP query involves additional software, Grub Customiser, which I don't have. However, the problem is otherwise the same.

I have acquired a new PC and installed Mint 18 Cinnamon from the cover disk of Linux Format 214. The kernel is 4.4.0-21 generic. Following the advice from earlier in this this thread

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub

, rebooting and applying

Code: Select all

sudo grub-mkconfig|grep Found

says I still only have 4.4.0-21; nothing else!

I'm assuming that other difficulties with the installation (which I will post elsewhere on the Forum) stem from this discrepancy.
Thanks for your tolerance and in anticipation of some help.

[WharfRat]

fotoderek,

I started a new topic for you. I

Can you paste back the results of sudo update-grub for the rest of us to see.

And also ls -lh /boot/vm*

[fotoderek]

Hello,

Thanks for editing my post. I wasn't sure which way to jump!

Back to the problem:

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub

produces:

Code: Select all

Generating grub configuration file ...
Warning: Setting GRUB_TIMEOUT to a non-zero value when GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT is set is no longer supported.
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-138-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-138-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-21-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-21-generic
Adding boot menu entry for EFI firmware configuration
done

Meanwhile,

Code: Select all

ls -lh /boot/vm*

produces:

Code: Select all

-rw------- 1 root root 6.9M Oct  2 20:22 /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-138-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 6.7M Jun 28  2016 /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-21-generic

All I appear to have achieved is to move further along the 4.4.0 trail, but not to progress to a more 'modern' kernel. Strange, or what?

[Pjotr]

Hello,

All I appear to have achieved is to move further along the 4.4.0 trail, but not to progress to a more 'modern' kernel. Strange, or what?

Not strange. The 4.4 kernel series is long term supported for the duration of the Mint 18 series (i.e. until May, 2021).

Which means that essential security fixes will be backported into it, so you're entirely OK and secure with your current kernel.

[gm10]

^ this. You can upgrade to 4.15 kernels by running this:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04 

But if it's a new computer and you want "modern", consider installing Linux Mint 19 instead of the old release you are using.

[BG405]

It's well worth posting the output of inxi -Fxz as your hardware may benefit from a newer kernel series. In case upgrading the kernel breaks something, you should be able to boot using the previous (working) one via the GRUB menu.

The command uname -r shows your currently loaded kernel version.

[fotoderek]

Hello gm10,
I have other issues which I hoped would be rectified by addressing the kernel question. I am, however, not keen to move on to the 'modern' version which, judging by the number of references to problems with Mint 19 on this forum, leaves a lot to be desired. Also, I have a disk for Mint 18, dated Summer, 2016, whereas I don't fancy the rigmarole of downloading and checking a massive suite of files, for which process I don't have reliable understanding. Thank you, anyway for your suggestions.

Hello BG405,

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz

produces

Code: Select all

System:    Host: coachman-PC-2321 Kernel: 4.4.0-138-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.0.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18 Sarah
Machine:   System: NOVATECH product: PC-2321 v: V1.0
           Mobo: Gigabyte model: H310M S2H v: x.x
           Bios: American Megatrends v: FC date: 06/26/2018
CPU:       Dual core Intel Pentium Gold G5400 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 4096 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 14783
           clock speeds: max: 3700 MHz 1: 2149 MHz 2: 799 MHz 3: 799 MHz
           4: 844 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Device 3e90 bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.3 drivers: fbdev (unloaded: vesa)
           Resolution: 1024x768@76.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on llvmpipe (LLVM 3.8, 128 bits)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel Device a348 driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3
           Card-2 Texas Instruments PCM2900 Audio Codec
           driver: USB Audio usb-ID: 001-003
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-138-generic
Network:   Card-1: Ralink RT5392 PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
           driver: rt2800pci v: 2.3.0 bus-ID: 01:00.0
           IF: wlp1s0 state: up mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 3000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 2000.4GB (1.9% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD20EZRZ size: 2000.4GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 1.8T used: 32G (2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/dm-0
           ID-2: /boot size: 473M used: 112M (25%) fs: ext2 dev: /dev/sda2
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 4.15GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-1
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 27.8C mobo: 16.8C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 182 Uptime: 5:39 Memory: 939.9/3814.2MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.3.1
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

As you can see, the PC is not endowed with bells and whistles, just a basic workhorse.

[gm10]

I have other issues which I hoped would be rectified by addressing the kernel question. I am, however, not keen to move on to the 'modern' version which, judging by the number of references to problems with Mint 19 on this forum, leaves a lot to be desired. Also, I have a disk for Mint 18, dated Summer, 2016, whereas I don't fancy the rigmarole of downloading and checking a massive suite of files, for which process I don't have reliable understanding. Thank you, anyway for your suggestions.

You'd only need to download a single file for Mint 19. It's just that your hardware is newer than your operating system, that's why you're running into driver issues like with your graphics driver. And of course you see references about problems on a support forum, this is pretty much all this forum is about.

But either way, if you run the commands I gave you before then you'll already upgrade your kernel and display server, which may be enough to fix your immediate issues, so I suggest you do at least that.

[Moem]

I don't fancy the rigmarole of downloading and checking a massive suite of files, for which process I don't have reliable understanding.

If you'd want to get an overview of how it's done, you can check the instructions here: https://linuxmint-installation-guide.re ... en/latest/

[fotoderek]

Hello again gm10,
I have taken your advice and obtained the latest kernel. The result was quite staggering. The PC now recognises the monitor, wifi is working, and the printer has its full functions. Thank you for sage advice. That is two threads to be marked [solved]!
Derek

[Moem]

That is two threads to be marked [solved]!

Excellent! You can do that by editing the first post in the topic, and change the title; that will change the title for the entire topic. Thanks!