Kernel question on when to update

[chatan]

When I was running Netrunner rolling it had a neat kernel tool and I was always able to tell what I was running or should be running and what was LTS.   (I have no reason to run anything other than LTS!)

I'm currently running

$ uname -r
4.4.0-47-generic

...and update manager (see screenshot attached) is listing an kernel update: it says "security update)" but it is a level five update and in the preferences, a level description for 5 is: "Dangerous update.  Known to affect stability..." etc etc.

Should I install? Please educate me.
Thanks!

[leszek]

It is an LTS kerne update. You can update it. By default the kernel will be installed alongside so you can boot the old one if anything goes wrong.
Level 5 only indicates that this is an update that might break your experience.

[Kurtbw]

While we're on the subject, how does Maui Linux get rid of the older kernels after updating?

I can understand having the previous one hanging around after an update, but if I end up with several, should I have concerns?  Should I delete older ones, and how might I do that?

(be nice, I'm still getting used to Linux   )

Thanks.

[leszek]

Yes you need to remove them manually via apt-get or synaptic.

[Kurtbw]

Yes you need to remove them manually via apt-get or synaptic.

Thanks!

[Pliny.D.Elder]

dpkg -l | grep linux-image

That will give you kernels installed.

Mine looks like this....

i linux-image-4.4.0-51-generic 4.4.0-51.72 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-53-generic 4.4.0-53.74 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-57-generic 4.4.0-57.78 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-51-generic 4.4.0-51.72 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-53-generic 4.4.0-53.74 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-57-generic 4.4.0-57.78 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-generic 4.4.0.57.60 amd64 Generic Linux kernel image

As you can see I have 3 installed. I like to keep 2 so I would in a terminal

sudo apt --purge remove linux-image-4.4.0-51-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-51-generic

Hope that helps.

[AJSlye]

Yep, that looks about right to me. However, I'm not sure purge is necessary though.

[kdemeoz]

Alternatively, for those who prefer to do it graphically: