kernel upgrade with yum removed old kernels

[Nigel Henry]

On Sunday 06 May 2007 22:16, Martin Marques wrote:
> I just finished upgrading the kernels in my FC6 with yum and I see this
> at the end:
>
> Removed: kernel.i686 0:2.6.20-1.2933.fc6 kernel.i686 0:2.6.18-1.2798.fc6
> Installed: kernel.i686 0:2.6.20-1.2948.fc6
>
> Now, why did it remove does kernel? Shouldn't it just install the new
> ones and leave old ones there?
>
> --
> select 'mmarques' || '@' || 'unl.edu.ar' AS email;
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Martín Marqués          |   Programador, DBA
> Centro de Telemática |     Administrador
>                 Universidad Nacional
>                      del Litoral
> ---------------------------------------------------------

Yum by default only keeps 2 kernels. If you go to /etc/yum, and I'm running 
FC2 at the moment so can't check, but in /etc/yum IIRC there are 2 
directories. One has to do with plugins. You want the installonlyn plugin. In 
this one change the line "enable=1" to "enable=0". Now all your kernels will 
be saved, and if you want to remove specific kernels you can do it using 
yumex.

I use Apt, not Yum, and personally think that this default behaviour of Yum is 
potentially risky.

For example. You have a kernel installed when you installed FC6, and this 
works ok. You do a yum update, and a newer kernel is installed. For some 
reason this kernel does not work. Some time later after another yum update, 
another kernel update is installed, which removes your original kernel. If 
the latest kernel doesn't work, you are stuffed, as your original kernel, 
which did work has been removed by yum.

Personally I'm glad that I use Apt. I don't have to suffer this Yum stuff.

1:  Apt keeps all kernels. You decide which ones you want to remove.

2: Yum trashes all the downloaded files as default, once the update is 
completed. Apt saves them as default in /var/cache/apt/archives. If you are 
getting a bit close to critical on harddrive space , and don't need the 
archives, you can do an apt-get clean, and it will send them to the trash, 
but at least you are in control.

Allright having the cache saved as default does consume some harddrive space. 
I'm on dialup, and may want to install another instance of FC6 on another 
partition. It makes sense to retain the cache. It not only saves wasting 
Internet bandwidth, but also time on my dialup connection.  I won't rant on 
any more, but do think that it would be more convenient for users if Yum:

1: Had the installonlyn plugin set as enabled=0

and

2: Had "keep cache=1" in /etc/yum.conf


My2¢ worth for what it's worth.

Nigel.