up2date on kernel

[Pettit, Paul]

> Ed Wilts wrote:
> 
> On Thu, Apr 07, 2005 at 02:56:49PM -0500, Pettit, Paul wrote:
> > Because the 'stock' kernels that up2date would download may 
> not be right
> > for your (or many other) setup. Also up2date does updates 
> to currently
> > installed packages, when "updating" a kernel you should 
> *install* (rpm
> > -i) new kernel packages not upgrade. This is to ensure that 
> if the new
> > kernel is not going to work on your box you can just boot to the
> > previously working one.
> 
> up2date does do this correctly.  It always installs new 
> kernels and does
> not delete the older ones.
> 

Be that as it may I don't mind manually updating the kernel and I'd
recommend NOT auto updating it, as a general rule, to anyone. I remember
many times where updates to kernels came fast and furious, if I had auto
updated the kernel durring that time I would have had to go back and
clear out a ton of defunct kernels. :P Maybe those days are gone, it
certainly seems like certain updates are happening slower but a bit of
patience and some hands on work never hurts IMHO.

> > In general it's recommended that you manually "upgrade" to 
> new kernels
> > thus to make sure nothing bad happens.
> 
> That's old news.  up2date works fine these days.
> 

Guess I'm an old hat then. :)

Good to know that (installing upgraded kernels) has been fixed however I
was refering to the kernel working with the hardware said updated box
has. You can never tell till boot that some change in the kernel will or
won't cause a problem. I see no reason to be complacent about something
so critical.

Personally I'll stick to what has always worked and kept my boxes
running. IMHO there are just some things that shouldn't be auto updated,
the kernel is one.

Paul Pettit
CTO and IS Manager
Consistent Computer Bargains Inc.

I've heard it said that the proof of lunacy is when you repeat the same
steps expecting different results.  I say it's proof that you're a
Microsoft user. - comment by deshi777 on experts-exchange.com