Score:0

Reasonable to be nervous when updating kernel packages?

by flag

Everytime I run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade and the results include:

  • linux-headers-*, linux-modules-*, etc., and/or
  • update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-*, etc.

I get nervous that something will go wrong and my machine will be unusable (at least temporarily), especially if the boot is funked. Maybe my fears are rooted in the windows dual-boot-wipe rite of passage.

Is this reasonable? Can someone allay my fears and let me upgrade in peace?

jessexknight avatar
by flag
Sorry if this is off-topic, but I can't be the only one...!
Organic Marble avatar
us flag
If an issue occurs with the new kernel - rare, but it has happened - you can use the grub screen to boot into the previous kernel. So, no worries.
jessexknight avatar
by flag
Until I remove them, right? Like `The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required` -- I always wait a few boot cycles before removing any `linux-*` packages, for this reason
Organic Marble avatar
us flag
The newest-but-one kernel will not be automatically removed. Older ones will be.
Score:0
sd flag

It's safe.
Not only do you have the previous version to fall back on at GRUB, you have recovery mode for both.
For what it is worth I use sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade && sudo apt-get autoremove && sudo apt-get autoclean && sudo snap refresh although you can split our the auto remove and auto clean. I also have my system set to delete the package files once installed as I use apt-cacher-ng on a local server to hold all of these and share across multiple devices reducing bandwidth and install times.

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