[SOLVED] Slackware --Current - Kernel-headers updates

bitfuzzy · 02-22-2021, 07:43 AM

This is likely a dumb question, but hey what's one more

I've elected to temporarily stay on the 5.4.84 kernel due to stability issues with 5.10

I do periodically try the updated kernels but so far usually end up dropping back down after a day or two

Anyway my question is this:

Using the 5.4.84 kernel, should I be upgrading to the current kernel-headers?
(kernel-headers-5.10.17-x86-1.txz) or should I be using 5.4.84 kernel-headers

Or does it not matter eitherway

chrisretusn · 02-22-2021, 08:05 AM

This is what I would do in your situation. I would use the kernel-headers-5.4.84 package and stop upgrading kernel-headers from -current. For two reasons. First your are using the 5.4 series kernel, not the 5.10 series. Second simply because the kernel-headers version number matched the kernel you plan to use.

Martinus2u · 02-22-2021, 10:28 AM

if memory serves correctly, the kernel headers should match your glibc, not your boot kernel.

andygoth · 02-22-2021, 11:28 AM

Quote:

The VirtualBox error message from you first post was referring to building kernel modules and for that it needs the kernel source files. The kernel source tree headers only should suffice, but as I previously stated, Slackware doesn't provide you with such a package. The kernel headers Slackware provides are the collection provided by the kernel to be used by the toolchain (compiler), and that's where the original term "kernel headers" comes from:
https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documenta...rs_install.txt

Therefore, upgrade kernel-headers only in combination with glibc.

Yeah, this is a confusing situation. I wonder if there's any reason not to merge the kernel-headers Slackware package into the glibc Slackware package.

Gordie · 02-22-2021, 11:37 AM

I add extra kernels with installpkg and adjust lilo.conf accordingly.

Kernel Headers I install with each kernel because that is how I see them in the ChangeLog:

Code:

5.4.84/kernel-firmware-20201130_7455a36-noarch-1.txz
5.4.84/kernel-generic-5.4.84-x86_64-1.txz
5.4.84/kernel-headers-5.4.84-x86-1.txz
5.4.84/kernel-huge-5.4.84-x86_64-1.txz
5.4.84/kernel-modules-5.4.84-x86_64-1.txz
5.4.84/kernel-source-5.4.84-noarch-1.txz


5.10.17/kernel-firmware-20210211_f7915a0-noarch-1.txz
5.10.17/kernel-generic-5.10.17-x86_64-1.txz
5.10.17/kernel-headers-5.10.17-x86-1.txz
5.10.17/kernel-huge-5.10.17-x86_64-1.txz
5.10.17/kernel-modules-5.10.17-x86_64-1.txz
5.10.17/kernel-source-5.10.17-noarch-1.txz

It is the kernel-firmware that is released as a separate update on the ChangeLog

bassmadrigal · 02-22-2021, 12:08 PM

The kernel-headers needing to be matched to glibc seems to be a relic of older times when the kernel was more volatile. Pat has stated that he's been upgrading the headers for years without matching them to glibc without issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkerdi

I always upgrade the kernel-headers package here. In theory, it could cause issues, but I've not run into any doing this for many years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkerdi

My recollection is that the warning was issued either as the kernel was going from 2.2 to 2.4, or from 2.4 to 2.6, and was a good warning then. Every kernel since 2.6 has basically followed a similar structure and I've encountered no incompatibilities using the kernel-headers from whatever kernel is installed, regardless of whether that's what glibc was compiled against.

That being said, I'd probably just stick with the kernel headers package of the kernel version you have installed.

GazL · 02-22-2021, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andygoth

I wonder if there's any reason not to merge the kernel-headers Slackware package into the glibc Slackware package.

Many distro do it that way, and it would be my preference.

Newer kernels can run with older headers and glibc built against those headers. This works because of Linus' rule #1 of kernel development: "We don't break userspace".

Older kernel with newer headers and glibc built against them could potentially hit incompatibilities. In practice you might get away with it, but it's best avoided.

I wouldn't feel comfortable running 5.10 headers and glibc, on top of a 5.4 kernel.

bitfuzzy · 02-22-2021, 07:10 PM

Okay thank you for the information. I am running 5.4 headers, was just wondering if I should be running newer versions.

What about the Kernel-Firmware updates?

chrisretusn · 02-22-2021, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bitfuzzy

Okay thank you for the information. I am running 5.4 headers, was just wondering if I should be running newer versions.

What about the Kernel-Firmware updates?

Let that package update with -current.