changing kernels on a running live system is now supported :-)

[yop]

NEWSBREAK: BitJam made a tool to run any kernel you want.

A few rough edges left but otherwise you will ultimately succeed to change to an alternative kernel starting from e.g. this link

https://mxu3.github.io/live-kernel-updater

By the time you read this, MX distro has a tool to run any kernel basically. We are working on streamlining the whole process. Stand by.

The script worked to change kernel in the "local (primary) installed live-MX" as well as a secondary SD-card MX, which was plugged in a USB 3.0 socket.
However, the prior kernel install to be performed might quite possibly issue some error messages. But heck... push on regardless .

In case of failure: erase SD-card and retry

----------------------------------------- old version of the post :


changing kernels on a running live system is not yet supported

meaning: it is not working and screws up the whole system, if you try it. But its poss to unscrew the system afterwards...

was: "no luck with alt. kernels here - which is a stable alternative kernel ?"



on my desktop m/c I usually can run most kernels. yet the alternative debian & liquorix kernel freeze after usb devices are found : fallback shell initrd

the original debian-live works no problem. tried 4 kernels now which are installable from synaptic & mc-tools. always same freezing and initrd fallback shell.

I also tried noacpi , fallback asf. boot options from the extlinux menu which did not change anything.

is there a kernel that is known to be very stable on many hardwares ?

[m_pav]

Never heard of this before, and I've run MX-15 on hundreds of systems and prior to that, MX-14 on thousands, never had a single instance of crash or freezing on USB insertion, though I have seen kernel messages about over voltage on USB ports and instability associated with it. I have also seen how certain graphics chips can be troublesome, in particular Intel Broadwell U, such as my own laptop.

New users used to get some forum guidelines on their first login to assist them with asking for assistance, not sure if that's still happening. Usually, when requesting assistance, you can help us to help you by posting the specs of your machine along with your request. Our manual has good pointers on using the right tools for this purpose, look for inxi 2 lines above section 6.6.

The manual is available either by the Manuals link near the top of this page, or by clicking your Launcher icon and typing help.

[yop]

I run a live-USB KDE-MX-15 which I already remastered several times.

Kernel install as well as uninstall is a pain, because it runs into several errors (dpkg, grub and more). I had to manually delete many files to keep synaptic & apt-get going.

I am not sure whether kernel install / deinst with synaptic & mx-tool can be considered stable.

now the system works, as long as I do not try to uninstall or reinstall those kernels...

[yop]

it would be helpful if other MX-15 users could tell me whether adding kernels in live-USB usually works well via GUI (synaptic, mx-tools).

[dolphin_oracle]

changing kernels on a running live system is not yet supported. That's a feature that is coming, but its not here yet. It can be done, but its amazingly difficult and manual. The initrd is one of the things that don't get updated correctly (if at all) when new kernels are installed on a live system. Its easy on an installed system, hard on a live system.

On my custom-mx spins that require other kernels (like for my lenovo and chromebook), I install them on a virtual machine, change the kernel, then snapshot the VM install and use the resulting iso to make liveUSBs.

[yop]

would be nice if such info was available before the MX users waste half a day on a non-feature. oh , well... ;-) thx, dolphin!

[v3g4n]

You also could have asked before wasting half a day.

[yop]

You also could have asked before wasting half a day.

OK, then let me ask another question right on time:

What other things are unsupported, even though the GUI offers it?
I did read the help file, it said nothing on unsupported kernel-changing...
What do I need to ask, before I waste another half a day?

[Jerry3904]

Easy, buddy...

[dolphin_oracle]

changing the kernel is a seemingly reasonable thing to want to do, and live system we employ does tend to make us believe we can do anything with it. and you almost can.

The apt and update-initramfs tools that debian provides for kernel installations assume an installed system, with an init ram drive (initrd) that debian understands and expects, in a location that it expects. Ours has all the custom live boot stuff in it, and is in a location suitable for our live system to allow mounting of the rest of the compressed file system. In fact, its the initrd system that loads the persistence files and does all the other cool magic the live system can do. In a very real way, the initrd lives outside the usual linux filesystem contained in the linuxfs and rootfs squash filesystem files that the live system uses.

Unfortunately it also means that updating the kernel on the live system is fairly complicated and not automatic. Even when this gets supported in the future, it will likely require use of a custom tool to do the job.