How do I use apt-get to update to the latest kernel?

My current kernel is 3.2.0-26 (my main computer) while on another of my Ubuntu computers, with which I didn't fiddle with unofficial updates, it's 3.2.0-30. Yet the Update manager on my main computer doesn't show available kernel updates. It shows other updates though.

I suspect is due to the fact that in the past I installed multiple mainline kernel versions (not recommended versions), up to 3.5* series.

What I'm after: Either: Fix automatic kernel updates. Or: Learn about a way to check for the latest official ubuntu kernel version and get it manually (I know how to install kernels from debs)

What I have already tried: Uninstalled unused kernels including "the generic one without a number" as per and then also

0

3 Answers

Your problem with automatic updates may be because of the mainline kernels or because you removed the "generic" package.

You can update to the latest kernel via apt-get as follows:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-image-`uname -r`

If you also need the headers (to compile kernel modules such as wireless drivers):

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`

2

In case you only want to update the default kernel you should be able to fix it with:

sudo apt-get install linux-image-generic

Since linux-image-generic always depends on the newest default kernel of your distribution, the kernel gets upgraded with the rest of the packages when you run apt-get upgrade.

When you want to update a non default kernel you can do this by running this script:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
sudo apt-get update
kernel_release="$(uname -r | cut --complement -d'.' -f3)"
kernel_release_versions="$(apt-cache search linux-image-${kernel_release})"
kernel_release_versions_generic="$(grep linux-image-"${kernel_release_version}".*-generic <<< "$kernel_release_versions")"
newest_kernel_of_release="$(echo "$kernel_release_versions_generic" | tail -n1 | cut -d' ' -f1 )"
sudo apt-get install $newest_kernel_of_release
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If you also need the header files, additionally run the following:

newest_kernel_of_release_headers=${newest_kernel_of_release/image/headers}
sudo apt-get install $newest_kernel_of_release_headers

4

"You should be able to use any of the listed mirrors by adding a line to your /etc/apt/sources.list like this:

deb raring-security main

"

via

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