Cannot uninstall kernel via Manjaro Settings Manager due to meta package dependency

Support Kernel
1

I encountered an issue where I was unable to remove an older kernel using the graphical tool in Manjaro Settings Manager → Kernels. The process would fail due to a dependency conflict with meta packages, even though my system had multiple other supported kernels installed and would have remained bootable.

I was, however, able to successfully remove the kernel via the command line. This suggests the graphical tool isn’t handling this specific dependency scenario as gracefully as it could.

I had three kernels installed (linux612, linux616, linux617) and was booted into the newest one (6.17.5-1-MANJARO). The system had two other valid, bootable kernels (linux612 and linux617), so removing linux616 would not have caused any issues because was not the one being run.

In Manjaro Settings Manager → Kernels, I clicked the “Remove” button for the linux616 kernel.

checking dependencies...
error: failed to prepare transaction (could not satisfy dependencies)
:: removing linux616 breaks dependency 'linux616' required by linux-meta
:: removing linux616-nvidia breaks dependency 'linux616-nvidia' required by linux-nvidia-meta

I expected the graphical tool to recognize that other valid kernels were present and allow the removal, perhaps by identifying the conflict and offering to also remove the now-unnecessary linux-meta packages.

I was able to resolve this by manually removing the meta packages first, and then the kernel. This worked perfectly:

step 1

sudo pacman -R linux-meta linux-nvidia-meta

step 2

sudo pacman -R linux616 linux616-headers linux616-nvidia

After the workaround, my system was left with two healthy kernels, as shown here:

$ pacman -Q |grep "linux6"
linux612 6.12.55-1
linux612-headers 6.12.55-1
linux612-nvidia-open 580.95.05-7
linux612-virtualbox-host-modules 7.2.4-2
linux617 6.17.5-1

Manjaro Settings Manager’s kernel tool could automatically detect this dependency on linux-meta and linux-nvidia-meta. If other supported kernels are installed, the tool should be able to handle the removal of these meta packages as part of the process.

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2

You could have just left linux616 on your system and let linux-meta remove it automatically when linux616 is removed from the repos. I don’t bother manually removing unsupported kernels anymore - I let linux-meta handle that process. However, I do still manually install new kernels when they arrive in the repos, so I currently have 4 installed on my Testing branch system:

mhwd-kernel -li  
Currently running: 6.18.0-rc2-1-MANJARO (linux618)
The following kernels are installed in your system:
   * linux612
   * linux616
   * linux617
   * linux618

When linux616 is removed from the repos, I will let linux-meta, which will then be updated to require linux617, remove linux616 from my machine (as was the case when linux615 was removed from the repos):

[2025-09-27T19:25:28+1000] [ALPM] removed linux615 (6.15.11-2)
[2025-09-27T19:25:35+1000] [ALPM] upgraded linux-meta (6.15-1 -> 6.16-1)

The purpose of the linux-meta package is to ensure that users are not left running an unsupported kernel. When a kernel has reached EOL and is removed from the repos, the next available kernel is automatically installed.

However, linux-meta is not a required package, and Manjaro users who wish to manage their kernels themselves can remove it (as you have done).

One thing I do also recommend for users letting linux-meta manage their kernels is that they also install the kernel-modules-hook package. That will help their system remain operational if the running kernel is removed by linux-meta during an update. Of course, a reboot should be done ASAP after any system update which includes a kernel update.

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