Live USB: How to update kernel?

Support Kernel
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I am running a Live USB of GNOME with the 5.10 LTS kernel. I am running some tests on the Live USB so I don’t want to install to disk just yet.

How do I upgrade the kernel to something like 5.12?

There is another distro that has a live USB kernel updater but I don’t see anything for Manjaro/Arch.

I think a reboot is always required after kernel updates, but rebooting a Live USB loses all changes.

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Hello.

Indeed, so you can’t really update the kernel on a live USB. You can build your own ISO that uses 5.12, I built one recently to test some stuff out: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IiXTj30jF9cSoFpBFxrZgTdZv6_xukQz/view

Note: That is based off the unstable branch and I do not recommend installing it on your system, this is just an ISO I use to test some crap. I am not sure why you need an ISO with 5.12 exactly, incompatible hardware?

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New kernel will not take effect until you reboot, and when doing a reboot on a live USB all changes are reverted.

This has to be done on a proper install.

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I would recommend you to build your own ISO instead of downloading ISO out of other random people’s google drive on the internet. No offense but this is basic security principles.

Here is quick tutorial to build your own ISO very easily from GitHub:

change the kernel version in the config (and the profile to use, kde, xfce, gnome, whatever) and you’re done. Watch the video once, then try it following the video again, this is easy.

The live environment is immutable I think. What you install goes to the RAM if I’m not wrong (and is flushed on reboot), and nothing can be modified in the live environment as far as I know.

1 Like
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@Evernow

I am not sure why you need an ISO with 5.12 exactly, incompatible hardware?

Yes, the 5.10 kernel might be the issue for getting screen rotation to work: 2in1 no tablet mode - #12 by pobrn

Thanks @omano Agree about the basic security measures of building my own. Plus I’ll learn something!

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