So with the last update I ran a new Kernel was installed (which surprised me in itself because only recently I thought I found out that new Kernels are not installed with simple system updates). But it caused some issues for me so I thought let’s go back to the last one I ran.
The GUI Kernel tool now says I have 2 Kernels installed (one running), and the older one I’m pretty sure is not the one I had before (might be wrong) because it’s pretty old (5.10 from 2020) and I updated the Kernel pretty recently.
So I wonder how I even select a Kernel, if “install” and “running” are two different things. Also I’d like to know which Kernel I actually had before. Or should I just “install” the last recent one before this?
It depends on how you define “a newer kernel”. LTS kernels — which includes 5.10 — are supported for many years and continue receiving bugfix patches and security updates. Therefore, if you have such a kernel installed, it will be replaced by a newer kernel of the same generation, i.e. a newer 5.10.xxx kernel, whereby the “xxx” will be a higher number than the one you had before updating.
That which you call “the newer kernel” — you did not tell us what version it is — may have a higher version number than the 5.10 kernel, but it is perfectly possible to have multiple kernels installed, and all of them will be updated with security patches and bugfixes for as long as they are not EOL (“end-of-life”).
Upon booting, grub will by default pick the kernel with the highest version number, unless you manually chose another kernel via the “Advanced options for Manjaro Linux” entry in the boot menu, and then upon the next boot, grub will remember that this was the kernel you had booted the previous time, and will boot that kernel instead.
As for which kernel is best for you, that all depends on your hardware. If your hardware is bleeding-edge, then you might be best off with the most recent stable kernel, which is 6.5.9-1. If on the other hand you do not have the very latest and bleeding-edge hardware, then you might be better off with the most recent LTS kernel, which is currently 6.6.34-1. However, you could also do very well with 6.1.94-1, which is the LTS kernel I myself am using right now.
After updating, you must always reboot, because the kernel you would be running during the update process is no longer the updated kernel on your drive. The only way to load a new or updated kernel is to reboot.
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“Install” means download a kernel and put it in place on your disc.
“running” means it’s the kernel currently loaded in RAM.
Generally speaking, when you install a newer kernel, that will be automatically be used next time you reboot.
You can select a different kernel at boot time by choosing it from the GRUB menu. If you choose a different kernel at this point, it will become the default kernel until you change it again (or install another new one).
If GRUB doesn’t display at boot time (perhaps because you’ve got it configured just to go straight ahead), I believe holding down the key as you power up will make it show.
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Thank you guys, this was helpful.
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Holding shift or esc key shows the hidden menu…i always forget which one 
grep "upgraded linux[0-9]" /var/log/pacman.log
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