Should I upgrade the Kernel?

Support Kernel
1

I don’t really know what should I do. I’ve got the kernel update icon on my tray.
Should I install a newer kernel? Will I get more performance/ battery life etc or should I stay on LTS?

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image1041×1035 145 KB 

ystem:
  Kernel: 5.10.93-1-MANJARO x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.1.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.10-x86_64
    root=UUID=cc7be21e-d9d4-4881-841a-b047d2a1253a rw quiet
    udev.log_priority=3
  Desktop: Xfce 4.16.0 tk: Gtk 3.24.29 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm 4.16.1
    vt: 7 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Manjaro Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 20L6S1LV2F v: ThinkPad T480
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: 20L6S1LV2F v: SDK0J40697 WIN
    serial: <superuser required> UEFI: LENOVO v: N24ET67W (1.42 )
    date: 11/17/2021
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 14.5 Wh (78.0%) condition: 18.6/23.9 Wh (77.6%)
    volts: 11.9 min: 11.4 model: LGC 01AV489 type: Li-poly serial: <filter>
    status: Discharging cycles: 73
  ID-2: BAT1 charge: 1.1 Wh (5.3%) condition: 20.7/24.0 Wh (86.2%)
    volts: 10.6 min: 11.5 model: SMP 01AV452 type: Li-poly serial: <filter>
    status: N/A cycles: 173
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-8350U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Coffee Lake
    family: 6 model-id: 0x8E (142) stepping: 0xA (10) microcode: 0xEC
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 tpc: 2 threads: 8 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 256 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB L2: 1024 KiB desc: 4x256 KiB
    L3: 6 MiB desc: 1x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 400/3600 scaling: driver: intel_pstate
    governor: powersave cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 5: 800 6: 800 7: 800
    8: 800 bogomips: 30409
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf
    mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT vulnerable
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: spec_store_bypass
    mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp
  Type: spectre_v1
    mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Full generic retpoline, IBPB: conditional,
    IBRS_FW, STIBP: conditional, RSB filling
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel UHD Graphics 620 vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:5917 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Chicony Integrated Camera (1280x720@30) type: USB
    driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-8:3 chip-ID: 04f2:b604 class-ID: 0e02
    serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.21.1.3 compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.16.1 driver:
    loaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,vesa display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.0x11.2")
    s-diag: 582mm (22.9")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 158 size: 309x174mm (12.2x6.9")
    diag: 355mm (14")
  Message: Unable to show advanced data. Required tool glxinfo missing.
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Lenovo ThinkPad T480
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel alternate: snd_soc_skl bus-ID: 00:1f.3
    chip-ID: 8086:9d71 class-ID: 0403
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.10.93-1-MANJARO running: yes
  Sound Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.20 running: no
  Sound Server-3: PulseAudio v: 15.0 running: yes
  Sound Server-4: PipeWire v: 0.3.43 running: no
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-LM vendor: Lenovo driver: e1000e v: kernel
    port: N/A bus-ID: 00:1f.6 chip-ID: 8086:15d7 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp0s31f6 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Intel Wireless 8265 / 8275 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel
    bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:24fd class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 238.47 GiB used: 58.3 GiB (24.4%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Intel model: SSDPEKKF256G8L
    size: 238.47 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B
    speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: L14P
    temp: 27.9 C scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 118.93 GiB size: 116.5 GiB (97.96%)
    used: 58.28 GiB (50.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p5 maj-min: 259:5
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 100 MiB size: 96 MiB (96.00%)
    used: 25.3 MiB (26.3%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 60 (default) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
    file: /swapfile
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 38.0 C pch: 34.5 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0
Info:
  Processes: 261 Uptime: 3h 59m wakeups: 29 Memory: 7.52 GiB
  used: 2.06 GiB (27.5%) Init: systemd v: 250 tool: systemctl Compilers:
  gcc: 11.1.0 clang: 13.0.0 Packages: pacman: 1201 lib: 328 Shell: Bash
  v: 5.1.16 running-in: xfce4-terminal inxi: 3.3.12
2

it’s always a good idea to keep a backup kernel installed and yours is about to go away. the 4.x series have all been dropped, it just hasn’t hit stable yet. that will leave you with only 5.10 installed. you COULD install 5.4 as your backup, but as long as you’re making changes you may as well install the new lts, 5.15 (which isn’t marked lts yet on your screen), and see if it’s acceptable to you, and if so, keep 5.10 as your backup.

3 Likes
3

The decision lies with you. You can have more kernels installed and it’s always recommended to have atleast two. So you can experiment and switch to other kernel and test if everything works. If not, you can boot with previous kernel and uninstall the one that is not working right. Press Esc during boot to get into grub menu and boot with kernel of your choice.

It’s very possible that early kernel versions may have issues so it’s good to wait a bit if you don’t want to be a tester. Some kernels may be more resources efficient then others or they may fix some small issues. For some old hardware it may also happen that older kernel may be better.

You can learn more here:

https://wiki.manjaro.org/index.php/Manjaro_Kernels

1 Like
4

Can you post hardware info ?
inxi -Fza on console.

1 Like
5 
ystem:
  Kernel: 5.10.93-1-MANJARO x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.1.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.10-x86_64
    root=UUID=cc7be21e-d9d4-4881-841a-b047d2a1253a rw quiet
    udev.log_priority=3
  Desktop: Xfce 4.16.0 tk: Gtk 3.24.29 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm 4.16.1
    vt: 7 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Manjaro Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 20L6S1LV2F v: ThinkPad T480
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: 20L6S1LV2F v: SDK0J40697 WIN
    serial: <superuser required> UEFI: LENOVO v: N24ET67W (1.42 )
    date: 11/17/2021
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 14.5 Wh (78.0%) condition: 18.6/23.9 Wh (77.6%)
    volts: 11.9 min: 11.4 model: LGC 01AV489 type: Li-poly serial: <filter>
    status: Discharging cycles: 73
  ID-2: BAT1 charge: 1.1 Wh (5.3%) condition: 20.7/24.0 Wh (86.2%)
    volts: 10.6 min: 11.5 model: SMP 01AV452 type: Li-poly serial: <filter>
    status: N/A cycles: 173
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-8350U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Coffee Lake
    family: 6 model-id: 0x8E (142) stepping: 0xA (10) microcode: 0xEC
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 tpc: 2 threads: 8 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 256 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB L2: 1024 KiB desc: 4x256 KiB
    L3: 6 MiB desc: 1x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 400/3600 scaling: driver: intel_pstate
    governor: powersave cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 5: 800 6: 800 7: 800
    8: 800 bogomips: 30409
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf
    mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT vulnerable
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: spec_store_bypass
    mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp
  Type: spectre_v1
    mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Full generic retpoline, IBPB: conditional,
    IBRS_FW, STIBP: conditional, RSB filling
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel UHD Graphics 620 vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:5917 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Chicony Integrated Camera (1280x720@30) type: USB
    driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-8:3 chip-ID: 04f2:b604 class-ID: 0e02
    serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.21.1.3 compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.16.1 driver:
    loaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,vesa display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.0x11.2")
    s-diag: 582mm (22.9")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 158 size: 309x174mm (12.2x6.9")
    diag: 355mm (14")
  Message: Unable to show advanced data. Required tool glxinfo missing.
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Lenovo ThinkPad T480
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel alternate: snd_soc_skl bus-ID: 00:1f.3
    chip-ID: 8086:9d71 class-ID: 0403
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.10.93-1-MANJARO running: yes
  Sound Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.20 running: no
  Sound Server-3: PulseAudio v: 15.0 running: yes
  Sound Server-4: PipeWire v: 0.3.43 running: no
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-LM vendor: Lenovo driver: e1000e v: kernel
    port: N/A bus-ID: 00:1f.6 chip-ID: 8086:15d7 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp0s31f6 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Intel Wireless 8265 / 8275 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel
    bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:24fd class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 238.47 GiB used: 58.3 GiB (24.4%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Intel model: SSDPEKKF256G8L
    size: 238.47 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B
    speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: L14P
    temp: 27.9 C scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 118.93 GiB size: 116.5 GiB (97.96%)
    used: 58.28 GiB (50.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p5 maj-min: 259:5
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 100 MiB size: 96 MiB (96.00%)
    used: 25.3 MiB (26.3%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 60 (default) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
    file: /swapfile
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 38.0 C pch: 34.5 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0
Info:
  Processes: 261 Uptime: 3h 59m wakeups: 29 Memory: 7.52 GiB
  used: 2.06 GiB (27.5%) Init: systemd v: 250 tool: systemctl Compilers:
  gcc: 11.1.0 clang: 13.0.0 Packages: pacman: 1201 lib: 328 Shell: Bash
  v: 5.1.16 running-in: xfce4-terminal inxi: 3.3.1
6

I suggest using kernel 5.15 and 5.10.
I would uninstall kernel 4.14.

1 Like
7

As mentioned, it’s a good idea to have 2 kernels, of which at least 1 is an LTS. I personally have 3, but used to have 2:

  • 5.10: a Working LTS to use as backup if neccesary.
  • 5.15: The latest LTS for daily use, and then I changed to
  • 5.16: which is the latest one available.

I’m considering removing 5.10, because I don’t use it anymore. I’ll probably do that if and when I change my 5.16 to 5.17.

But anyway, it’s a good idea to keep two kernels. I’d recommend 5.15 as that’s the latest LTS along with 5.10 as backup LTS.

In your case, I’d recommend removing 4.14:

mhwd-kernel --remove linux414

And installing 5.15:

mhwd-kernel --install linux515

Followed by rebooting. AFAIK Grub will always boot with the newer version, unless you manually specified differently. But to select which kernel to boot with:

  1. Reboot and when the BIOS screen is showing, press the Esc key repeatedly, until the Grub boot loader screen appears. On said screen, navigate to the Advanced… option, and enter it by pressing → or Enter.

On the next screen select the kernel version to boot with, and press Enter too boot using the selected kernel.

Hope this helps!

3 Likes
8

And: test both installed kernels, if they work on your computer.

3 Likes
9

What is the best way to test that installed kernels work properly?

1 Like
10

Well i dont really know.

11

Use 'em.

1 Like