Understanding Kernels in Manjaro

Hi

I am new to Manjaro having come from Ubuntu and had a message flash up yesterday to say I can update my kernel. I have already run the main update and so my system is running Plasma 5.23.3 and Kernel version 5.13.19-2.

I went looking and found the kernel menu under system settings and found a long list and I am hoping someone can help me understand whether I need to update and to what. So, I have:
5.16rc Experimental - which sounds like a big no to me!
5.15.2 Real-time - what does real-time mean please?
5.15.2 No comment next to this
5.14.18 No comment next to this
5.13.19 Running Installed
Can I upgrade please? Should I upgrade? My system is nice and stable!
Thanks
Rich

This is EOL … please downgrade to 5.10 LTS or upgrade to modern kernel like 5.14,5.15
https://www.kernel.org/

You can and should (and/or downgrade)

Realt-time is basically for recording. If you dont know what it is you dont need it.

Kernels come in series - you can have 5.10 and 5.13 installed, and they will both receive updates as long as they are supported. You can add or remove or use any number of kernels at your will. But you should avoid kernels at the end-of-life … many people choose to keep one working LTS as well as ride the ‘latest’ kernel.

As to upgrading … sure. But I am not sure you understand what that means - as a rolling release manjaro is always receiving updates; you never have to reinstall unless you break it.

That said I will reiterate that linux514 and linux510 kernels are series or packages themselves that get updates … you dont upgrade from 5.13 to 5.14 while losing 5.13 in the process. Rather linux513 and linux514 will each get updates as long as they are supported.

2 Likes

Thanks for the reply. So I can happily click on the install the 5.14 and 5.15. Should I do both?

Rich

5.15 is really new … unless you have super fancy new hardware I dont see the point … but it wont hurt to have multiple installed.
Just remember that if you have hidden grub you need to tap Shift to bring up the grub menu (in order to select your kernel) and that you should not attempt to remove the kernel you are running.
Note:

uname -a
mhwd-kernel --help
2 Likes

The grub element is when I am logging in. Thanks for that extra tip. I need to do that to run the new kernel?

Just in order to select whichever one you boot into.

*POWER ON*
>>> Manufacturer Logo <<<
*Tapping Shift*
>>> Grub Menu <<<
*Selecting Advanced >then> Desired Kernel*
2 Likes

Huge thanks for solving this so quickly.

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