The Linux Kernel: Configuring the Kernel Part 10

[ryanvade]

When it comes to beta-testing, you are brave. I would never test a RC kernel on my system. As many people say, "Somebody needs to do it". Do you submit bug reports to the Linux developers via GitHub? If not, you should.

If I find bugs...I normally do not. Even RC kernels are stable..

Yeah, my kernels are not slimmed down. Definitely need to though. I setup my kernel for my wifi, and have not spent the time to slim the kernel. I think I will try to make a slim 3.12-rc1. As long as I have a stable kernel for school I don't mind having numerous testing kernels.

 

[DevynCJohnson]

I stay away from RC kernels, unless I'm specifically chasing some kind of bug fix or driver for newer hardware (rare as I run old junk) I try to stick with stable or LTS kernels where possible, though the usefulness of the latter is open to debate.

I do not know how to do it, but there is a way to implement drivers from newer kernels into older kernels. You may want to look into that if you are ever concerned about using an RC kernel.

 

[flunwyc]

I believe you're referring to compat-drivers : https://backports.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page

Never needed them myself (plus it actually seems like less trouble to just build a new kernel).

I run a 3.10 kernel simply because 3.2 was causing some power management related lock ups on my (old and crap) hardware.

 

[ryanvade]

Some type of backporting?? Technically you could get ANY kernel to run on ANY hardware if you spent enough time on it. Enough hacking and it does not resemble the original kernel. A hybrid.

 

[flunwyc]

Some distributions such as Debian, backport drivers and security fixes into the their kernels, so it's not unheard of. compat-drivers is just backported kernel modules as far as I know.

 

[ryanvade]

ryanvade@ryan-linux-laptop:~$ ls -lh  /boot/vmlinu*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5.2M Sep  8 21:47 /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5.2M Sep 15 21:16 /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4.7M Sep 29 16:29 /boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-rc2-slim
-rw------- 1 root root 5.2M Aug 22 16:21 /boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-30-generic

Slowly but surely, slimming down.
And using 3.12...
Just looked at kernel.org...3.12-rc3 is out...and I just got done with -rc2