Comments on: Be careful of the kernel update if you installed the VIA drivers http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/ best viewed at 1024x600 Sun, 11 Jul 2010 21:03:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Mike Bates http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-1303 Mike Bates Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:45:38 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-1303 Hi there, I updates the kernel (it said update to 2.26.19-generic kernel) as I had some issues downloading a few packages. However I now have the black screen with just a mouse curser. I can log in with user name and password but still get just a black screen with mouse arrow. I know it is running as the wireless is connected. When I boot and press esc. key my only selections are 2.6.24-19-generic and 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode). Is there any way to get back to when it was all OK? Can I somehow "roll back" to the previous kernel? Otherwise I feel it will need a re-installation of the software. Many thanks Mike Hi there,
I updates the kernel (it said update to 2.26.19-generic kernel) as I had some issues downloading a few packages. However I now have the black screen with just a mouse curser. I can log in with user name and password but still get just a black screen with mouse arrow. I know it is running as the wireless is connected.
When I boot and press esc. key my only selections are 2.6.24-19-generic and 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode).
Is there any way to get back to when it was all OK? Can I somehow “roll back” to the previous kernel?
Otherwise I feel it will need a re-installation of the software.
Many thanks
Mike

]]> By: Alan Bell http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-883 Alan Bell Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:27:55 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-883 The thing is Linux works best with Open Source drivers. The kernel doesn't attempt to keep binary compatibility between releases so binary-only drivers just keep breaking. Other operating systems jump through hoops to keep a static binary interface for some hardware drivers, The Linux way of doing things is not to bother with binary compatibility for kernel modules because it is more efficient to just compile them altogether or build them into the kernel. It is a bit technical but here is Harald Welte (who works for VIA of all people) explaining it all http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8224330236.html The VIA people did start talking to me again briefly but then stopped answering emails again. The thing is Linux works best with Open Source drivers. The kernel doesn’t attempt to keep binary compatibility between releases so binary-only drivers just keep breaking. Other operating systems jump through hoops to keep a static binary interface for some hardware drivers, The Linux way of doing things is not to bother with binary compatibility for kernel modules because it is more efficient to just compile them altogether or build them into the kernel. It is a bit technical but here is Harald Welte (who works for VIA of all people) explaining it all http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8224330236.html The VIA people did start talking to me again briefly but then stopped answering emails again.

]]> By: Will Watts http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-882 Will Watts Sun, 14 Dec 2008 11:15:09 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-882 Seconded on both these questions. Also, admittedly as a Linux ignoramus, I am rather surprised that the drivers are so kernel version-specific. I thought that, in general on all OSes and machines, the environment for drivers tends to be very stable, to avoid precisely the palaver we have here. Is there not some mechanism by which drivers do not need to be compiled against version-specific libraries? Regards Will Seconded on both these questions.

Also, admittedly as a Linux ignoramus, I am rather surprised that the drivers are so kernel version-specific. I thought that, in general on all OSes and machines, the environment for drivers tends to be very stable, to avoid precisely the palaver we have here. Is there not some mechanism by which drivers do not need to be compiled against version-specific libraries?

Regards

Will

]]> By: Lukstar http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-881 Lukstar Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:24:18 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-881 I notice that they updated the kernal again to .22, so I have edited my boot menu again to compensate. However are we missing out on functionality by not taking advantage of the kernal updates? And are VIA likely to compile some new drivers for us? Cheers I notice that they updated the kernal again to .22, so I have edited my boot menu again to compensate. However are we missing out on functionality by not taking advantage of the kernal updates? And are VIA likely to compile some new drivers for us?

Cheers

]]> By: The Open Sourcerer http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-879 The Open Sourcerer Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:08:09 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-879 @Gavin, there are quite a few possibilities with the grub menu.lst file. Take a look here for a starting point. http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html#Configuration But be aware that next time the Ubuntu update mechanism does something like upgrade the kernel or grub, it will complain about menu.lst having been altered outside of the package manager's control. It will offer you a choice to overwrite it or not, but it's always a good idea to keep a backup lying around somewhere just in case... Cheers Alan @Gavin, there are quite a few possibilities with the grub menu.lst file. Take a look here for a starting point. http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html#Configuration

But be aware that next time the Ubuntu update mechanism does something like upgrade the kernel or grub, it will complain about menu.lst having been altered outside of the package manager’s control. It will offer you a choice to overwrite it or not, but it’s always a good idea to keep a backup lying around somewhere just in case…

Cheers

Alan

]]> By: Alan Bell http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-878 Alan Bell Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:22:00 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-878 @Gavin, good point, just a simple edit in the same file <code>/boot/grub/menu.lst</code> just add a line specifying the number of seconds to wait <pre> ## timeout sec # Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry # (normally the first entry defined). timeout 10 </pre> @Gavin, good point, just a simple edit in the same file /boot/grub/menu.lst just add a line specifying the number of seconds to wait

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout         10
]]> By: Gavin http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-880 Gavin Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:16:16 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-880 Isn't it also possible to show the GRUB menu at the boot-up process so you can choose which version to use? I'm not sure how to do this 100%, but on my laptop which is dual booted with Vista my GRUB gives me the choice of 2 kernels and Vista. Is this a viable workaround to allow the new kernel to be loaded but not used? Isn’t it also possible to show the GRUB menu at the boot-up process so you can choose which version to use? I’m not sure how to do this 100%, but on my laptop which is dual booted with Vista my GRUB gives me the choice of 2 kernels and Vista. Is this a viable workaround to allow the new kernel to be loaded but not used?

]]> By: Alan Bell http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-877 Alan Bell Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:38:12 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-877 yes, you can edit the boot menu by using this command <code>sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst</code> on about line 13 (unlucky for some) you will see <code>default 0</code>. Scroll way down until you find the list of kernel versions, 0 is the top one, 1 is next (2.26.21 recovery mode) and 2 is the one after that. If 2 is the one you want (probably is, but isn't on the webbook in front of me because I installed 2.6.20) then go back up to line 13 and change it to <code>default 2</code> I have no idea whether this will point to 0, 2 or 4 next time a kernel update happens and the list moves down, but either way you know how to change it now. yes, you can edit the boot menu by using this command
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
on about line 13 (unlucky for some) you will see default 0. Scroll way down until you find the list of kernel versions, 0 is the top one, 1 is next (2.26.21 recovery mode) and 2 is the one after that. If 2 is the one you want (probably is, but isn’t on the webbook in front of me because I installed 2.6.20) then go back up to line 13 and change it to default 2 I have no idea whether this will point to 0, 2 or 4 next time a kernel update happens and the list moves down, but either way you know how to change it now.

]]> By: Nearly Legal http://webbookblog.com/be-careful-of-the-kernel-update-if-you-installed-the-via-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-876 Nearly Legal Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:28:34 +0000 http://webbookblog.com/?p=309#comment-876 Alan, many thanks for that. Is there any way to set the 2.26.19 kernel as the automatic selection for boot in Grub in the meantime? By the way, when in the cntrl-alt-F1 terminal mode, the / key didn't work, so I had to use repeated .. to get to the top level and then cd etc and cd X11 separately. Is this a US versus local keyboard setting issue? As others have said, you are doing excellent work as informal support and ambassador for the ubuntu webbook, at least for those of us new to Linux. I'm learning fast, but your help has been invaluable. Alan, many thanks for that. Is there any way to set the 2.26.19 kernel as the automatic selection for boot in Grub in the meantime?

By the way, when in the cntrl-alt-F1 terminal mode, the / key didn’t work, so I had to use repeated .. to get to the top level and then cd etc and cd X11 separately. Is this a US versus local keyboard setting issue?

As others have said, you are doing excellent work as informal support and ambassador for the ubuntu webbook, at least for those of us new to Linux. I’m learning fast, but your help has been invaluable.

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