kernel change, need assistance

[manarak]

Hello

I need assistance for changing the kernel of my server. I have 2 cpu in there, but I think it uses only 1 (no "C" column in top). Since I never made such a change, I need some guidance.

Here are the facts:

- 2 Xeon 2.8 GHz, EM64T technology, HT enabled.
- Fedora Core 2 installed
- rpm -qa | grep kernel shows : kernel-2.6.10-771_FC2, kernel-2.6.5-1.358, kernel-utils-2.4-9.1.131_FC2, kernel-smp-2.6.10-1.771_FC2
- uname -a shows : Linux localhost.localdomain 2.6.5-1.358smp #1 SMP [dates] i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
- I have only SSH access to the server

Can someone help me with getting a better kernel?

[jim]

Well I think that it the latest kernel you can have for FC2 unless you update to FC3 or 4. Or untill there is another kernel released for your distro.

[jowah]

manarak, what you need to do is to edit the file /etc/grub.conf

There are many ways to edit the file, one of which is using the vi text editor. Use whatever text editor you are familiar with.

In grub.conf, you'll see a line that reads "default=number", for example"default=2". That number indicates which kernel the computer should boot with.

You can also see several sections that each begin with "title Fedora Core (kernel-version)". The first of those sections corresponds to the number 0, the second is 1, the third is 2 and so on.

Start counting the "title" sections beginning from 0 and find the one that has the 2.6.10-1.771_FC2 SMP kernel in it, because that's the one you want to be used by default. Then change the "default=number" to point to that section. After that, save the file again and reboot. The 2.6.10-1.771 SMP kernel will now be used.

[manarak]

thank you, is there some kind of safety mechanism in fedora? (like temporary changes to be confirmed after successful boot?)
what happens if the change causes the server to hang?

[jowah]

GRUB has ways to use fallback kernels if a certain one fails to load. I suggest you read through the GRUB manual and especially the part about How to make your system robust.

While being a Gentoo article, it's still GRUB, so this might also come in handy: HOWTO: Remote kernel upgrade.

The key here is to read up on the use of the grub.conf keywords fallback and savedefault.

[manarak]

thank you - I will do that

i have installed kernel 2.6.15-1.1831_fc4 and i have found wlan drivers. but there is one problem.
that is..wen i try to create initial image with mkinitrd for this new kernel , i get an error message "no dep found for 2.6.15-1.1831_fc4". what does this mean? i dont knw wat to do. shud i upgrade mkinitrd too ? plz tell me n the simplest words

[multescugeorge@]

Uh
deja-vu
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showth...381#post465381

[multescugeorge@]

oh ya, usually 1 or maximum 2 posts about the same problem are usually enough to get a good answer iltafkhalid

man i urgently need the answer to my post..sorry for the repition but its really urgent for me...