yum install kernel-devel gives me wrong version of headers?

icthy · #1 21st February 2006, 07:26 PM

Hi,

I'm trying to install Cisco VPN software on my computer, which has just been freshly upgraded from FC2 to FC4. I need the kernel headers to get the software to install, so I did yum install kernel-devel . However, I'm running 2.6.11-1.1369_FC4, but yum got me the headers for: 2.6.15-1.1831_FC4-x86_64.

I'm sure this is a stupid question, but I can't find it in the forums. How can I get the proper version of the kernel headers (or should I just update my kernel)?

Thanks.

LinuxManMikeC · #2 21st February 2006, 08:17 PM

Well its installing the latest version it finds in the active repositories (sorry, just felt like stating the obvious). I'm not sure why it gave you the 64bit stuff though. Goofy versioning? You can specify the version in the package name like this (taken from the yum manpage):

Code:

       Specifying package names
              A  package can be referred to for install,update,list,remove etc
              with any of the following:

              name
              name.arch
              name-ver
              name-ver-rel
              name-ver-rel.arch
              name-epoch:ver-rel.arch
              epoch:name-ver-rel.arch

In short try this command:

Code:

yum install kernel-devel-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4

If you want to have an even easier time of things you could install the yumex GUI interface. However, the command line is much faster and yumex seems rather slow at times. I only use yumex for browsing the repositories most of the time.

axelseap · #3 21st February 2006, 09:35 PM

when dealing with kernels there is actually a really easy universal way to install stuff for your current kernel, type

Code:

yum install kernel-devel-$(uname -r)

i find that much easier than typing in all those nasty numbers.

icthy · #4 21st February 2006, 09:46 PM

Thanks folks. I agree the question was rather dumb

. I figured yum would take into account the kernel version I was using when I installed kernel-devel. Using, base, dag, and freshrpms, I can't find the version i need (yum list kernel-devel* only returns the version I have) so I'm just going to install the source rpm with, you guesed it, rpm.

Do you by any chance have an opinon on whether I should update my kernel? I worry it's rather old, but I want something that's as stable as possible.

axelseap · #5 21st February 2006, 09:50 PM

the latest kernel seems fine and stable, for me. but one thing to note is that when you update your kernel you will also have to reinstall any kernel modules such as nvidia, ntfs, madwifi, fglrx, ndiswrapper or anything else like that, but using yum it's quite easy

icthy · #6 21st February 2006, 10:17 PM

Thanks...I think i'll give it a shot tomorrow (I'm doing this in my spare time at work). I haven't added any kernel modules, so it should be quick and easy (I hope).