New kernel available. Read this before upgrading

[givré]

A new kernel update (2.6.15-26) is available. Before upgrading and to not have the same problem as for the last update, it is recommanded to read this first

ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change the Ubuntu 6.06 kernel update has been given a new version number, which requires you to recompile and reinstall all third party kernel modules you might have installed. If you use linux-restricted-modules, you have to update that package as well to get modules which work with the new kernel version. Unless you manually uninstalled the standard kernel metapackages (linux-386, linux-powerpc, linux-amd64-generic), a standard system upgrade will automatically perform this as well.

You can find the entire security notice there : http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-311-1

In other words,

- To upgrade automaticly the linux-restricted-module, it's important to check that the metapackage linux-arch (where arch is the architecture of your current kernel) is install before upgrading (ie linux-386 for 2.6.15-25-386, linux-k7 for 2.6.15-25-k7 etc...check your currant kernel with 'uname -r')

- You will have to recompile all module/driver that you compiled for the previous kernel (ex: vmware, nvidia from their site...)

- If you need to recompile module or driver, and if you need the kernel headers for that, check also that you have the linux-headers-arch (where arch is the architecture of your current kernel) install.


If it's too late and you have problems at start-up, boot in recovery mode and install the kernel metapackage via apt-get:

- Check first your architecture

uname -r

- Install the metapackage

sudo apt-get install linux-arch #replace arch with your architecture

Have also a look at this: http://doc.gwos.org/index.php/Latest...NEL_IS_UPDATED

[frodon]

Stikied.

givré, could you add this link in your post :
http://doc.gwos.org/index.php/Latest...NEL_IS_UPDATED

It explains how install the linux-restricted-modules and thus prevent all graphic drivers problems after the kernel update.

[Jucato]

A new kernel update? Just when my problem with the last kernel hasn't been solved yet...

I'm afraid I have to sit this one out for a few days before trying to upgrade. Probably wait till the dust settles...

(Still hoping this new kernel would work this time...)

[frodon]

The new kernel may solve your problem, anyway all the old installed kernels will remain available so it don't prevent you to update the kernel.

That true that you were really unlucky Fenyx with the last update one month ago but most of us just never had any problems with any kernel updates in the past.
I close my eyes and hope that this kernel will solve your issue Fenyx.

BTW, did you fill a bug report ?

[_simon_]

I upgraded before i read this but everything seems fine. This is the first time I haven't had to reinstall the nvidia drivers.... not sure why?

[Jucato]

Yep I did.
https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu...org/+bug/49996
Still unresolved, and was transferred from "Affects kernel" to "Affects xorg". I'm not really sure if it's just an Xorg problem though. I'll just take the Ubuntu dev's word for it.

But if you would read the two links that I gave (in the previous post and this bug report), you'll see that I performed some tests that makes me believe that it might really be a kernel problem, or probably a kernel module problem.

I'm really just unlucky in this particular area... So it shouldn't discourage others from upgrading and having a more secure system.

[Raos]

The system tried going through the upgrade, and it wanted to restart after, which I wasn't surprised by since it was updating the kernel. Everything went fine during reboot, but after I entered my username and password, gnome didn't start. It just went from the login screen to a a solid brown background with the mouse pointer, and I can't do anything. I tried updating the kernel through recovery mode, using the instructions in the first post, but it said the kernel is up to date. I still just get the blank brown screen after login, though.

I also tried using failsafe gnome, and my normal desktop came up, but after restarting default gnome still won't start up after login. Can anybody help fix this, or do I have to just stick to failsafe gnome? Or do I have to re-install ubuntu?

[givré]

Do you use AIGLX or anything that need special DRI or modules?
if it works in gnome failsafe and not in normal gnome, it's probably a XGL/AIGLX/compiz problem

[Raos]

I don't think so. How would I check if I do? How would I fix it if that was the problem?

[givré]

The difference between a gnome session and a gnome-failsafe session is just the startup script which are not start. Check what you have in Pref>session.
Also what you can do is to start in failsafe terminal and exec gnome-session in this terminal. This will load gnome and you will have some debugging information.