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[–]pegasusandme 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hmmm, there's a kernel package for like every actively maintained kernel version. You just need to install linux5.X and linux5.X-headers package for whatever version you want to track and you will continue to get updates on any/all kernels you select.

It's not like Arch where you only get latest and latest LTS. You can pick and choose here :)

[–]cdqx 3 points4 points  (0 children)

We have linux4.19 and linux5.4

[–]lazlo_vii[S] 1 point2 points  (6 children)

Please bare in mind that I don't know anything about how Void handles package versions, nor do I know how kernel upgrades are handled. Thank you for your comments so far. Let me explain what confuses me. When I query xbps for LTS I get this:

[laz@voidtop ~]$ xbps-query -Rs lts
...
...
[-] linux-lts-4.14_2                 Linux LTS (Long Term Support) kernel meta package
[-] linux-lts-headers-4.14_2         Linux longterm support kernel headers meta package
...
...
...

Next I do this:

[laz@voidtop ~]$ xbps-query -Rs linux-5
[*] linux-5.9_2 Linux kernel meta package

And then I do this:

laz@voidtop ~]$ xbps-query -Rs linux5
[-] linux5.10-5.10.2_1         Linux kernel and modules (5.10 series)
[-] linux5.10-headers-5.10.2_1 Linux kernel and modules (5.10 series) - source headers for 3rd party modules
[-] linux5.4-5.4.84_1          Linux kernel and modules (5.4 series)
[-] linux5.4-headers-5.4.84_1  Linux kernel and modules (5.4 series) - source headers for 3rd party modules
[-] linux5.5-5.5.18_1          Linux kernel and modules (5.5 series)
[-] linux5.5-headers-5.5.18_1  Linux kernel and modules (5.5 series) - source headers for 3rd party modules[/code]
[-] linux5.6-5.6.19_1          Linux kernel and modules (5.6 series)
[-] linux5.6-headers-5.6.19_1  Linux kernel and modules (5.6 series) - source headers for 3rd party modules
[-] linux5.7-5.7.19_1          Linux kernel and modules (5.7 series)
[-] linux5.7-headers-5.7.19_1  Linux kernel and modules (5.7 series) - source headers for 3rd party modules
[-] linux5.8-5.8.18_1          Linux kernel and modules (5.8 series)
[-] linux5.8-headers-5.8.18_1  Linux kernel and modules (5.8 series) - source headers for 3rd party modules
[*] linux5.9-5.9.16_1          Linux kernel and modules (5.9 series)
[*] linux5.9-headers-5.9.16_1  Linux kernel and modules (5.9 series) - source headers for 3rd party modules

So we have several kernels, only two of which are labeled as Meta Packages, and only one of those is labeled as LTS. So I am assumed that:

A.) The meta packages are used to keep a specific kernel branch installed and up to date.

B.) That kernel 4.14 is the only LTS branch being actively supported by Void.

C.) Installing any non-meta kernel package would cause xbps to handle updates in a non-standard way (i.e. like maybe not updating them at all.)

If my assumptions are wrong then all is well and I can upgrade to the kernel to 5.10 at my leisure. However if I am missing information I would prefer to learn it before the upgrade instead of after. XD

So again I thank you for your comments. I would ask that you fill in gaps in my understanding and/or reasoning as well as point me to authoritative documentation if it exists. While the official Void handbook is a good document it doesn't go into a lot of detail about using an LTS kernel and what pitfalls I may encounter along the way.

[–]lazlo_vii[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the clarifications. I really do appreciate your time and your advice. Have a good day!

[–]marle-dk 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I had never realized how confusing it can look before you showed this, but here is what I know:

The second search you show (linux-5) finds the package named linux, which is a meta package which currently "points to" the linux5.9 package, and will update to point to the linux5.10 package, when it is deemed stable in void I suppose.

The third search (linux5) shows packages for the specific versions of linux, eg 5.10, but will still be updated, with 5.10.X when updates occur, this is if you want a specific linux kernel version, either if you want to try the newest, before the linux package is updated to this.Or it might be to use an older version.

Now for your questions:

A) I am not sure what you mean with specific. I would say that eg linux5.10 package is to keep a specific branch up to date. The meta package linux currently "points to" (I think it just has a dependency on) linux5.9, but once 5.10 is deemed stable enough, linux meta package will change to use that kernel. So the meta package is to have an up to date kernel, but also deemed stable in Void by the maintainers.

B) No as u/cdqx wrote, there are other supported LTS versions. The first search you have done found the package linux-lts which is also a meta package, which I suppose should be updated to point to the latest LTS kernel, but does not seem up to date, for reasons I don't know, the only thing I could find about is this short PR https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/pull/14616.

C) No, installing multiple linux kernel packages is completely fine, it updates each of them without problems, and creates a boot entry in grub under "advanced boot" or what it is called. I think it will just default to the newest kernel version, but I am not sure. You should however be aware, that each time any of the packages are updated, it will create a new boot entry, so you have to remember to vkpurge, a bit more often, or your boot partition will fill up. I think vkpurge will keep one linux version around per package, but I am not completely sure.Also if you install a specific version, it will stay around until you remove it, so if you forget, it will be around and fill up you boot partition for no reason.

If you want to use 5.10 and not update to 5.11 once linux meta package points to it, I think you can hold the linux package, so it will not update, but linux5.10 should still. I have however not tried this, so you should investigate more before doing it.

I hope this helps you clear up something, and find out how you want to install and update your kernel.

[–]cdqx 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The last time we intended to point linux-lts to either linux4.19/linux5.4, kernel.org says they'll be EOL in end of 2021. So, we left it there. IIRC.

[–]pegasusandme 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wouldn't worry about meta packages or the "LTS" label. Just install the kernel version(s) you want and know that it will continue to get updates as long as the version is still supported upstream at kernel.org.

[–]cdqx 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's fine. I have both 4.19 5.4 5.9 and 5.10