Kubuntu 14.04 LTS running on a 15.04 kernel -- How?

[Snowhog]

My father has a Kubuntu 14.04 LTS system that has, from my point of view, some anomalies I don't understand.

Primarily, KInfoCenter reports that he is running kernel version 3.19.0-58-generic. This is a kernel version for *buntu 15.04. He has his sources data set to only look for LTS releases, and, he doesn't want to move off of 14.04 LTS. The rest of the System Information reported by KInfoCenter is for Kubuntu 14.04. I've verified that with my 14.04, fully dist-upgraded, here, on one of my VMs.

How would a 15.04 kernel get installed 'normally'; without user intervention to do so; on a 14.04 system?

[vinnywright]

my 14.04 system has

vmlinuz-3.19.0-56-generic

but I have not updated it recently ,,,so it could be up to 58 by now no prob

VINNY

[Snowhog]

Vinny -

Would you check in Software Sources what you have Release upgrade set to?

[vinnywright]

ya ,,OK let me reboot to it ,,,

I think it comes from having the LTS hardware enablement stack (or some such ) installed.

VINNY

[life0riley]

ya ,,OK let me reboot to it ,,,

I think it comes from having the LTS hardware enablement stack (or some such ) installed.

VINNY

I was going to say that.
14.04.x Ubuntu Kernel Support

Snohog, Is it possible the iso for your father's system was downloaded sometime after August 2015 and before February 2016?

[vinnywright]

Vinny -

Would you check in Software Sources what you have Release upgrade set to?

"long term support releases only"

you prob have "linux-generic-lts-vivid" installed

I do ,,,,and will upgrade it to the linux-generic-lts-xenial hear in a min ,,,,,,,

vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:~$ apt show linux-generic-lts-vivid
Package: linux-generic-lts-vivid
Priority: optional
Section: kernel
Installed-Size: 27.6 kB
Maintainer: Ubuntu Kernel Team <kernel-team@lists.ubuntu.com>                                                                                                     
Source: linux-meta-lts-vivid                                                                                                                                      
Version: 3.19.0.58.41                                                                                                                                             
[COLOR=#ff0000]Depends: linux-image-generic-lts-vivid (= 3.19.0.58.41), linux-headers-generic-lts-vivid (= 3.19.0.58.41)   [/COLOR]                                                      
Download-Size: 1,806 B                                                                                                                                            
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug                                                                                                                  
Origin: Ubuntu                                                                                                                                                    
Supported: 9m                                                                                                                                                     
APT-Sources: http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
Description: Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers
 This package will always depend on the latest complete generic Linux kernel
 and headers.

VINNY

[Qqmike]

Ok, so, as you would guess, on my K14.04, I'm running 3.13.0-85. Why would one want to run 14.04 on 3.19? Any problems doing that? Benefits? Am I reading this thread correctly -- is that what you are doing?

[vinnywright]

K now my 14.04 is running the xenial kernel

vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:~$ lsb_release -a 
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS
Release:        14.04
Codename:       trusty

vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:~$ uname -a
Linux vinny-Bonobo-Extreme 4.4.0-18-generic #34~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Thu Apr 7 18:31:54 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

VINNY

[vinnywright]

Ok, so, as you would guess, on my K14.04, I'm running 3.13.0-85. Why would one want to run 14.04 on 3.19? Any problems doing that? Benefits? Am I reading this thread correctly -- is that what you are doing?

their are meta packages to let you keep up with the latest kernels

linux-generic-lts-quantal/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.13.0.85.91 amd64
  Generic Linux kernel image and headers

linux-generic-lts-quantal-eol-upgrade/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.13.0.85.91 amd64
  Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers

linux-generic-lts-raring/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.13.0.85.91 amd64
  Generic Linux kernel image and headers

linux-generic-lts-raring-eol-upgrade/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.13.0.85.91 amd64
  Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers

linux-generic-lts-saucy/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.13.0.85.91 amd64
  Generic Linux kernel image and headers

linux-generic-lts-saucy-eol-upgrade/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.13.0.85.91 amd64
  Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers

linux-generic-lts-trusty/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.13.0.85.91 amd64
  Generic Linux kernel image and headers

linux-generic-lts-utopic/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.16.0.70.61 amd64
  Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers

linux-generic-lts-vivid/trusty-updates,trusty-security 3.19.0.58.41 amd64 [upgradable from: 3.19.0.56.40]
  Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers

linux-generic-lts-wily/trusty-updates,trusty-security 4.2.0.35.28 amd64
  Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers

linux-generic-lts-xenial/trusty-updates,trusty-security,now 4.4.0.18.10 amd64 [installed]
  Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers

VINNY

[claydoh]

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEnablementStack


All LTS releases past the original and second point releases has this "turned on" by default.

[Snowhog]

claydoh@

Ah, okay, that explains why I'm running the 4.2.0-* kernel on my 14.04 installation. But my father's kernel version indicates it came with 14.04.3, and that should mean that the LTS Enablement Stack is installed. So why is his kernel version not at 4.2.0-* like mine is?

[oshunluvr]

Ah, okay, that explains why I'm running the 4.2.0-* kernel on my 14.04 installation. But my father's kernel version indicates it came with 14.04.3, and that should mean that the LTS Enablement Stack is installed. So why is his kernel version not at 4.2.0-* like mine is?

AFAIK, LTS point releases ship the latest HWE but updating to the newest HWE from an original 14.04 install aren't automatic, you have to install the latest HWE meta-package from the next release. For example:

sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-lts-utopic

You should probably upgrade X and your graphics drivers too. @here, my fully updated (but not having done the above) 14.04 server shows:

smith@server:~$ apt-cache policy linux-image-`uname -r`
linux-image-3.19.0-58-generic:
  Installed: 3.19.0-58.64~14.04.1
  Candidate: 3.19.0-58.64~14.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 3.19.0-58.64~14.04.1 0
        500 http://mirrors.advancedhosters.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://mirrors.advancedhosters.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

and

smith@server:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS
Release:        14.04
Codename:       trusty

You can do it to Dad's install, but you have to do it manually.

[Snowhog]

Thanks oshunluvr for the explanation.

My Dad wants/needs/insists on a STABLE 14.04 system. He doesn't want to upgrade system versions. Which of the point releases is (subjectively) *the best*?

[oshunluvr]

IMHO, if it ain't broke...

More to the point; unless he's missing some functionality or having some other issue that would be resolved by upgrading the HWE, I wouldn't do it. My server is happily chugging along without it. Of course, I have very little direct interaction with my server.