On Mon, Dec 11, 2023 at 03:32:55AM +0100, Stella Ashburne wrote: > Hi Greg > > > Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 11:08 PM > > From: "Greg Wooledge" <g...@wooledge.org> > > To: debian-user@lists.debian.org > > Subject: Re: Need clarifications about how to deal with the installed > > problematic kernel, linux-image-6.1.0-14-amd64 (6.1.64-1) > > > > > > Note that purging 6.1.0-14 will also remove the linux-image-amd64 > > metapackage, which has a hard dependency on it (at the moment). > > What is/was the hard dependency? >
linux-image-[foo]-amd64 always points to the latest available kernel image for amd64 (and the same for other architectures). It's a metapackage that pulls in other packages When you first install, I suspect it's that package that makes sure your kernel version is up to date. When you update between point releases likewise. Hard removing the latest kernel _and_ the metapackage prevents you from updating to the buggy kernel but you have to do some tidying up afterwards. :) > > Only if you reinstall the kernel metapackage as soon as you notice that > > there's been another point release. > > > > This is not a criticism of Andrew's post. I'm just reminding everyone, > > including myself, that we're going to have to remember to do this extra > > step. > > > As of writing this reply, there's a new point release, 12.4.0 > > What if I don't reinstall the kernel's metapackage as soon as there's a new > point release? Or if I forget to reinstall it? > If you don't reinstall it, then the metapackage won't be there. I installed it as soon as the point release was being published before the install images were out. [Sequence: release team publish the packages - and they can get put out to mirrors, daily updates etc. Images team build and test media to check that there's no regressions. Images get published and pushed. Formal release notification goes out. 12.3 was stopped as image releases were being tested and the release team had to replace the buggy kernel, make a decision as to where to put the fix, run through the whole process. Images release team then had to build and test the media - which always takes a few hours more. "Release" varies which way you look at it] This time round the main release team had to effectively do two point releases in very quick succession and the images team did two full sets of testing > Thanks for your clarification. > > Best wishes. > > Stella > Andy (amaca...@debian.org)
