Linux Kernel 4.7 Reaches End of Life, Users Urged To Move To Linux 4.8

prisoninmate writes: The Linux 4.7 kernel branch officially reached end of life, and it has already been marked as EOL on the kernel.org website, which means that the Linux kernel 4.7.10 maintenance update is the last one that will be released for this branch. It also means that you need to either update your system to the Linux 4.7.10 kernel release or move to a more recent kernel branch, such as Linux 4.8. In related news, Linux kernel 4.8.4 is now the latest stable and most advanced kernel version, which is already available for users of the Solus and Arch Linux operating systems, and it's coming soon to other GNU/Linux distributions powered by a kernel from the Linux 4.8 series. Users are urged to update their systems as soon as possible.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Come-on, it should be GNU/systemd. You have to give credit where it is due.

I think systemd/systemd would be more appropriate.

Re:

[Hognoxious]

He should have just written his own OS. That way he could do whatever he likes without being bound by silly things like "do one thing, do it well" and we could all ignore it.

Re:

[bluefoxlucid]

After Dirty COW, the self-protecting kernel people will end up porting all Linux interfaces and core functionality (e.g. iptables) to Minix services. Then they can replace the VM manager and just pass over the PTE data to the new server when there's a bug, instead of rebooting everything. Systemd will be stripped as core functionality makes more sense as a kernel service than as kernel capabilities managed by a user program.

Re: So long, Linux

[Z00L00K]

The advantage with the Lunux kernel over alternatives is greater than the disadvantages, so Linux will continue. Porting all stuff to other cores like drivers etc. is going to introduce new bugs.

Re:

[bluefoxlucid]

That's actually a pretty complex argument.

Porting the drivers and such to a microkernel architecture in full (L4, Minix, Hurd) would isolate parts of the code and require strict API adherence (and ABI, but ABI amounts to your IPC protocol). That reduces the scope of bugs, in the long run; and it minimizes short-term porting bugs. The cost is essentially a large amount of man-power.

So you have the likelihood of finding a lot of bugs, eliminating a lot of bugs in the process, and creating new bugs, all

Almost at 5.0??

[haruchai]

It seemed that we were stuck at 2.6 for such a long time. Pretty sure a former company is still running some 2.6 boxes.

Re:Almost at 5.0??

[hodet]

Seeing as RedHat 6.4 uses the 2.6 kernel and is supported until Nov 2020 there will be lots of 2.6 for some time yet. Then there will be extended support as well for those willing to pay for it.

Re:

[hodet]

Replying to myself.

You meant 6.x you moran.

Re:

[hodet]

Actually you are both right. :-)

From Urban dictionary

  The preferred method of spelling "moron" by morons, particularly that of a Missouri redneck at a rally supporting the US led war in Iraq.
Get a brain, moran! GO USA!

Re:

[Formem]

LOL

Re:

[frank_adrian314159]

There's probably old switches/routers/lab equipment/etc. still using that kernel (not to mention 4.7). Much of it probably isn't regularly upgraded (if it is upgradable at all).

Re:

[Z00L00K]

And even the 2.4 kernel.

Re:

[Z00L00K]

I upgraded to 4.8 yesterday due to the Dirty COW [arstechnica.com] bug.

Too many jokes about dirty cows are expected.

dirty cow

[Lead Butthead]

I didn't know Gateway 2000 is still around.

Re:

[raynet]

There wouldn't be any problem, there could be 2.9.99.100 or 2.9.100.1 or even 2.9.100000.1000000000.

Re:

[ausekilis]

That's because 2.6.40 became 3.0. If memory serves, it was just because Linus was getting tired of incrementing 2.6.n and there weren't any changes big enough to warrant a major version increase, so he just moved 2.6.40 to 3.0.

Looking at kernel version history [wikipedia.org] and assuming no big changes that would mean major/minor release number changes, kernel 4.9 would otherwise be somewhere around 2.6.69.

Third way

[wonkey_monkey]

It also means that you need to either update your system to the Linux 4.7.10 kernel release or move to a more recent kernel branch, such as Linux 4.8.

Or you could do nothing. Linux is about choice, after all.

fourth way

[serviscope_minor]

Or use your distro maintained kernel.

I Must Be Holding It Wrong

[Zontar The Mindless]

It also means that you need to either update your system to the Linux 4.7.10 kernel release or move to a more recent kernel branch, such as Linux 4.8.

"*Need*"? I'm quite happy to use my distro's 4.1.34 kernel and let them worry about updating it. Just got a round of security and other fixes for it on Friday, in fact.

Re:

[Z00L00K]

It depends on if your machine is open to the internet or not. And if you have users on your machine that you don't want to give root permissions.

Re:

[Zontar The Mindless]

Since my distro has already provided a fix [suse.com], it's a moot point for me.

Where is the new scheduler?

[bluefoxlucid]

Where are BFQ and BFS? I've been waiting for these to land as standard for months!

How many people use the latest?

[hodet]

With distros maintaining their own kernels and backporting security fixes, how many people/organizations use the latest? Who are these users that anxiously await the latest kernel? Serious question, in all my years of using Linux I very rarely have downloaded the latest kernel and compiled it. I have done it pretty much out of interest only.

Re:

[Z00L00K]

I recompiled to the latest kernel yesterday and I didn't have any problems with UEFI, so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

Re:

[subk]

Arch users run the latest kernel. And all we have to do is a simple "# pacman -Syu" after it hits the repository. If you want to go out of your way to run old kernels (Debian, Fedora, etc), go for it. I prefer to be a little more current.

I'm enjoying 2.6 still

[Anonymous Coward]

Thanks RedHat!

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[Alter_3d]

What command do I use to upgrade the kernel? I use Windows Vista. Thanks

Re:

[bheerssen]

4.8 is a large step, however ive compiled a list of migrations for major distributions

Ubuntu: apt-get install...wait...apt-cache update && apt-....isnt there a widget? ignore the update its probably already happened or systemd already did it...

There is a widget for this. It's called Software Updater and it's found in System Tools in the menu. If you want to upgrade to a newer distribution version (eg: from 16.04 to 16.10) you need to select the appropriate option in Software & Updates.

Re:

[Gavagai80]

Sure, if you want to turn a 15 second process into a 2 minute process with a bunch of clicking around and waiting for horridly slow GUIs to load/refresh.

Re:

[fibonacci8]

Sure, if you want to turn a 15 second process that you understand into a 2 minute process that can be easily described to friends or family if they're interested in doing the same without a technical background.

Fixed that for you.

Re:

[Gavagai80]

It's anything but easy to describe where to make a series of clicks. It's easy to show someone how to update through a GUI, but you're stuck describing then you're better off describing a command line so that they only have to remember 3 words (sudo apt-get upgrade) instead of several paragraphs of vague attempts at describing their screen only to find out they have a different version where it all looks different.

Re:

[KiloByte]

I still haven't figured out what's the clicky-clicky way to do an upgrade, and I'm a full DD. Plus, GUIs are different in every derivative and often version.

Will 4.8 work with KDE again?

[ArsenneLupin]

Will 4.8 work with KDE again? If not, is there a place where we still can download a debian package of 4.6?

Bleeding edge much?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll be on 4.4 for until at least April 2018. Please find all the crashes for me before then? kthxbye.

Re:

[danomac]

I'm still on 4.1.x. My hardware doesn't change all that often, so...

Is Linus becoming irrelevant?

[sinij]

Is Linus becoming irrelevant? I am getting Mozilla-like whiplash from these rapid changes.

I think most kernels are now maintained by distro teams. Recently, I discovered that some popular Linux distros won't even compile with Linus' kernel. So clearly, we have a lot more *nix OSes mascaraing as Linux... or maybe Linux community moved on past Linus?

Re:

[armanox]

Negative. They all use Linus's kernel as upstream, and just apply their own patches to it from there. Without Linus, they do not move forward and begin to diverge from each other.

Re:

[khz6955]

@sinij [slashdot.org]: "Recently, I discovered that some popular Linux distros won't even compile with Linus' kernel."

Where, do tell, can you provide a citation for where Linus' kernel won't compile and with what popular Linux distros?

Re:

[sinij]

RHEL7 for example. Won't compile with version-correct kernel downloaded directly from Linus.

Re:

[Z00L00K]

On a droid - not a big problem unless you install some strange apps.

Great.

[Shaman]

Tried to update to 4.8.4 (manually) and it won't read my BNX2 firmware. 4.7.10 is fine.

So much for 4.7 being a long-term release (iirc)

Somebody better tell Google!

[wierd_w]

My Chromebook celes is driving the latest stable build.

Uname -a says it is driving on 3.18.0

That is significantly older than 4.6.