should you frequently update the kernel headers?

Malakai · Apprentice Joined: 24 Dec 2002 Posts: 299

When I installed, I used kernel headers 2.6.7-r3, and now an emerge -upDv world wants to update them to r4. Are you supposed to update the headers often, or leave the ones you isntalled with be?

If you are supposed to leave them alone, how do you get portage to NOT want to update them every update?

Malakin · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:22 pm Post subject:

Revisions aren't really updates, they're just minor bugfixes. You could read the changelog if you really wanted to see the difference.
/usr/portage/sys-kernel/linux26-headers/ChangeLog
Moving to a newer revision shouldn't have any negative effects (well in theory).

Malakai · Apprentice Joined: 24 Dec 2002 Posts: 299

Ok, thanks.

Now in a more general sense, should I leave linux26-headers-2.6.7 semi-permanently, or upgrade to the 2.6.8 ones when they come out.

I thought I remembered someone saying you should not mess with the headers really, that changing them could break something.

Snooper · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 10:47 am Post subject:

I wouldn't suggest updating the headers unless you plan on recompiling glibc everytime there is an update. You can stop update from trying to update them by removing them from your world file. Look for the line sys-kernel/linux26-headers in /var/cache/edb/world and remove it. Know when you do an emerge -upv linux26-headers should no longer show up. It's a good thing to check and make sure linux-headers/linux26-headers are not in your world file because everytime you upgrade them you should emerge -e system/world else you will end up with some things being compiled against the new headers and other against the old and it could lean to compile and runtime issues down the road.q
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