Linux Lite Forums

With previous versions of LL, updates to kernel are familiar events requiring reboots.
On a potato Linux Lite 8 system (which has been updated as suggested by the Linux Lite Update tray app), noted that no update/upgrade had suggested a reboot.

Opened Lite Kernel Manager which indicated 7.1.0 was available.

Is this the correct mechanism for a user to keep track of kernel updates or have I missed an indicator somewhere ?

In Lite Kernel Manager, clicked the 'Install From Repository', this downloaded the update and started an install process which failed.

Code:
Fetching package list from repo…
  headers : linux-headers-7.1.0-linuxlite_7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1_amd64.deb
  image  : linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite_7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1_amd64.deb

Downloading linux-headers-7.1.0-linuxlite_7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1_amd64.deb
  Downloaded 10.8 MB (6.2 MB/s avg)
Downloading linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite_7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1_amd64.deb
  Downloaded 123.6 MB (6.3 MB/s avg)

Download complete. Requesting root access…

Installing: 7.1.0-linuxlite

==> Installing kernel headers
Selecting previously unselected package linux-headers-7.1.0-linuxlite.
(Reading database… 265915 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack …/linux-headers-7.1.0-linuxlite_7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1_amd64.deb…
Unpacking linux-headers-7.1.0-linuxlite (7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1)…
Setting up linux-headers-7.1.0-linuxlite (7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1)…
==> Installing kernel image
Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite.
(Reading database… 273789 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack …/linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite_7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1_amd64.deb…
Unpacking linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite (7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1)…
Setting up linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite (7.1.0-gea1dc2a2fe60-1)…
Sign command: /usr/bin/kmodsign
Signing key: /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.priv
Public certificate (MOK): /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.der

Autoinstall of module broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271 for kernel 7.1.0-linuxlite (x86_64)
Building module(s)...........(bad exit status: 2)
Failed command:
make -j2 KERNELRELEASE=7.1.0-linuxlite KVER=7.1.0-linuxlite

Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 7.1.0-linuxlite (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/broadcom-sta/6.30.223.271/build/make.log for more information.

Autoinstall on 7.1.0-linuxlite failed for module(s) broadcom-sta(10).

Error! One or more modules failed to install during autoinstall.
Refer to previous errors for more information.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms exited with return code 1
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-7.1.0-linuxlite
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub'
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found background: /boot/grub_linux_lite.png
Found background image: /boot/grub_linux_lite.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-7.1.0-linuxlite
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-7.1.0-linuxlite
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-7.0.0-linuxlite
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-7.0.0-linuxlite
Warning: os-prober will not be executed to detect other bootable partitions.
Systems on them will not be added to the GRUB boot configuration.
Check GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER documentation entry.
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite (--install):
 old linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite package postinst maintainer script subprocess failed with exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-7.1.0-linuxlite

Installation failed. Your current kernel is unaffected.

Had a quick look through the links to the Lite custom kernel but couldn't find anything on this or release notes about 7.1.0. I realise this is new ground. Let me know if any further information is required.

Thanks for the log.

The new 7.1.0 kernel actually installed fine (image, initramfs and GRUB all completed). What aborted the install was the Broadcom Wi-Fi driver (broadcom-sta / wl), a DKMS module that can’t build against 7.1.0. That build failure made dpkg bail out, so the installer reported a failure even though the kernel itself was in place.

To get your system unstuck:

Code:
sudo apt-get remove --purge -y broadcom-sta-dkms
sudo dpkg --configure -a

(If dkms status shows bcmwl-kernel-source instead, remove that name.) Then reboot.

One thing to be aware of: broadcom-sta does not build on the 7.1.0 kernel, so your Broadcom Wi-Fi won’t work there yet. Boot back into 7.0.0 and your Wi-Fi returns as normal — or use Ethernet / a USB Wi-Fi adapter on 7.1.0 until the driver is updated.

I’ve also fixed Lite Kernel Manager so this case no longer reports a false “Installation failed” — it will install the kernel and simply warn that a driver module couldn’t be built. That’ll come through in an update.

Thank you. Ran the two suggested commands to purge broadcom-sta-dkms and then rebooted kernel 7.1.0. Perhaps unexpectedly, the built in Broadcom wifi now works under the purged 7.1.0 kernel

Code:
  Device-2: Broadcom BCM4313 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter
    driver: bcma-pci-bridge v: N/A bus-ID: 07:00.0
  IF-ID-1: wlp7s0b1 state: up mac: 38:59:f9:0e:92:d0

Common sense messaging is always very welcome.

Quote:it will install the kernel and simply warn that a driver module couldn’t be built

Nice !!

stevef

valtam

stevef

trinidad