How do I install the very latest kernel from kernel.org?

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1

I’m not sure how I can install 6.8-rc6 from kernel.org

Reading the wiki, I have to pin it?

I’m on 23.11 and I can’t really get on any later kernel than 6.6.8, even though I specify

  boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_latest;
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boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_testing;

This installs the latest available RC.

3

Currently that will only get you 6.8-rc5, but there’s a PR open to update it to rc6: Linux kernels 2024-02-26 by alyssais · Pull Request #291540 · NixOS/nixpkgs · GitHub

That said, _latest should have been giving you 6.7.x. So it’s weird if you were getting 6.6.8. Are your channels up-to-date?

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For reference, I am currently on 6.6.17, (unstable, updated today) but running ZFS so that sometimes I fall behind a little. Out of interest, does boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_testing; conflict with the ZFS packages?

5

If you’re using ZFS, that’s probably why you were on 6.6, as I do believe it’s not compatible with 6.7. I’ve heard that it’s supposed to be compatible with 6.8. Not sure how those rules are applied and if that affects _testing. I don’t use ZFS on NixOS so I’m not the person to ask there.

6

ZFS has usually zero chance to be compatible with RC kernels, ZFS is not even compatible with latest kernels sometimes.

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Often, actually. Even for months at a time.

My recommendation is to use LTS kernels whenever out-of-tree modules are involved.

8

Agreed. But I tried it anyway - the zfs package for 6.8rc5 is broken.
I suppose my question is how safe is it compared to:
kernelPackages = pkgs.zfs.latestCompatibleLinuxPackages;

At least it looks as though it fails safe in some cases…still getting the hang of NixOS quirks :slight_smile:

9

I managed to get on 6.8.0-rc5, but now that 6.8.1 is out, is there any way to get that?:wink: