How do I use apt-get to update to the latest kernel?
My current kernel is 3.2.0-26 (my main computer) while on another of my Ubuntu computers, with which I didn't fiddle with unofficial updates, it's 3.2.0-30. Yet the Update manager on my main computer doesn't show available kernel updates. It shows other updates though.
I suspect is due to the fact that in the past I installed multiple mainline kernel versions (not recommended versions), up to 3.5* series.
What I'm after: Either: Fix automatic kernel updates. Or: Learn about a way to check for the latest official ubuntu kernel version and get it manually (I know how to install kernels from debs)
What I have already tried: Uninstalled unused kernels including "the generic one without a number" as per https://askubuntu.com/a/103875/29347 and then also https://ubuntugenius.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/ubuntu-cleanup-how-to-remove-all-unused-linux-kernel-headers-images-and-modules/
Your problem with automatic updates may be because of the mainline kernels or because you removed the "generic" package.
You can update to the latest kernel via apt-get as follows:
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install linux-image-`uname -r`
If you also need the headers (to compile kernel modules such as wireless drivers):
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`
In case you only want to update the default kernel you should be able to fix it with:
sudo apt-get install linux-image-generic
Since linux-image-generic always depends on the newest default kernel of your distribution, the kernel gets upgraded with the rest of the packages when you run apt-get upgrade.
When you want to update a non default kernel you can do this by running this script:
#!/usr/bin/env bash
sudo apt-get update
kernel_release="$(uname -r | cut --complement -d'.' -f3)"
kernel_release_versions="$(apt-cache search linux-image-${kernel_release})"
kernel_release_versions_generic="$(grep linux-image-"${kernel_release_version}".*-generic <<< "$kernel_release_versions")"
newest_kernel_of_release="$(echo "$kernel_release_versions_generic" | tail -n1 | cut -d' ' -f1 )"
sudo apt-get install $newest_kernel_of_release
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
If you also need the header files, additionally run the following:
newest_kernel_of_release_headers=${newest_kernel_of_release/image/headers}
sudo apt-get install $newest_kernel_of_release_headers