[WBEL-users] updating the kernel

[Kirby C. Bohling]

On Mon, Dec 27, 2004 at 10:56:21PM -0500, John wrote:
> i downloaded the entire mailing list archive and have been searching 
> through it.  I could only seem to find a few references to updating the 
> kernel.  i used the techniques posted by marcel.gsteiger@milprog.ch on 
> oct. 6th 2004 to get yum working for package updates.  (his edits on the 
> two python files), however i still cannot seem to get the kernel to 
> update. if i type 'yum update kernel' it still does not update the 
> kernel.  perhaps i am doing something wrong here?  i did not install X, 
> gnome, or kde....i don't see how that could affect anything but figured 
> i'd mention it.  the few times i tried up2date it would say to type "rpm 
> --install (etc etc.) which afterwards i would type and it would give me 
> the same message as if i never had typed it...

John,

	Uhhh, I'm confused.  I have done this on any number of machines:

# yum update 

It runs like a champ even when there is a kernel available.  Now,
one of the things it does is cleverly installs (not updates) your
kernel.  I have no idea what edits he made to the two python files,
but I'm fairly sure they aren't necessary.  You really want to
install new kernels not update them.  If something goes wrong, or
you do something silly, you want to be able to use your boot loader
to get to the older kernels.

I'm fairly sure I've done "yum update kernel", but I can't swear to
it.  I did "yum update" earlier today when a kernel was available.
About the only thing I can think of if someone added it to the
explicit exclude list in "/etc/yum.conf" (I know old RedHat up2date
type utilities had specific configuration to exclude kernel packages).

It would be helpful if you sent in the output of these commands run
as root:

rpm -q kernel
yum check-update
yum info "kernel"

The first one will tell the full version of the RPM package named
"kernel".  The second one will tell you what if anything yum wants
to update.  The third will tell you about the various packages named
"kernel" that yum can find.  It'd also be helpful to see the
contents of /etc/yum.conf if you have changed it from the RPM'ed
version.

That at least should start go generate enough clues to start to
diagnose the problem.  

	Thanks,
		Kirby