kernel upgrade with yum removed old kernels

[Mikkel L. Ellertson]

Nigel Henry wrote:
> 
> Yum by default only keeps 2 kernels. If you go to /etc/yum, and I'm running 
> FC2 at the moment so can't check, but in /etc/yum IIRC there are 2 
> directories. One has to do with plugins. You want the installonlyn plugin. In 
> this one change the line "enable=1" to "enable=0". Now all your kernels will 
> be saved, and if you want to remove specific kernels you can do it using 
> yumex.
> 
> I use Apt, not Yum, and personally think that this default behaviour of Yum is 
> potentially risky.
> 
> For example. You have a kernel installed when you installed FC6, and this 
> works ok. You do a yum update, and a newer kernel is installed. For some 
> reason this kernel does not work. Some time later after another yum update, 
> another kernel update is installed, which removes your original kernel. If 
> the latest kernel doesn't work, you are stuffed, as your original kernel, 
> which did work has been removed by yum.
> 
This is only a problem if you do a yum update while booted the
non-working kernel. I have a desktop that does not get rebooted too
often, so I have had newer kernels then the one I an running removed
by yum, and the older, running kernel left alone. I am trying to
picture how you could end up with a kernel that works well enough
that you can use yum to update the kernel, but is broken enough that
you can not install a fully functional kernel... I guess you could
manage it if you worked at it. I remember when you could remove the
current kernel doing an rpm -Uvh <kernel RPM> instead of doing rpm
-Ivh <kernel RPM>. All of a sudden, you didn't have any modules for
the current kernel, so if you needed module that wasn't loaded, you
were stuck. :(

For my use, I feel that the default of the currently running kernel
and a new one is not enough, but I guess it works for most people.

Mikkel
-- 

  Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons,
for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup!