Install Linux Kernel 5.3 on Ubuntu 18.04

The Linux kernel is the engine of our operating system. It is mainly responsible for running the hardware we have and managing computer resources. Its development is quite active, so we often have new versions. Recently version 5.3 of the Linux Kernel was released. And as we will know, it comes with a lot of new features for our operating systems. So today we will show you how to install Linux Kernel 5.3 on Ubuntu 18.04.

The numbering of the Linux kernel 5

A few months ago Linus Torvald himself announced that there was going to be a change of numbering. Basically, because he didn’t like high numbers and because it was easier to continue the development.

So, what we expected as the Linux Kernel 4.21 was transformed into the Linux Kernel 5. As you can see is quite a leap, although the news is very important, are expected too much by the change of numbering.

What’s New in Linux Kernel 5.3?

Some of the novelties of this version are:

• Multiple enhancements to the XFS file system. multi-threaded inode skipping option implemented.
• On the other hand, EXT4 has also received a lot of care. Added support for gaps in directories.
• Improved support for Intel Icelake Gen 11 graphics.

If you want to see the rest of the news, you can check this link.

And many bug fixes. It is an important version for the number of bugs corrected.

Install the Linux Kernel 5.3 on Ubuntu 18.04

So, if you want to install this kernel for drivers or bugs on your system, you must first download these three files.

• The Linux image.
• The Kernel modules
• Finally, the kernel headers.

So, open a terminal and run these commands if you are using a 64-bit system.

Let us create a folder to save the files:

:~$ mkdir kernel5 && cd kernel5

After that, you can start the download.

:~$ wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.3.1/linux-headers-5.3.1-050301_5.3.1-050301.201909210632_all.deb

Next, this command:

:~$ wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.3.1/linux-image-unsigned-5.3.1-050301-generic_5.3.1-050301.201909210632_amd64.deb

Finally, the last file:

:~$ wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.3.1/linux-modules-5.3.1-050301-generic_5.3.1-050301.201909210632_amd64.deb

After that, install all the packages with this command:

:~$ sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Then, reboot the system.

When the system has booted, query the current kernel with this command:

:~$ uname -r

And that’s it.

Conclusion

The Linux kernel is an essential part of our system. Therefore, it is advisable to be careful when installing it. In addition, it is only recommended to install it if you have hardware failures or if you have a very recent one.

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