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Chapter 40. Manually Upgrading the Kernel

40.1. Overview of Kernel Packages
40.2. Preparing to Upgrade
40.3. Downloading the Upgraded Kernel
40.4. Performing the Upgrade
40.5. Verifying the Initial RAM Disk Image
40.6. Verifying the Boot Loader
40.6.1. x86 Systems
40.6.2. Itanium Systems
40.6.3. IBM S/390 and IBM System z Systems
40.6.4. IBM eServer iSeries Systems
40.6.5. IBM eServer pSeries Systems
The Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernel is custom built by the Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernel team to ensure its integrity and compatibility with supported hardware. Before Red Hat releases a kernel, it must first pass a rigorous set of quality assurance tests.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernels are packaged in RPM format so that they are easy to upgrade and verify using the Package Management Tool, or the yum command. The Package Management Tool automatically queries the Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers and determines which packages need to be updated on your machine, including the kernel. This chapter is only useful for those individuals that require manual updating of kernel packages, without using the yum command.

Warning

Building a custom kernel is not supported by the Red Hat Global Services Support team, and therefore is not explored in this manual.

Tip

The use of yum is highly recommended by Red Hat for installing upgraded kernels.
For more information on Red Hat Network, the Package Management Tool, and yum, refer to Chapter 13, Red Hat Network.

40.1. Overview of Kernel Packages

Red Hat Enterprise Linux contains the following kernel packages (some may not apply to your architecture):
  • kernel — Contains the kernel for multi-processor systems. For x86 system, only the first 4GB of RAM is used. As such, x86 systems with over 4GB of RAM should use the kernel-PAE.
  • kernel-devel — Contains the kernel headers and makefiles sufficient to build modules against the kernel package.
  • kernel-PAE (only for i686 systems) — This package offers the following key configuration options (in addition to the options already enabled for the kernel package):
    • Support for over 4GB of RAM (up to 16GB for the x86)
    • PAE (Physical Address Extension) or 3-level paging on x86 processors that support PAE
    • 4GB/4GB split: 4GB of virtual address space for the kernel and almost 4GB for each user process on x86 systems
  • kernel-PAE-devel — Contains the kernel headers and makefiles required to build modules against the kernel-PAE package
  • kernel-doc — Contains documentation files from the kernel source. Various portions of the Linux kernel and the device drivers shipped with it are documented in these files. Installation of this package provides a reference to the options that can be passed to Linux kernel modules at load time.
    By default, these files are placed in the /usr/share/doc/kernel-doc-<version>/ directory.
  • kernel-headers — Includes the C header files that specify the interface between the Linux kernel and userspace libraries and programs. The header files define structures and constants that are needed for building most standard programs.
  • kernel-xen — Includes a version of the Linux kernel which is needed to run Virtualization.
  • kernel-xen-devel — Contains the kernel headers and makefiles required to build modules against the kernel-xen package

Note

The kernel-source package has been removed and replaced with an RPM that can only be retrieved from Red Hat Network. This *.src.rpm package must then be rebuilt locally using the rpmbuild command. For more information on obtaining and installing the kernel source package, refer to the latest updated Release Notes (including all updates) at http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/