Feature changed by: Andreas Jaeger (a_jaeger) Feature #312647, revision 3 Title: Preserve Running Kernel On Kernel Update by Default - openSUSE Distribution: Unconfirmed + openSUSE Distribution: Evaluation by engineering manager Priority Requester: Desirable Requested by: Robert Davies (robopensuse) Partner organization: openSUSE.org Description: My suggestion is to enable multiversion kernel & preserve running kernel for safer kernel updates, to reduce support problems when new kernels won't boot. This is now possible for 12.1 by 1 line change to zypp.conf. Since Online Update was first introduced (SuSE 7.1?) it replaced the running kernel by default, which can lead to problems booting. For a while multiversion kernel has been supported by libzypp (1 line edit in zypp.conf). The drawback with multiversion was manual deletion required of unwanted kernel packages (see http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-kernel/2011-07/msg00056.html). Now in Factory 12.1 M3 Michel Marek has included & announced - kernel package retention options (see http://lizards.opensuse.org/2011/07/14/improved-kernel-package-retention-in-... ). The default is sane, to preserve the Lastest & Running Kernels. So lets use it and make 12.1 kernel updates safer for all, and by default do the right thing! Use Case: End user upgrades kernel to Tumbleweed and it fails to boot. With kernel package retention, the running kernel was saved and recovery is simply a matter of choosing the "good" kernel from GRUB menu. Business case (Partner benefit): openSUSE.org: To reduce support caused by kernel upgrade "accidents". To encourage safer testing of Kernel Team "stable" & "HEAD" kernels. To correct a long standing risky choice, made for implementation convenience of deleting old kernel package, before the new was tested. -- openSUSE Feature: https://features.opensuse.org/312647

Feature changed by: Robert Davies (robopensuse) Feature #312647, revision 6 Title: Preserve Running Kernel On Kernel Update by Default openSUSE Distribution: Evaluation by engineering manager Priority Requester: Desirable Requested by: Robert Davies (robopensuse) Partner organization: openSUSE.org Description: My suggestion is to enable multiversion kernel & preserve running kernel for safer kernel updates, to reduce support problems when new kernels won't boot. This is now possible for 12.1 by 1 line change to zypp.conf. Since Online Update was first introduced (SuSE 7.1?) it replaced the running kernel by default, which can lead to problems booting. For a while multiversion kernel has been supported by libzypp (1 line edit in zypp.conf). The drawback with multiversion was manual deletion required of unwanted kernel packages (see http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-kernel/2011-07/msg00056.html). Now in Factory 12.1 M3 Michel Marek has included & announced - kernel package retention options (see http://lizards.opensuse.org/2011/07/14/improved-kernel-package-retention-in-... ). The default is sane, to preserve the Lastest & Running Kernels. So lets use it and make 12.1 kernel updates safer for all, and by default do the right thing! Use Case: End user upgrades kernel to Tumbleweed and it fails to boot. With kernel package retention, the running kernel was saved and recovery is simply a matter of choosing the "good" kernel from GRUB menu. Business case (Partner benefit): openSUSE.org: To reduce support caused by kernel upgrade "accidents". To encourage safer testing of Kernel Team "stable" & "HEAD" kernels. To correct a long standing risky choice, made for implementation convenience of deleting old kernel package, before the new was tested. Discussion: #1: Michal Marek (michal-m) (2011-07-18 16:56:15) Note that there are multiple ways a kernel can "fail" for the user. Right now, the purge-kernels script is run after boot.localfs, that does not help you if e.g. X doesn't work anymore. To be fully bullet proof, the script would need to be triggered much later, e.g. once the user logs in and there is network connectivity. But even the current implementation can help in many cases. + #2: Robert Davies (robopensuse) (2011-07-20 16:24:52) (reply to #1) + So the issues of module loading failing, after kernel update would be + solved. Many hardware boot issues where udev hangs also solved. For X11 + not starting, even simply altering the default set for "purge-kernels" + to : multiversion.kernels = latest,latest-1,running + or : + multiversion.kernels = latest, oldest, running + Would preserve 2 "working" kernels after an update; without any coding + changes. The oldest being treated as "golden" generally installation + kernel without user intervention. -- openSUSE Feature: https://features.opensuse.org/312647

Feature changed by: Stephan Barth (cyberiad) Feature #312647, revision 8 Title: Preserve Running Kernel On Kernel Update by Default openSUSE Distribution: Evaluation by engineering manager Priority Requester: Desirable Requested by: Robert Davies (robopensuse) Partner organization: openSUSE.org Description: My suggestion is to enable multiversion kernel & preserve running kernel for safer kernel updates, to reduce support problems when new kernels won't boot. This is now possible for 12.1 by 1 line change to zypp.conf. Since Online Update was first introduced (SuSE 7.1?) it replaced the running kernel by default, which can lead to problems booting. For a while multiversion kernel has been supported by libzypp (1 line edit in zypp.conf). The drawback with multiversion was manual deletion required of unwanted kernel packages (see http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-kernel/2011-07/msg00056.html). Now in Factory 12.1 M3 Michel Marek has included & announced - kernel package retention options (see http://lizards.opensuse.org/2011/07/14/improved-kernel-package-retention-in-... ). The default is sane, to preserve the Lastest & Running Kernels. So lets use it and make 12.1 kernel updates safer for all, and by default do the right thing! Use Case: End user upgrades kernel to Tumbleweed and it fails to boot. With kernel package retention, the running kernel was not deleted before reboot and recovery is simply a matter of choosing the "good" kernel from GRUB menu and reporting the issue, rather than figuring out system recovery. Business case (Partner benefit): openSUSE.org: To reduce support caused by kernel upgrade "accidents". To encourage safer testing of Kernel Team "stable" & "HEAD" kernels. To correct a long standing risky choice, made for implementation convenience of deleting old kernel package, before the new was tested. Discussion: #1: Michal Marek (michal-m) (2011-07-18 16:56:15) Note that there are multiple ways a kernel can "fail" for the user. Right now, the purge-kernels script is run after boot.localfs, that does not help you if e.g. X doesn't work anymore. To be fully bullet proof, the script would need to be triggered much later, e.g. once the user logs in and there is network connectivity. But even the current implementation can help in many cases. #2: Robert Davies (robopensuse) (2011-07-20 16:24:52) (reply to #1) So the issues of module loading failing, after kernel update would be solved. Many hardware boot issues where udev hangs also solved. For X11 not starting, even simply altering the default set for "purge-kernels" to : multiversion.kernels = latest,latest-1,running or : multiversion.kernels = latest, oldest, running Would preserve 2 "working" kernels after an update; without any coding changes. The oldest being treated as "golden" generally installation kernel without user intervention. + #3: Stephan Barth (cyberiad) (2012-05-11 16:06:41) + The Linux backline people teams from EMEA and US discussed this on + their regular meeting on Wednesday two weeks ago and we agreed that we + propose that too for the next SLE Service Pack. It would be great to + have this, because boot issues with an updated kernel have several + downsides: + - they come in as high severity - customers are often not capable to + use the rescue system or other tools - the variety of issues is to big + to write a simple troubleshooting guide - fixing issues over the phone + or chat takes a very long time when directing customers through steps + to get the system fixed -- openSUSE Feature: https://features.opensuse.org/312647

Feature changed by: Karl Cheng (qantas94heavy) Feature #312647, revision 18 Title: Preserve Running Kernel On Kernel Update by Default - openSUSE Distribution: Evaluation by engineering manager + openSUSE Distribution: Done Priority Requester: Desirable Requested by: Robert Davies (robopensuse) Partner organization: openSUSE.org Description: My suggestion is to enable multiversion kernel & preserve running kernel for safer kernel updates, to reduce support problems when new kernels won't boot. This is now possible for 12.1 by 1 line change to zypp.conf. Since Online Update was first introduced (SuSE 7.1?) it replaced the running kernel by default, which can lead to problems booting. For a while multiversion kernel has been supported by libzypp (1 line edit in zypp.conf). The drawback with multiversion was manual deletion required of unwanted kernel packages (see http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-kernel/2011-07/msg00056.html). Now in Factory 12.1 M3 Michel Marek has included & announced - kernel package retention options (see http://lizards.opensuse.org/2011/07/14/improved-kernel-package-retention-in-... ). The default is sane, to preserve the Lastest & Running Kernels. So lets use it and make 12.1 kernel updates safer for all, and by default do the right thing! Relations: - (feature/duplicate: 314903) Use Case: End user upgrades kernel to Tumbleweed and it fails to boot. With kernel package retention, the running kernel was not deleted before reboot and recovery is simply a matter of choosing the "good" kernel from GRUB menu and reporting the issue, rather than figuring out system recovery. Business case (Partner benefit): openSUSE.org: To reduce support caused by kernel upgrade "accidents". To encourage safer testing of Kernel Team "stable" & "HEAD" kernels. To correct a long standing risky choice, made for implementation convenience of deleting old kernel package, before the new was tested. Discussion: #1: Michal Marek (michal-m) (2011-07-18 16:56:15) Note that there are multiple ways a kernel can "fail" for the user. Right now, the purge-kernels script is run after boot.localfs, that does not help you if e.g. X doesn't work anymore. To be fully bullet proof, the script would need to be triggered much later, e.g. once the user logs in and there is network connectivity. But even the current implementation can help in many cases. #2: Robert Davies (robopensuse) (2011-07-20 16:24:52) (reply to #1) So the issues of module loading failing, after kernel update would be solved. Many hardware boot issues where udev hangs also solved. For X11 not starting, even simply altering the default set for "purge-kernels" to : multiversion.kernels = latest,latest-1,running or : multiversion.kernels = latest, oldest, running Would preserve 2 "working" kernels after an update; without any coding changes. The oldest being treated as "golden" generally installation kernel without user intervention. #3: Stephan Barth (cyberiad) (2012-05-11 16:06:41) The Linux backline people teams from EMEA and US discussed this on their regular meeting on Wednesday two weeks ago and we agreed that we propose that too for the next SLE Service Pack. It would be great to have this, because boot issues with an updated kernel have several downsides: - they come in as high severity - customers are often not capable to use the rescue system or other tools - the variety of issues is to big to write a simple troubleshooting guide - fixing issues over the phone or chat takes a very long time when directing customers through steps to get the system fixed -- openSUSE Feature: https://features.opensuse.org/312647