Kernel updating

[hobocaver]

Hi My user name is hobocaver. I have been using Linux for 2 years, jumping from distro to distro. At the moment I use Ubuntu netbook, Lucid, on an Asus 1201T, it works just fine. My question is regarding my main distribution, Elive Gem. I really like it, but updates of any kind are nonexistent, the forums are meager, etc. I would like to update the kernel to the newest, but how far can you jump at one swell foop? Presently using a 2.6.31 flavor, and Elive is based on Ubuntu 8.04, maybe, so libraries are not always usable when I try to install very new software.

[oz]

I would like to update the kernel to the newest, but how far can you jump at one swell foop?

Hello and welcome to the forums!

There isn't any given rule about how far ahead you can jump with kernel upgrades, because some kernel updates don't include major system changes while others do. Going from 2.6.31 to the current 2.6.35 kernel is a pretty big leap, so I'd recommend having a good system image backup in place so that you can easily restore your current system if needed. Then you can easily try another kernel release to see how it goes.