Installing new kernels

The sidux kernels are in apt. Please choose your closest sidux repo mirror and alter your sources:

The kernels are available in the following forms:

• sidux-686 sidux-686 - kernel for the i686 Processor Family with single/dual core or more CPUs
• sidux-amd64 kernel for 64 bit sidux

Its 4 steps to do it manually in a konsole:

1. In a konsole switch to root:

apt-get update

2. To install the latest version kernel:

apt-get install linux-image-2.6-sidux-686 linux-headers-2.6-sidux-686

3. The kernel-update is now done. Should you require them, add the 3D latest graphics drivers for ATI, NVIDIA or INTEL cards. First update the script:

sgfxi -U

4.Now restart your computer and boot to the new kernel (it should boot up by default).

To update the 3D drivers run:

sgfxi

Alternatively, on the first reboot to the new kernel go directly to runlevel 3 (this is done by adding 3 to the Grub-Boot-Line) and then run sgfxi.

More detailed sgfxi information is here

Should the new kernel give you problems, you can reboot and choose an older kernel.

Modules

To find which modules you need, the following command gives you the list of current available modules, copy this line to your console/terminal:

apt-cache search 2.6.*.slh.*-sidux| awk '/modules/{print $1}'

To get a full description of each module, copy this line to your console/terminal:

apt-cache search 2.6.*.slh.*-sidux

To install the required modules (for instance virtual-ose, and qc-usb):

apt-get install virtualbox-ose-modules-2.6.24-2.6.24.2.slh.7-sidux-686 (EXAMPLE)
apt-get install qc-usb-modules-2.6.24-2.6.24.2.slh.7-sidux-686 (EXAMPLE)

To check the modules loaded into the kernel:

ls /sys/module/
or
cat /proc/modules

IMPORTANT: if you need certain driver modules, e.g. for wlan,you have to install the proper .deb packages for them. As an example, for the Agere et131x ethernet adapter:

apt-get install et131x-modules-*

dpkg -i et131x-modules*.deb is only used if you have the debs locally already, but even in that case, if they are in the apt-cache, apt-get is a better option.

See also getting on line and ndiswrapper and for WIFI

Other kernel installation methods

smxi

The smxi script offers an integrated method to install kernels, drivers and a number of other system administration scripts:

To install smxi:

cd /usr/local/bin; wget techpatterns.com/smxi.zip; unzip smxi.zip && smxi
and follow the prompts

or to just install the 3d driver script

cd /usr/local/bin && wget -Nc http://techpatterns.com/downloads/distro/sgfxi && chmod +x sgfxi && sgfxi
To see options:
sgfxi -h

siduxcc

You can also install kernels with the GUI control centre siduxcc: which is located in the KDE-Start-Menu>System>sidux Control Centre. siduxcc also offers several other system administration GUI applications

Removing old kernels

After successful installation of the new kernel, the old kernels can be deleted, however its recommended that you keep them for a few days in case you strike problems and therefore boot to an older kernel as listed in the grub screen

Old kernels can be removed from the system. To do so, you can use the script kernel-remover which is in the package sidux-kernelhacking. This script must be installed and allows to you nominate which kernels you wish to remove.

apt-get update
apt-get install sidux-kernelhacking
kernel-remover

Alternatively, you can use siduxcc, which uses the kernel-remover script.