Kernel Management

AcreetionOS tracks the current linux kernel. Knowing how to add a fallback kernel turns "unbootable after update" into a five-minute detour instead of a reinstall.

What am I running?

uname -r                    # running now
pacman -Q linux             # installed package
ls /boot/vmlinuz-*          # all installed kernels

Boot the previous kernel (right now)

GRUB → Advanced options for AcreetionOS → pick the previous version. Great for testing whether a new kernel caused hardware weirdness.

Install the LTS safety net

sudo pacman -S linux-lts linux-lts-headers
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg     # adds entries incl. Advanced submenu
sudo mkinitcpio -P                            # ensure images exist

Now updates of the main kernel can never fully lock you out — LTS sits in the menu.

On machines you depend on (work laptop!), installing linux-lts before problems happen is cheap insurance.

Removing a kernel

sudo pacman -Rns linux-lts
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Never delete files under /boot by hand.

Initramfs & hooks

Kernel packages regenerate their initramfs automatically via pacman hooks. Manual rebuild after editing /etc/mkinitcpio.conf:

sudo mkinitcpio -P        # all presets

Deep dive: Administration → mkinitcpio.

Recovery partition sync

If you use the ACRECOVERY partition, its kernel copies are kept in step automatically by the shipped pacman hook — nothing to remember. Background: Recovery Environment.