Moving Linux kernel to 4.9

[ShiftPlusOne]

Getting a screen full of "Adding 'diversion of /boot/over...... previous cards failed after this.
Takes a long time to upgrade and is not always successful.
Third time is the charm, now have 4.9.24.

Sounds like a symptom of a bigger problem. SD write operations aren't meant to be lossy.

[macmpi]

Yes, we updated the stable branch and rebuilt the raspberrypi-kernel package yesterday.

Hi,
Out of curiosity, is there a mail list or something that pre-announces such kind of branch changes?
Thanks.

[dom]

Out of curiosity, is there a mail list or something that pre-announces such kind of branch changes?

Threads like this one in the advanced users forum are the usual places where changes are discussed.
You can also follow the raspberrypi dev twitter channel where you will see all github commits (but there are a lot).

For most users the actual kernel used shouldn't matter - the change will be invisible, so it's not really considered worthy of a blog post unless it results in a significant new feature.

[spf]

Hi,
After upgrading a RPI3 with 4.9, it started to have a very flaky wireless connection using the integrated wireless.
The base station is a bit remote, but it was rock solid using 4.4. It is consistently either lagging a lot, or not even connecting using 4.9. Reverting to 4.4 (using rpi-update), solves the issue.

Replying to myself, wireless is reliable again since 73e9b8a.

[mattmiller]

so it's not really considered worthy of a blog post unless it results in a significant new feature.

I'm getting very confused (no change there then)

I thought

Yes, we updated the stable branch and rebuilt the raspberrypi-kernel package yesterday.

meant that normal Raspbian had now been updated from an old (4.4?) version to a newer 4.9.xx version

if so - surely a such a chage in kernel would have some significant effect on us muggle users?
wouldn't such a big change in kernel version mean a lot more devices supported


I'm feeling VERY VERY confused

[ziesemer]

This seems to have broken non-root GPIO access, at least on a Pi 1 Model B+. See viewtopic.php?f=29&t=183481.

[Hallo32]

Hi, are there any plans for the next kernel version the foundation will use?

[dom]

Hi, are there any plans for the next kernel version the foundation will use?

We've said the next raspbian image will use 4.9.
Are you talking about after that? Too early to say. 4.10, 4.11 and 4.12 are all available if you build yourself.
Raspbian is unlikely to switch away from 4.9 for many months.

[Hallo32]

Are you talking about after that? Too early to say. 4.10, 4.11 and 4.12 are all available if you build yourself.

Yes, I was talking about the kernel version after the version 4.9. Should I expect any problems with the three newer ones?

Building the kernel myself is always necessary, because I use the 64 bit version.

[dom]

Yes, I was talking about the kernel version after the version 4.9. Should I expect any problems with the three newer ones?

Well 4.12 is brand new (at rc1 level upstream) so treat that as experimental.
4.10 and 4.11 have no known issues (they have been used in nightly LibreELEC builds for some time).

[Hallo32]

@dom

Thanks for the fast and informative replies.

[runboy93]

Hi, are there any plans for the next kernel version the foundation will use?

Most likely 4.9.xx (my bet is 4.9.28 or newer)

Where is May image?

There has been new firmware on stable (4.9.24), new flash update released last month, etc.

[jpkl13]

Hello,
I have launched an rpi-update from my Raspberry Pi 2 after an apt-get update.
It seemed that all has been working fine :
-----------------------------------
root@volumio:~# rpi-update
*** Raspberry Pi firmware updater by Hexxeh, enhanced by AndrewS and Dom
*** Performing self-update
*** Relaunching after update
*** Raspberry Pi firmware updater by Hexxeh, enhanced by AndrewS and Dom
#############################################################
This update bumps to rpi-4.9.y linux tree
Be aware there could be compatibility issues with some drivers
Discussion here:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=167934
##############################################################
*** Downloading specific firmware revision (this will take a few minutes)
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 168 0 168 0 0 77 0 --:--:-- 0:00:02 --:--:-- 77
100 53.8M 100 53.8M 0 0 776k 0 0:01:11 0:01:11 --:--:-- 771k
*** Updating firmware
*** Updating kernel modules
*** depmod 4.9.29-v7+
*** depmod 4.9.29+
*** Updating VideoCore libraries
*** Using HardFP libraries
*** Updating SDK
*** Running ldconfig
*** Storing current firmware revision
*** Deleting downloaded files
*** Syncing changes to disk
*** If no errors appeared, your firmware was successfully updated to aeb5f6166d3ef7298f6fee644ac8cebb7a8fa133
*** A reboot is needed to activate the new firmware
-------------------------------------
Unfortunately, it never boots again : kernel panic. However, the raspi was safe, I just had to burn again the SD card.
I have attempted again the same update, and the result was the same.
I did not use raspbian itself, but the image (debian based) volumio-2.129-2017-03-23-pi.img
I tried to update firmware because I hoped to get a support for an USB audio device. : ASUS Xonar U3.
So, I suggest you should avoid to update raspi 2 firmware ....
Thanks for your attention, excuse my poor english.

[runboy93]

Hello,
I have launched an rpi-update from my Raspberry Pi 2 after an apt-get update.
It seemed that all has been working fine :
-----------------------------------
root@volumio:~# rpi-update
*** Raspberry Pi firmware updater by Hexxeh, enhanced by AndrewS and Dom
*** Performing self-update
*** Relaunching after update
*** Raspberry Pi firmware updater by Hexxeh, enhanced by AndrewS and Dom
#############################################################
This update bumps to rpi-4.9.y linux tree
Be aware there could be compatibility issues with some drivers
Discussion here:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=167934
##############################################################
*** Downloading specific firmware revision (this will take a few minutes)
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 168 0 168 0 0 77 0 --:--:-- 0:00:02 --:--:-- 77
100 53.8M 100 53.8M 0 0 776k 0 0:01:11 0:01:11 --:--:-- 771k
*** Updating firmware
*** Updating kernel modules
*** depmod 4.9.29-v7+
*** depmod 4.9.29+
*** Updating VideoCore libraries
*** Using HardFP libraries
*** Updating SDK
*** Running ldconfig
*** Storing current firmware revision
*** Deleting downloaded files
*** Syncing changes to disk
*** If no errors appeared, your firmware was successfully updated to aeb5f6166d3ef7298f6fee644ac8cebb7a8fa133
*** A reboot is needed to activate the new firmware
-------------------------------------
Unfortunately, it never boots again : kernel panic. However, the raspi was safe, I just had to burn again the SD card.
I have attempted again the same update, and the result was the same.
I did not use raspbian itself, but the image (debian based) volumio-2.129-2017-03-23-pi.img
I tried to update firmware because I hoped to get a support for an USB audio device. : ASUS Xonar U3.
So, I suggest you should avoid to update raspi 2 firmware ....
Thanks for your attention, excuse my poor english.

Stable is also using 4.9.xx already, so I don't really recommend to use rpi-update.

[Siewert308SW]

Anybody else the same issue.
And is there a fix for it or someone knows how to resolve it.?

Just wanted to update both my Rpi3 running Rasbian Jessie to commit 0f315f8
On both my rpi3 systems i get the following error when i try to update.

Code: Select all

pi@pihole:~ $ sudo rpi-update
 *** Raspberry Pi firmware updater by Hexxeh, enhanced by AndrewS and Dom
 *** Performing self-update
 *** Relaunching after update
awk: line 2: function strtonum never defined
awk: line 2: function strtonum never defined
awk: line 2: function strtonum never defined
(23) Failed writing body

p.s
Haven't tried anything yet besides rebooting which didn't do the trick, unfortunately

[ktb]

Hmm... what does sudo update-alternatives --config awk say?

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo update-alternatives --config awk
There are 2 choices for the alternative awk (providing /usr/bin/awk).

  Selection    Path            Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/bin/gawk    10        auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/gawk    10        manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/mawk    5         manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:

[Siewert308SW]

Hmm... what does sudo update-alternatives --config awk say?

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo update-alternatives --config awk
There are 2 choices for the alternative awk (providing /usr/bin/awk).

  Selection    Path            Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/bin/gawk    10        auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/gawk    10        manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/mawk    5         manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:

Forgot to mention i was running 4.9.30 previously.

Code: Select all

pi@pihole:~ $ sudo update-alternatives --config awk
There is only one alternative in link group awk (providing /usr/bin/awk): /usr/bin/mawk
Nothing to configure.

[ktb]

Hmm... what does sudo update-alternatives --config awk say?

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo update-alternatives --config awk
There are 2 choices for the alternative awk (providing /usr/bin/awk).

  Selection    Path            Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/bin/gawk    10        auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/gawk    10        manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/mawk    5         manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:

Forgot to mention i was running 4.9.30 previously.

Code: Select all

pi@pihole:~ $ sudo update-alternatives --config awk
There is only one alternative in link group awk (providing /usr/bin/awk): /usr/bin/mawk
Nothing to configure.

Interesting. This doesn't appear to be a kernel problem.

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install gawk

Afterwards, what does sudo update-alternatives --config awk say?

[Siewert308SW]

@ktb
Strange that both my Rpi suffer this issue.
While i haven't installed or amended anything for the past two weeks.
I do remember that there was a repository update (raspberry-sys) this weekend.
Could it be that it screwed it up?

Did "sudo apt-get install gawk"

sudo update-alternatives --config awk

Code: Select all

There are 2 choices for the alternative awk (providing /usr/bin/awk).

  Selection    Path            Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/bin/gawk    10        auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/gawk    10        manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/mawk    5         manual mode

Press enter to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:

edit:

after installing gawk i'm able to do a rpi-update again

[ktb]

@ktb
Strange that both my Rpi suffer this issue.
While i haven't installed or amended anything for the past two weeks.
I do remember that there was a repository update (raspberry-sys) this weekend.
Could it be that it screwed it up?

I don't know. I have all those updates installed too.

AFAIK, gawk should be installed on a Raspbian system by default. You could check your apt logs to see when it might have been removed. /var/log/apt/history.log

[Siewert308SW]

@ktb
Strange that both my Rpi suffer this issue.
While i haven't installed or amended anything for the past two weeks.
I do remember that there was a repository update (raspberry-sys) this weekend.
Could it be that it screwed it up?

I don't know. I have all those updates installed too.

AFAIK, gawk should be installed on a Raspbian system by default. You could check your apt logs to see when it might have been removed. /var/log/apt/history.log

Searched all APT history log files but no mention of any gawk uninstall.
Still strange but it's working fine again, thx for the help.

[ktb]

@ktb
Strange that both my Rpi suffer this issue.
While i haven't installed or amended anything for the past two weeks.
I do remember that there was a repository update (raspberry-sys) this weekend.
Could it be that it screwed it up?

I don't know. I have all those updates installed too.

AFAIK, gawk should be installed on a Raspbian system by default. You could check your apt logs to see when it might have been removed. /var/log/apt/history.log

Searched all APT history log files but no mention of any gawk uninstall.
Still strange but it's working fine again, thx for the help.

It's possible the change is in an already archived (history.log.1.gz, history.log.2.gz, history.log.3.gz, etc.) history.log file. Otherwise, I can't think of another way to figure out what went wrong.

EDIT: It does look like there have been some recent updates to rpi-update -- https://github.com/Hexxeh/rpi-update/commits/master

[Siewert308SW]

It's possible the change is in an already archived (history.log.1.gz, history.log.2.gz, history.log.3.gz, etc.) history.log file. Otherwise, I can't think of another way to figure out what went wrong.

Already searched them also, no mentioning any gawk uninstall

[ktb]

It's possible the change is in an already archived (history.log.1.gz, history.log.2.gz, history.log.3.gz, etc.) history.log file. Otherwise, I can't think of another way to figure out what went wrong.

Already searched them also, no mentioning any gawk uninstall

It actually looks like I was wrong. Perhaps gawk isn't installed by default.

[dom]

See: https://github.com/Hexxeh/rpi-update/issues/244 for info about gawk/mawk.

I will remove the gawk specific code in rpi-update once I've confirmed it fixes the issue.
I've also asked our packaging guy why many users have mawk rather than gawk installed
(I personally have gawk installed, but I guess that came in as a dependency on something I installed).