How to download and use any other kernel than the one which is installed by default

Question

Supposing I am using Ubuntu 12.04(LTS), and it uses the 3.5.0-37 kernel.

If i wanted to use the 3.9.6 kernel, how could i use it? I dont want to upgrade to 13.04

Would I have to manually download this kernel, compile it and make its initrd, or could I fetch it using apt-get install by enabling some repository?

Please Help.

Answer 1

Backported kernels are available in 12.04, see these questions for instructions on how to enable them:

• Will Ubuntu point releases include a new Linux kernel?
• Quantal backported kernel in 12.04.2? What's going on there?
• How to upgrade 12.04.2 kernel and HWE to raring?

Another alternative is to build your own kernel or use a vanilla kernel: How do I get and install an unmodified kernel?

Answer 2

If you know some basic bash scripting, from the below scripts (which are very easy to understand even if they look so long) you can see how to download and use any other kernel.

echo " " &&
echo "This script will attempt to install Linux Kernel 3.9 on this machine." &&
echo "Typically, your current version will be kept, and you will be able to ustilise it again later if Kernel 3.9 does not work." &&
echo " " &&
read -p "Press Enter to continue, or abort by pressing CTRL+C" nothing &&
echo " " &&
echo "Downloading Kernel 3.9 Packages" &&
echo "3 Files, 55 MB to Download" &&
echo " " &&
echo "Creating Kernel Directory in Home folder" &&
echo " " &&
mkdir -p $HOME/kernel-htu &&
cd $HOME/kernel-htu &&
echo " " &&
echo "Downloading File 1 of 3, 12 MB" &&
echo " " &&
wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9.11-saucy/linux-headers-3.9.11-030911_3.9.11-030911.201307202035_all.deb &&
echo " " &&
if [ $(getconf LONG_BIT) = "64" ]
then
    echo "64bit Detected" &&
    echo " " &&
    echo "Downloading File 2 of 3, 1 MB" &&
    echo " " &&
    wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9.11-saucy/linux-headers-3.9.11-030911-generic_3.9.11-030911.201307202035_amd64.deb &&
    echo " " &&
    echo "Downloading File 3 of 3, 43 MB" &&
    wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9.11-saucy/linux-image-3.9.11-030911-generic_3.9.11-030911.201307202035_amd64.deb
else
    echo "32bit Detected" &&
    echo " " &&
    echo "Downloading File 2 of 3, 1 MB" &&
    echo " " &&
    wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9.11-saucy/linux-headers-3.9.11-030911-generic_3.9.11-030911.201307202035_i386.deb &&
    echo " " &&
    echo "Downloading File 3 of 3, 42 MB" &&
    echo " " &&
    wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9.11-saucy/linux-image-3.9.11-030911-generic_3.9.11-030911.201307202035_i386.deb
fi &&
echo " " &&
echo "Installing Kernel" &&
echo "This step will require you password." &&
echo "This is the last step you can safely cancel at." &&
echo "Use Ctrl+C to cancel." &&
echo " " &&
sudo dpkg -i *.deb &&
echo " " &&
echo "Installation Complete" &&
echo " " &&
read -p "Press Enter to Delete the Downloads, or CTRL+C to keep them." nothing &&
echo " " &&
sudo rm -rf $HOME/kernel-htu

Source: How to Install Linux Kernel 3.9 - How to Ubuntu (visit for most up-to-date version).

echo " " &&
echo "This script will attempt to install Linux Kernel 3.10 on this machine." &&
echo "Typically, your current version will be kept, and you will be able to ustilise it again later if Kernel 3.10 does not work." &&
echo " " &&
read -p "Press Enter to continue, or abort by pressing CTRL+C" nothing &&
echo " " &&
echo "Downloading Kernel 3.10 Packages" &&
echo "3 Files, 57 MB to Download" &&
echo " " &&
echo "Creating Kernel Directory in Home folder" &&
echo " " &&
mkdir -p $HOME/kernel-htu &&
cd $HOME/kernel-htu &&
echo " " &&
echo "Downloading File 1 of 3, 12 MB" &&
echo " " &&
wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.10.6-saucy/linux-headers-3.10.6-031006_3.10.6-031006.201308112316_all.deb &&
echo " " &&
if [ $(getconf LONG_BIT) = "64" ]
then
    echo "64bit Detected" &&
    echo " " &&
    echo "Downloading File 2 of 3, 1 MB" &&
    echo " " &&
    wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.10.6-saucy/linux-headers-3.10.6-031006-generic_3.10.6-031006.201308112316_amd64.deb &&
    echo " " &&
    echo "Downloading File 3 of 3, 44 MB" &&
    echo " " &&
    wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.10.6-saucy/linux-image-3.10.6-031006-generic_3.10.6-031006.201308112316_amd64.deb
else
    echo "32bit Detected" &&
    echo " " &&
    echo "Downloading File 2 of 3, 1 MB" &&
    echo " " &&
    wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.10.6-saucy/linux-headers-3.10.6-031006-generic_3.10.6-031006.201308112316_i386.deb &&
    echo " " &&
    echo "Downloading File 3 of 3, 43 MB" &&
    wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.10.6-saucy/linux-image-3.10.6-031006-generic_3.10.6-031006.201308112316_i386.deb
fi &&
echo " " &&
echo "Installing Kernel" &&
echo "This step will require you password." &&
echo "This is the last step you can safely cancel at." &&
echo "Use Ctrl+C to cancel." &&
echo " " &&
sudo dpkg -i *.deb &&
echo " " &&
echo "Installation Complete" &&
echo " " &&
read -p "Press Enter to Delete the Downloads, or CTRL+C to keep them." nothing &&
echo " " &&
sudo rm -rf $HOME/kernel-htu

Source: How to Install Linux Kernel 3.10 - How to Ubuntu (visit for most up-to-date version).

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You can download any kernel do you wish from: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline.