Running OS 11.3 x86_64, 2GB RAM, 3GHz Pentium D, Intel Video.
I’ve noticed that there is another kernel update available, a version 2.6.34.7-0.3.1 in Yast. Is this one safe to install, or should I wait awhile longer? I was warned off an earlier update when it hosed my wife’s system (and she was not happy! lol! )
Thanks. 
Using 2.6.34.7-0.3-desktop
All is good here. If you use ATI you might want to reconsider.
I updated today without any problems at all. of course I had to install my nVidia drivers the hard way again(not that hard at all). Everything is working as it should be
Cheers!
etech97
Thanks much, folks!
I just came off of vacation, and I noted the new kernel, and I am asking myself the same question.
I note a couple of users with Intel 5300 (or 5100) AGN wireless cards (which is same as in my laptop) complaining their wireless no longer works consistently. They both updated to the new kernel and experienced the problem, although they may also have experienced their wireless problem before their update. Its not clear to me but I confess I’m not going to quickly update my laptop to this new 11.3 kernel until I get a better handle on things. I note in 11.2 a kernel update broke the wireless in same laptop with the Intel 5100/5300 AGN hardware, and that was never fixed (and it sets a precedent in my mind for kernel updates causing problems).
I note the new kernel has broken the functionality of the ATI Catalyst proprietary graphic driver in openSUSE-11.3. This is especially annoying for ATI users, as the latest 10.9 Catalyst only now finally started to work reasonably well with openSUSE-11.3. To have the driver broken only days after it finally being updated to work, must be incredibly frustrating. My laptop noted above, with the Intel 5300 AGN wireless, also has ATI radeon HD3450 graphics. I’ve been using this laptop extensively for the past 3 weeks when on vacation, and I note the ‘stock’ radeon graphics has minor artifact problems. An update to the latest ATI proprietary Catalyst graphic driver (with the older 2.6.34-12 kernel) has as near as I can tell, addressed most of the problems experienced with the older Catalyst, and also with the Radeon driver. I’m faced with that driver not working if I update the kernel.
So I’m not about to update the kernel in that laptop.
I updated my sandbox PC (running LXDE) to the 2.6.34.7 kernel and it works fine. It has a wired connection to the web, and has nVidia graphics (FX5200). I plan to update both my backup PC (with nVidia graphics (8400GS)) to 2.6.34.7 and my wife’s PC (with legacy ATI hardware) to 2.6.34.7.
My current view is users with new (non legacy) ATI hardware should be cautious and not rush to update to the 2.6.34.7 until they learn more. There may be a patch to the proprietary driver, but as one who has not looked into this in detail, I found the simple instructions as to how the patch can be applied to be rather confusing. I also have the view that user’s who have a suspicion that their wireless may be broken by an update should also be careful in updating (and I have no solid evidence this is the case, only a forum thread by users who insist the 5100/5300 AGN wireless is broken, even though same hardware works on my laptop - but I’m cautions).
Users with wired Internet connection, and nVidia (and likely Intel) graphics should have no worries about updating the kernel. They may need to rebuild their proprietary nVidia graphic driver
I think after I have had time to read the various threads in our forum, I may not be so cautious about the kernel update and endorse it fully, but at this time I’m being careful.
Before I went to bed I decided to take the 2.6.34.7-0.3 update hoping it would be more stable then the last 2.6.34.7x was. Its running fine so far. (32 minutes) will just have to see how it holds up the next few days.
Did not have to run nvidia installer.
I am starting to get tired of updates that crash systems. I am using Intel DX58SO Motherboard 8gb ram, with Nvidia GTX285 video. After updating to the 2.6.34.7-0.3 kernel for “security” reasons according to the updater… my system is down. >:(
It locks the computer hard during initial boot. I see grub, then blank screen. Totally locks up. Safe mode comes up, but it stops at the bash prompt. Seems it has trashed NVidia as well? I reinstalled Nvidia in safe mode and it seems fine. But in normal mode, it freezes the computer.
Ideas? I’m not seeing anything in the logs that jumps out at me.
I applied this kernel patch when it was advertised by the automatic updater and now my system is severely slowed down >:( :
It seems to me that disk mainly access (through kde ?) is very slow. Where was this patch tested?? I am also wiiling to dig through log files in order to find out what really happens, but don’t know where to look.
I would say that this patch is definitely NOT safe.
My system:
Kernel: Linux 2.6.34.7-0.3-desktop x86_64
Distribution: openSUSE 11.3 (x86_64)
KDE: 4.4.4 (KDE 4.4.4) “release 2”
Hersteller: nVidia Corporation
Modell: GeForce 7300 LE
2D-Treiber: vesa
Best regards,
Christoph >:) >:(
I upgraded my Dell e6400 with Intel graphics and experienced no issues, everything is working fine.
I’m no expert but why is nvidia card using vesa driver? I think proprietary driver might resolve some of the issues you present.
Because the nvidia driver is not installed in that example
If you’re having trouble with a new kernel installation, I suggest keeping multiple kernels on your system and rebooting to the last good kernel version. I keep two good kernels on my system at all times, and after a successful kernel update install, I delete the oldest kernel (3rd) and keep the two good kernels. If the updated kernel doesn’t work for some reason, I can fall back to my last good one. It doesn’t take up very much extra disk space and is good insurance.
To accomplish this from a terminal window, command line interface:
Find your kernel type with:
uname -a
edit /etc/zypp/zypp.conf and either add, or uncomment this line by removing the “#”, to your kernel type:
multiversion = kernel-desktop
The next time you update your kernel through the Updater Applet or Yast, your present kernel will be kept on the system and will be available to boot.
After you are satisfied that the latest kernel is working you can find the installed kernels with:
rpm -qa | grep kernel-desktop
and then remove the oldest one with:
rpm -e kernel-desktop-xxxxx
where xxxxx is the oldest version to be removed.
In all cases use the kernel type found in the “uname -a” command.
When you reboot, the GUI login screen will show multiple kernels to choose from, including a failsafe for each kernel version. The latest one will be the topmost choice, and will be the default that is booted to, unless you interrupt the boot process before it begins. Use your up/down arrow keys to select the kernel to boot to.
You won’t have any more worries that a new kernel will not work.
hope this helps.
Updated kernel to 2.6.34.7-0.3.1 earlier today. Lots of other updates too. So far go good. Did not need to rebuild nvidia. Since I started using 1-click I don’t think I’ve needed to rebuild.
On my system (flarkbox) everything seems to work, on my girlfriends box the new kernel caused problems in conjunction with the ATI-driver (fglrx64_7_5_0_SUSE113-8.762-1.x86_64); had to fall-back to 2.6.34.4-0.1-desktop (x86_64) to keep things working for her.
I have used the original nVidia driver in the past, but now the installation of this driver requires extra complications, and the VESA driver gave good results before this Kernel upgrade. However, installing the nVidia driver might be a good thing to try.
P.S.: Thank you for the hint about using several kernels. I will try this.
As long as you are not on ATi (Like my laptop) you will be fine upgrading. If you have ATi then you need to apply a patch
I’ve updated 2 openSUSE-11.3 PC’s thus far to the 2.6.34.7 kernel. Both went well. (1) One is an athlon-1100 with a nVidia FX5200 graphic card. The update went well. (2) the second is an athlon-2800 with a nVidia 8400GS, and the update went well.
In both cases I re-installed (rebuilt) the proprietary nVidia graphic driver. I checked the /boot/grub/menu.lst before/after the kernel update (before restarting after the kernel update) and there were no problems with the very simple menu.lst boot menu that I have in place on those PCs.
I am still dragging my feet in updating the kernel in my Dell Studio 1537 laptop with ATI Radeon HD3450 graphics, as I know the Catalyst-10.9 proprietary driver will not work with the 2.6.34.7 kernel without a hack/patch (which I am not keen on doing), and I’m not also not clear yet as to any potential impact of the updated kernel on the Intel Pro 5300AGN wireless in that laptop which for me works extremely well with the 2.6.34-12 kernel (contrary to expriences of other users on our forum who had it break with the 2.6.34.7 kernel, and remain broken when they purportedly rolled back to the 2.6.34-12 kernel). I may just install 2 kernels on that laptop to address this (in a multiboot configuration).
I might this week, update the 2.6.34-12 kernel to 2.6.34.7 in my wife’s PC (an Sempron-2600 w/ ATI Radeon 9200 PRO graphics) which uses the radeon driver, and not the proprietary driver. I do not anticipate any problems there.
Lee,
If you enable multi version, at least over this update, it will at least mean you ain’t in a pickle