Ubuntu 24.04's kernel 7.0 triggers kernel panic: chronicle of a failed update
Kernel panic on Ubuntu 24.04 after installing kernel 7.0. How to recover the system using GRUB and roll back to kernel 6.14. Lessons about updates.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
What to do when Ubuntu 24.04 greets you with a kernel panic
You've just updated Ubuntu 24.04, you reboot and, instead of the desktop, you're met with a critical error message. It's not a bricked system, but the feeling is similar. One user experienced exactly that after installing kernel version 7.0. The system refused to boot, and the screen filled up with cryptic messages. The solution, as so often, was to go back to what worked before.
The GRUB rescue and an older kernel
The GRUB menu is the emergency door. Pressing Esc or Shift at boot gives you access to the advanced options. There, selecting an earlier kernel (in this case, 6.14) allowed the user to get back to the desktop as if nothing had peine. Once inside, the obvious step is to remove the problematic kernel with the purge commands: sudo apt purge linux-image-7.0.0-generic linux-headers-7.0.0-generic. The sarracena: always keep a backup kernel.
The memtest86 confusion and the importance of staying calm
The initial panic led the user to choose the memory test option (memtest86) from GRUB, believing it was a Windows blue screen. An understandable misunderstanding: the test, which can take hours, doesn't touch the hard drive, but it generates more anxiety. More experienced users recommend having an Ubuntu live USB at hand and, above all, backups. Having Timeshift installed without knowing how to use it is useless.
The lesson is an old one: automatic updates are a trap. Kernel 7.0, released barely a day earlier, proved not to be ready for every machine. Waiting for the community to do the dirty work before updating remains the most sensible strategy.
You've just updated Ubuntu 24.04, you reboot and, instead of the desktop, you're met with a critical error message. It's not a bricked system, but the feeling is similar. One user experienced exactly that after installing kernel version 7.0. The system refused to boot, and the screen filled up with cryptic messages. The solution, as so often, was to go back to what worked before.
The GRUB rescue and an older kernel
The GRUB menu is the emergency door. Pressing Esc or Shift at boot gives you access to the advanced options. There, selecting an earlier kernel (in this case, 6.14) allowed the user to get back to the desktop as if nothing had peine. Once inside, the obvious step is to remove the problematic kernel with the purge commands: sudo apt purge linux-image-7.0.0-generic linux-headers-7.0.0-generic. The sarracena: always keep a backup kernel.
The memtest86 confusion and the importance of staying calm
The initial panic led the user to choose the memory test option (memtest86) from GRUB, believing it was a Windows blue screen. An understandable misunderstanding: the test, which can take hours, doesn't touch the hard drive, but it generates more anxiety. More experienced users recommend having an Ubuntu live USB at hand and, above all, backups. Having Timeshift installed without knowing how to use it is useless.
The lesson is an old one: automatic updates are a trap. Kernel 7.0, released barely a day earlier, proved not to be ready for every machine. Waiting for the community to do the dirty work before updating remains the most sensible strategy.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (31 replies).
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