Unable to use akm to uninstall from Kernel 5.12.15arch1-1 and switch to LTS 5.10.49-1

[kagetora13]

Hi,

I’m in the process of trying to learn how to manage kernels in EOS (as I am going to switch from Manjaro and its utility). From reading on the forums I see I can use akm utility.

I notice I can:

(1) Install the LTS 5.10.49-1.

(2) Reboot and then using LTS 5.10.49-1.

But when I try to remove Kernel 5.12.15arch1-1 I get the error:

"Removing linux breaks dependency ‘linux’ required by r8168’

Thought I would share to see whether it is possible to only use the LTS. The reasoning is really my Thinkpad T450 is using LTS 5.4 in Manjaro.

Thanks.

[dalto]

r8168 is a kernel module that contains network drivers, you need to remove it along with the kernel.

You can do that easily with:

sudo pacman -Rc linux

That will remove the package linux and anything that is in the way of it.

Always carefully review the list to removed when using -Rc. However, in the case of removing a kernel it should be fairly safe.

[kagetora13]

Thanks Dalto. So lets say I want to install the Kernel 5.4 LTS. Would I have to do that through pacman and not use the 'akml utility?

I’m trying to learn the proper way to do these things (instead of bad habits I may have picked up in Manjaro). Technically it is easier to switch between Kernels with how Manjaro is setup.

[dalto]

You can do it through pacman or through akm. akm is just a helper which ultimately uses pacman to install the kernel. It works either way.

An alternative solution to the one I gave you above is simply to remove the package r8168 before removing the kernel.

[kagetora13]

Thank you. I’m practicing i a VM now. So I’m sure I will be bumbling in the forums looking at how I will re-build my setup in EOS (fresh install).

ZSH here I come!

[dalto]

If you need any help, just let us know. That is what we are here for.

[manuel]

The additional question is: which Ethernet hardware do you have?
Please run this command line:

  lspci -vnn | sed -n '/Ethernet controller/,/^$/p'

and copy the full result here.

There may be alternatives based on your result.

[kagetora13]

Hi Manuel

Good point. I’ve run the command off my Thinkpad T450 (as this is the system I will be re-building into an Endeavor System first):

lspci -vnn | sed -n '/Ethernet controller/,/^$/p'
00:19.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection (3) I218-LM [8086:15a2] (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Lenovo Device [17aa:2226]
        Flags: fast devsel, IRQ 48
        Memory at e1200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=128K]
        Memory at e123e000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=4K]
        I/O ports at 3080 [disabled] [size=32]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: e1000e
        Kernel modules: e1000e

The practice Virtual Machine is this:

lspci -vnn | sed -n '/Ethernet controller/,/^$/p'
00:03.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Intel Corporation 82540EM Gigabit Ethernet Controller [8086:100e] (rev 02)
	Subsystem: Intel Corporation PRO/1000 MT Desktop Adapter [8086:001e]
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 19
	Memory at f0200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128K]
	I/O ports at d020 [size=8]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: e1000
	Kernel modules: e1000

[manuel]

Thanks for the output!
It shows that you can safely uninstall any r8168 driver packages you might have currently installed, because you don’t have such ethernet card.
And then using akm should not show that problem anymore.