Arch linux vs linux lts

Arch Linux

Hello guys,
I am curious to know how much of an impact would be installing and using Kernel-lts give compared to the default Kernel ?

I know Kernel is released and updated every month or so and this can lead to unwelcoming breaking ups the machine if not careful. (Ok, I had a bad experience and I couldn’t boot my PC after an update).

Generally talking, for an expert user who has been using Arch for years: does the Long Term Support package of Kernel provide the stability to be expected from a daily driver machine?

I know many of these sorts of decision should come to the experience of the user, but I read it should be one of the things to do right after Arch is installed: to sacrifice a little bit of security for a much higher stability.

Thank you for the answers!

#2 2017-11-04 20:00:22

Re: Linux vs Linux-lts

-lts updates just as often, sometimes more often than the regular kernel. So if you want to keep up with security updates you’ll need to reboot every 1-2 weeks either way.

As to the «expected stability», both break. The main difference is if you use proprietary software like old AMD drivers or VMWare that lag behind on kernel changes.

Last edited by Alad (2017-11-04 20:01:04)

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#3 2017-11-04 20:22:25

Re: Linux vs Linux-lts

Sane strategy is to install both — if there’s a show stopping regression in one (usually the new one), you still got the other around to boot and work with untill the regression of the first has been fixed.

#4 2017-11-04 21:58:34

Re: Linux vs Linux-lts

Bear in mind that patches to linux often get to linux-lts. An unfixed regression in linux can appear in linux-lts, but after a delay.

#5 2017-11-04 22:32:22

Re: Linux vs Linux-lts

-As to the «expected stability», both break. The main difference is if you use proprietary software like old AMD drivers or VMWare that lag behind on kernel changes.

I thought that the main benefit of the -LTS is that packages have enough time to «adjast» to cartain kernel features, therefore making it more stable and less likely to break.

#6 2017-11-04 22:37:01

Re: Linux vs Linux-lts

I started using the LTS kernel simply because of the nvidia proprietary driver which occasionally breaks on new kernels. 4.9LTS is also sufficient for skylake machines.
For example, nvidia proprietary driver works perfectly on 4.9LTS, 4.10, 4.11, and 4.12 but I had hibernation issues when testing on 4.13.10. Luckily those particular issues don’t appear under 4.14rc7 which will become the next LTS. This also means I would have skipped 4.13.xx.
If you are using Intel graphics though, the latest Linux kernel is mostly the same stability.
Generally speaking, out of tree modules are the main reason why you may need a LTS kernel.
New hardware may require new kernels and support for new hardware is rarely backported to LTS kernels.

#7 2017-11-04 22:53:34

Re: Linux vs Linux-lts

There you go. I have a nvidia card and experienced some annoyances with the latest kernel. Now with the LTS it seems fine but hope it will continue.
A bit off topic here, but do installing microcodes for intel help improve stability?

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Why and How to install the LTS kernel in Arch Linux

The LTS kernel in Arch Linux is often recommended installing if you want to make your Arch system more stable. But what is the kernel? What are the differences between the default Linux and the LTS kernels, and which one should you choose? Finally, how to install the LTS kernel in Arch Linux? All these questions are about to be answered.

What is the kernel?

The kernel is the core program of the system. It is responsible for managing memory, CPU and other hardware of the system. Many drivers are built-into the kernel. It also communicates with the installed applications.

Actually, Linux is the kernel. The desktop environment, applications and all the other stuff is just a superstructure above the kernel. So, using the word Linux is not very accurate, if you mean a distribution. For example, Android uses the Linux kernel but it is not called Linux. That is why many people say GNU/Linux when they mean Linux distributions. Linux is much simpler to say.

Why install the LTS kernel?

If you have not changed your kernel in Arch Linux, by default you have the latest stable kernel version.

The LTS (long-term support) version is advantageous if stability is your first priority. It doesn’t mean that the latest kernel, or the default kernel, is less stable, it just means that the LTS kernel won’t be updated as frequently. So, there is a smaller chance of some conflicts after you update your system. Besides, the LTS kernel doesn’t change much, so if it works fine on your system it is likely that it will keep working properly.

On the other hand, the latest kernel is updated frequently and there are constant changes to it, so there is a higher chance of breaking something after the update. The main version of the LTS kernel doesn’t change but it keeps receiving security fixes and it may also receive some feature backports.

Installing the latest kernel is good if you want to have the latest feature, and this is what many Arch users aim for. If you have the latest hardware, it is possible that the LTS kernel may not fully support it. So, you have to use the latest kernel OS.

How to install the LTS kernel in Arch Linux

To install and activate the LTS kernel in Arch Linux, follow these steps:

Check your what kind of kernel you have: uname -r

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg 

To get this GRUB menu, you may need to press SHIFT key or ESC key just when the boot is starting. Boot with the LTS kernel from the Advanced options.

sudo pacman -R linux sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg 

After these steps, you will have only the LTS kernel in your system. If you do not remove the default kernel, Arch Linux will use the default kernel after the next reboot. If you use the latest kernel, you can install the LTS kernel as a fallback kernel. In case that something happens to your latest kernel, you can boot with the LTS kernel.

Benefits of the LTS Kernel

Personally for me, the LTS kernel has several advantages.

It works better with VirtualBox. I had some problems with the latest kernel and VirtualBox because the kernel updates were more frequent than the updates for VirtualBox. Once VirtualBox just stopped working and to fix it, I needed to switch to an older kernel.

It’s better for a multi-boot system. I also like the infrequent updates of the LTS kernel. I multi-boot my Arch Linux with several other Linux OSes and I need to update my GRUB manually every kernel update. As the LTS kernel is not updated as frequently as the latest kernel, I don’t have to update my GRUB often with the LTS kernel.

You may also like these tips and tricks after installing Arch Linux. Thanks for reading.

Average Linux UserFollow I am the founder of the Average Linux User project, which is a hobby I work on at night. During the day I am a scientist who uses computers to analyze genetic data.

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