Linux latest kernel was finally introduced with an interesting update for a gamer, raspberry pie, and desktop users.
Table of Contents
Linux Kernel 5.16: What’s New?
With the latest release, many new generation Intel and AMD hardware support were added along with the CPU and GPU devices.
AMD processor having uphand on this update by the benchmark test done by Phoronix. Except that the latest kernel is also available for ARM-based devices like Raspberry PI 4.
This time Linux kernel 5.16 bring the Nintendo Switch controller driver along with the latest PlayStation 5 controller with an improvement in HID kernel driver contributed by Sony.
Zoned namespace support introduced to Btrfs file system, updates Zstd compression, adding Automatic Multicast Tunneling (AMT) support, and new fragment allocation mode mount option for the F2FS file system, and supports for Snapdragon 690 processors.
Windows game on Linux works great, but still, there is some performance skulk which is resolved in this update by adding FUTEX2’s system call.
The support for Apple M1 chips is improving in every kernel release, this time you get USB, PCIe and some minor fixes. It has also added an Apple magic keyboard as a mainline feature.
Raptor Lake processor support is included in this kernel 5.16 with the support for Rock chips.
Step 1: Update your complete system
The first thing to do before upgrading the kernel is to update and upgrade your whole system using the below command.
$ sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -yAfter the upgrade, you are ready to install headers, modules, and images for kernel 5.16.
Note: Upgrading a kernel might throw some fatal error or may crash your system. In that case, you have to revert back to the previous kernel. Make sure to have a complete backup of your whole system before upgrading.
Step 2: Check the current Kernel Version
Once your system fully upgrades, then use the below command to check the current kernel version installed on your system.
$ uname -srBelow is the output generated using the above command.
Step 3: Download the Mainline Kernel 5.16
Once you found out that you are not in the latest kernel 5.16. Use the below command to download all the required files for AMD64 devices.
$ wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.16/amd64/linux-image-unsigned-5.16.0-051600-generic_5.16.0-051600.202201092355_amd64.deb
$ wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.16/amd64/linux-modules-5.16.0-051600-generic_5.16.0-051600.202201092355_amd64.debOnce downloaded, go to the respective location where your download files and run the below command to give executable permission for all dpkg packages.
$ chmod +x *.debStep 4: Install Linux Kernel 5.16
Once all the packages got executable permission. You are good to install the latest kernel 5.16 on your system using the below command.
$ sudo dpkg -i *.debAfter installation, reboot your complete system to properly reflect all the changes. Then use the below command to check once again the current kernel version on your system.
$ uname -rsBelow is the output generated using the above command.
Now you have successfully installed the latest version of Linux Kernel 5.16 in your system.
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