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new user, be sure to add the user to all the correct groups in
/etc/group (mimic the existing user). If everything is ok in the new
user environment you could move your files into the new users /home.
You could also replace any potentially broken configurations (i.e,
.gnome2 with good ones from the new user.

As for the kernel, you will need to install that manually using
synaptic or apt-get (just search for the latest kernel and install
it). Don't uninstall your old one, this way you can reboot into it if
the new one breaks.