how do i know i need a reboot after a console based "upgrade"?

[Derek Broughton]

ben darby wrote:

> * Tomoki Taniguchi wrote:
>> when updating a system with the newest packages using the desktop
>> tools like synaptic,
>> if a package is upgraded that requires a reboot to take effect,
>> there is a little icon that shows up on the upper panel to let me know
>> i need to reboot.
>> 
>> 
>> on a server system,  if i do a "sudo apt-get upgrade" or "sudo aptitude
>> upgrade" is there anyway to know i need a reboot?
>> 
>> is there a file that is flagged?
>> or does the upgrade process return something that i can catch using grep?
>> or better still is there a way to tell apt-get or aptitude to reboot the
>> system after an upgrade when necessary?
> 
> im not sure exactly where or what lets u know that you need a reboot,
> however your only really going to need to reboot on a server when there is
> a new kernel installed and your better off scheduling the downtime
> manually when you see a new kernel in the updates to minimise the impact
> + in the event that the new kernel doesnt boot,  resolve the issues.
> rather than springing the reboot on you at any time and having the
> concequences that follow.
> 
I agree.  I always do console-based upgrades, and I only reboot for a new
kernel.  If synaptic is telling you you need to reboot it's either being
ultraconservative (bah...) or it really does have a new kernel.
-- 
derek