kernel update hosed my system (solved)

[Tom H]

On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 7:14 PM, John Scott <fyrbrds at netscape.net> wrote:
> On 03/15/2013 12:47 AM, John Scott wrote:
>>
>> Weird to still have this classic problem. Have a fresh install of Ubuntu
>> 12.10. I let the first series of updates run but unchecked the kernel
>> updates because I just had this same problem on another computer. After
>> everything else was running great I went ahead and allowed the kernel update
>> to 3.5.0-25-generic. Upon reboot Unity has malfunctioned and my display
>> adapter is really slow. I'm in the GUI and can run programs if I can find
>> the icons or start them from terminal. I'm writing this with Thunderbird
>> launched from terminal.
>>
>> Obviously the kernel update either didn't update modules or the ATI Radeon
>> module is stale or something. Anyone seen this before? Probably an easy fix.
>> I'm just surprised that a kernel update on a fresh install can totally hose
>> the system with a distro this mature.
>
> Arrrgh! I'm disappointed that this problem came from a kernel update. I
> solved it by building a new Radeon driver package for the new kernel despite
> having no display-related error notifications. Unbelievable that in 2013 a
> system is still hosed by a kernel update that Ubuntu is pushing. They would
> better inform but not queue for install, updates for people using mfg
> display drivers.
>
> I had to install kernel headers, debhelper, execstack, and dh-modaliases for
> the compile to succeed. Then I had to manually install the 3 new driver
> packages with dpkg.
>
> How would a user transitioning from another OS figure that out? I don't
> understand why Ubuntu can make deals with companies like Amazon but still
> won't provide user-friendly solution to the display driver conundrum by
> including the real drivers and letting the user choose. Google is still the
> only company marketing a Linux that just works with no politics in the way.

You're using a proprietary, out-of-tree module and complaining! :)

Take a look at what the kernel maintainers think of vboxdrv; and it's GPLd!

https://lkml.org/lkml/2011/10/6/317

The kernel update should've pulled in a header update but didn't. This
is, AIUI, a 12.10 bug that for some obscure reason Ubuntu hasn't
wanted to fix in 12.10 (again, AIUI, one of the reasons is that it'd
have to respin the ISOs) but that's fixed in 13.04.

What I don't understand is why you needed anything more than the
kernel headers. How was the ATI module installed initially? Since you
installed the updated module manually, you aren't using dkms and you
must've done so that way initially too. You can't blame Ubuntu for not
using its standard was of building modules...