A kernel is nothing but a system’s core program that manages the memory, system hardware and CPU. Drivers can be built into this kernel that communicates with installed apps. Linux is a kernel and the applications, desktop environment, and others are the super-structure built on the kernel. The Zen kernel has been the outcome of collaborative efforts on part of kernel hackers to come out with the finest Linux kernel compatible with everyday systems.
The long-term support or LTS kernel offers many advantages when you are prioritizing stability. The latest kernel is in no way less stable but it indicates that the LTS kernel is not going to be frequently upgraded; as a result, chances of any conflict with the system are far less. The LTS kernel will not change dramatically and is more than likely to work optimally with a system. Arch Linux is founded on Linux kernel; besides the latest kernel you will find multiple alternative kernels for Arch Linux. While the main LTS kernel will not change often it gets routine security fixes and receives feature back ports. So, for those of you who wish to get the latest features the latest kernel makes sense. When you have the latest hardware there is a possibility that LTS kernel might not support this; in that situation, you must use the latest kernel.
How To Install Linux Zen Kernel:
You can follow these steps to install:
- The first thing would be to check the type of kernel you have. So, you type in the username to see which kernel version you have. When “lts” is not present in the username it indicates that it does not have the LTS kernel, in which case you have to set it up. For that there is a specific command to be used.
- After this step, you need register this new kernel in your boot loader. And then you can reboot the Arch Linux. To access menu, you must use the ESC or Shift key when booting starts. Under Advanced Options you will find the option to book LTS kernel.
- Once the system boot is over, you may open the terminal to check the version; it should ideally display LTS kernel.
- You can then safely remove the non-LTS kernel which was the default for Arch Linux. Following this it is important to regenerate the configuration to ensure that it does not display a removed kernel.
- Finally, you are left only with the LTS kernel. Unless the default kernel has been removed, Arch Linux can start using it again after a subsequent reboot.
The LTS kernel comes with many advantages and is good for multi-boot systems. There are many infrequent LTS kernel updates. A piece of advice however is important here; since customized kernels can have reliability and stability issues, such as data loss, it is advisable to keep data backups. Those using Zen Kernel claim that there are no compatibility issues when using this kernel.