[Question] How can I check if I am running the latest version while using a release candidate?

[winstonma]

I want to always run the latest release candidate (RC) while also keeping the most up-to-date stable version installed as a fallback. The following is the current mainline kernel that is available:

$ mainline list | head
mainline 1.4.13
Updating Kernels...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Available Kernels
----------------------------------------------------------------
6.17-rc5        Running    
6.16.7                     
6.16.6          Installed  
6.16.5                     
6.16.4                     

When I ask the system to install the latest kernel it gives me:

$ mainline install-latest
mainline 1.4.13
Updating Kernels...
No updates
mainline: done

How could I keep mainline updating the latest stable kernel while I am using rc. Thanks.

[bkw777]

That would be a feature request to keep track of the latest version of multiple flavors. Currently it only keeps ytrack of one value for "latest", which is the lastest of anything that your filter options allow.
I don't hate the idea but I wouldn't be doing it this week or any time soon most likely.

[winstonma]

Thanks.

Just a sidenote I thought mainline --exclude-rc install-latest would update to the latest non-rc kernel.

[bkw777]

it doesn't?

[winstonma]

I don't think so

$ mainline list-installed
mainline 1.4.13
Installed Kernels:
linux-image-6.14.0-29-generic
linux-image-generic
linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04
linux-image-unsigned-6.16.6-061606-generic
linux-image-unsigned-6.17.0-061700rc5-generic
linux-image-unsigned-6.17.0-061700rc6-generic
mainline: done

These are the kernels installed on my system.

$ mainline list | head
mainline 1.4.13
Updating Kernels...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Available Kernels
----------------------------------------------------------------
6.17-rc6        Installed  
6.17-rc5        Running    
6.16.7                     
6.16.6          Installed  
6.16.5                     

After 6.17-rc6 (latest rc) is uninstalled. Here is

$ mainline list | head
mainline 1.4.13
Updating Kernels...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Available Kernels
----------------------------------------------------------------
6.17-rc5        Running    
6.16.7                     
6.16.6          Installed  
6.16.5                     
6.16.4                     

Then I ran

$ mainline --exclude-rc install-latest
mainline 1.4.13
Updating Kernels...
No updates
mainline: done

It doesn't install 6.16.7.

$ mainline --include-rc install-latest
mainline 1.4.13
Updating Kernels...
Downloading 6.17-rc6
Installing 6.17-rc6                
...

But the --include-rc works. And the key issue on my computer is --exclude-rcwouldn't install the latest kernel. I am not sure if it is caused by the installed rc kernel.

Also I am not sure how to do this. Just in my case I am running an rc kernel and I would also like to keep stable kernel installed just avoid something ugly happen. How can I ask mainline to keep 1 latest stable kernel for me (e.g. in my case, how can mainline install 6.16.7 for me and then uninstall 6.16.6 if it is not running). Thanks