How To Install Linux Kernel 4.15 On Ubuntu / LinuxMint

Linux Torvalds introduced the Linux kernel 4.15 after 9 release candidates on 28th January 2018

In this tutorial, I will show you how to Install the Latest version of Kernel 4.15 On Ubuntu 17.10 / Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and LinuxMint.

Kernel 4.15 is the first series to be fully patched against the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities for X86 and PowerPC arc.

What's new in kernel version 4.15

• Support for Meltdown and Spectre patches
• Support for RISC-V arch
• Support for AMD secure Encrypted virtualization
• Support for User-Mode Instruction Prevention feature on Intel CPUs.
• Improves video support for AMD users and adds mode setting to the AMD GPU
• Updates for the Drivers, filesystems, and architectures.

Note: These mainline kernels do not have any ubuntu provided patches or drivers and not supported or PRODUCTION use.

So how to install Linux kernel 4.15 on Ubuntu / LinuxMint?

The below commands will work on Debian-based systems.

Step 1: Download the deb files from kernel.ubuntu.com or copy the below commands and paste it into  terminal one by one according to your CPU architecture

For 32 bit systems

wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.15/linux-headers-4.15.0-041500_4.15.0-041500.201801282230_all.deb

wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.15/linux-headers-4.15.0-041500-generic_4.15.0-041500.201801282230_i386.deb

wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.15/linux-image-4.15.0-041500-generic_4.15.0-041500.201801282230_i386.deb

For 64 bit systems

wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.15/linux-headers-4.15.0-041500_4.15.0-041500.201801282230_all.deb

wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.15/linux-headers-4.15.0-041500-generic_4.15.0-041500.201801282230_amd64.deb

wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.15/linux-image-4.15.0-041500-generic_4.15.0-041500.201801282230_amd64.deb

Step 2: After successful downloading install it

sudo dpkg -i linux-headers-4.15* linux-image-4.15*

Step 3: Verify installed Version

After reboot, your new kernel will be installed and default, for checking use uname command

uname -r

Removing Kernel 4.15

For removing the Kernel 4.15 run the below command in terminal.

sudo apt-get remove linux-headers-4.15* linux-image-4.15*