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I'm running Lubuntu 14.04.3 LTS amd64 version. I did apt-get update and apt-get upgrade which showed few packages have been kept back. These are mainly kernel related packages namely, linux-generic-lts-vivid, linux-headers-generic-lts-vivid, linux-image-generic-lts-vivid.

kept-back

All I did was freshly install Lubuntu 14.04.3 version and do apt-get update && apt-get upgrade and these kept back packages are showing up.

My sources.list has trusty, trusty-updates, trusty-backports, trusty-security.

So,

  • When I have trusty LTS version of Ubuntu, why is Vivid showing up in the kept back packages list?
  • Is it safe to ignore those updates? Are there security issues ignoring those updates?
  • If I can ignore those updates, Is there a way that I can hide that list whenever I run apt-get upgrade?
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What you're seeing is a backported Kernel. It is as linux-generic-lts-vivid - which is the Linux kernel from Vivid built for Trusty. It's installed on your system, so you have a newer kernel than the original one that showed in Trusty; so either you installed a newer Hardware Enablement Stack, or you installed from a later Trusty ISO (the Trusty 14.04.3 ISO, for example, has the updated kernel that it installs).

There are likely security updates to the Kernel, so you should not ignore these updates. If you do apt-cache policy linux-generic-lts-vivid you will be able to see what repository the updates originated in - it's either a bug fix (in trusty-updates) or a Security update (in trusty-security). If it's in the Security repo, you should update.

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade will install these kernel updates.

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  • Thanks. I installed from 14.04.3 iso. I don't get the point why are backported kernels included in point releases? If I remove the backports repository from sources list, will I have trusty kernel?
    – anonymous
    Jan 14, 2016 at 20:26
  • @anonymous No, the backports repo does NOT come with the backported kernels. They're included to support NEWER hardware and features in LTS releases, to get updated drivers where possible, etc.
    – Thomas Ward
    Jan 14, 2016 at 20:31
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    @anonymous You're running the latest kernel (for Trusty anyway). Unless you have hardware issues you shouldn't back up to the original kernel.
    – Seth
    Jan 14, 2016 at 20:34
  • If I have old hardware, whats the point in running newer backported kernel? They could be unstable, or atleast not as stable as LTS ones. Running LTS versions is for stability. I guess Ubuntu point releases are messed up :(
    – anonymous
    Jan 14, 2016 at 20:37
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    @anonymous They only release new kernels when they're sure it is stable. You're still running an old kernel! Just not that old.
    – Seth
    Jan 14, 2016 at 22:49

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