How to know if it's safe to upgrade?

Ask Fedora
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1

I have a kmod driver that I need for my laptop’s camera to work (see WebCam on Dell XPS 13 Plus (9320): how to get it to work without turning off secure boot? - Fedora Discussion). When I run dnf update I can see it will be removed if I go through the update. From this I assume the kernel is being updated, but the driver (from rpmfusion) for this kernel version is not ready yet, and will thus be removed; is this correct? Should I then not update and wait for it to be ready?

I ask because there’s a tiny chance it has been incorporated into the kernel, and is being removed because it’s been superseded by some other package. I tried to check if that was the case, but I could not find any information on it.

For reference, the relevant packages are:

================================================================================
 Package                         Arch   Version             Repository     Size
================================================================================
Installing:
 kernel                          x86_64 6.3.11-200.fc38     updates       133 k
 kernel-core                     x86_64 6.3.11-200.fc38     updates        16 M
 kernel-devel                    x86_64 6.3.11-200.fc38     updates        19 M
 kernel-modules                  x86_64 6.3.11-200.fc38     updates        55 M
 kernel-modules-core             x86_64 6.3.11-200.fc38     updates        31 M
 kernel-modules-extra            x86_64 6.3.11-200.fc38     updates       2.6 M
Upgrading:
 aardvark-dns                    x86_64 1.7.0-1.fc38        updates       907 k
 amd-gpu-firmware                noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates        18 M
 atheros-firmware                noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates        22 M
 brcmfmac-firmware               noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates       9.6 M
 container-selinux               noarch 2:2.219.0-1.fc38    updates        55 k
 elfutils                        x86_64 0.189-3.fc38        updates       533 k
 elfutils-debuginfod-client      i686   0.189-3.fc38        updates        39 k
 elfutils-debuginfod-client      x86_64 0.189-3.fc38        updates        38 k
 elfutils-default-yama-scope     noarch 0.189-3.fc38        updates        13 k
 elfutils-libelf                 i686   0.189-3.fc38        updates       201 k
 elfutils-libelf                 x86_64 0.189-3.fc38        updates       195 k
 elfutils-libelf-devel           x86_64 0.189-3.fc38        updates        23 k
 elfutils-libs                   i686   0.189-3.fc38        updates       288 k
 elfutils-libs                   x86_64 0.189-3.fc38        updates       258 k
 eog                             x86_64 44.3-1.fc38         updates       1.6 M
 gnome-control-center            x86_64 44.3-1.fc38         updates       6.7 M
 gnome-control-center-filesystem noarch 44.3-1.fc38         updates        11 k
 gnome-software                  x86_64 44.3-1.fc38         updates       1.7 M
 hwdata                          noarch 0.372-1.fc38        updates       1.6 M
 ibus-mozc                       x86_64 2.28.4950.102-6.fc38
                                                            updates       332 k
 ibus-typing-booster             noarch 2.23.1-1.fc38       updates       1.2 M
 intel-gpu-firmware              noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates       8.0 M
 kernel-devel-matched            x86_64 6.3.11-200.fc38     updates       133 k
 libbytesize                     x86_64 2.9-1.fc38          updates        48 k
 libertas-usb8388-firmware       noarch 2:20230625-151.fc38 updates        95 k
 libfdt                          x86_64 1.7.0-2.fc38        updates        33 k
 libnetfilter_conntrack          x86_64 1.0.9-1.fc38        updates        59 k
 libsmbclient                    x86_64 2:4.18.4-0.fc38     updates        83 k
 libwbclient                     x86_64 2:4.18.4-0.fc38     updates        48 k
 libwebp                         i686   1.3.1-1.fc38        updates       294 k
 libwebp                         x86_64 1.3.1-1.fc38        updates       283 k
 libwebp-devel                   x86_64 1.3.1-1.fc38        updates        38 k
 libxcrypt                       x86_64 4.4.36-1.fc38       updates       119 k
 libxcrypt-compat                x86_64 4.4.36-1.fc38       updates        90 k
 libxcrypt-devel                 x86_64 4.4.36-1.fc38       updates        30 k
 linux-firmware                  noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates        88 M
 linux-firmware-whence           noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates        44 k
 mozc                            x86_64 2.28.4950.102-6.fc38
                                                            updates        14 M
 mt7xxx-firmware                 noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates       7.2 M
 netavark                        x86_64 1.7.0-1.fc38        updates       3.0 M
 nspr                            x86_64 4.35.0-8.fc38       updates       136 k
 nss                             x86_64 3.91.0-1.fc38       updates       694 k
 nss-softokn                     x86_64 3.91.0-1.fc38       updates       1.0 M
 nss-softokn-freebl              x86_64 3.91.0-1.fc38       updates       326 k
 nss-sysinit                     x86_64 3.91.0-1.fc38       updates        18 k
 nss-util                        x86_64 3.91.0-1.fc38       updates        87 k
 nvidia-gpu-firmware             noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates       1.2 M
 openconnect                     x86_64 9.12-1.fc38         updates       900 k
 perl-CPAN                       noarch 2.36-1.fc38         updates       565 k
 pipewire                        i686   0.3.73-1.fc38       updates       107 k
 pipewire                        x86_64 0.3.73-1.fc38       updates       107 k
 pipewire-alsa                   x86_64 0.3.73-1.fc38       updates        63 k
 pipewire-codec-aptx             x86_64 0.3.72-1.fc38       rpmfusion-free-updates
                                                                           25 k
 pipewire-gstreamer              x86_64 0.3.73-1.fc38       updates        64 k
 pipewire-jack-audio-connection-kit
                                 i686   0.3.73-1.fc38       updates        16 k
 pipewire-jack-audio-connection-kit
                                 x86_64 0.3.73-1.fc38       updates        16 k
 pipewire-jack-audio-connection-kit-libs
                                 i686   0.3.73-1.fc38       updates       131 k
 pipewire-jack-audio-connection-kit-libs
                                 x86_64 0.3.73-1.fc38       updates       139 k
 pipewire-libs                   i686   0.3.73-1.fc38       updates       1.8 M
 pipewire-libs                   x86_64 0.3.73-1.fc38       updates       1.8 M
 pipewire-pulseaudio             x86_64 0.3.73-1.fc38       updates       172 k
 pipewire-utils                  x86_64 0.3.73-1.fc38       updates       343 k
 python3-bytesize                x86_64 2.9-1.fc38          updates        27 k
 realtek-firmware                noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates       2.3 M
Installing group/module packages:
 iwlegacy-firmware               noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates       138 k
     replacing  iwl3945-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl4965-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
 iwlwifi-dvm-firmware            noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates       1.8 M
     replacing  iwl100-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl1000-firmware.noarch 1:20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl105-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl135-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl2000-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl2030-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl5000-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl5150-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl6000-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl6000g2a-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl6000g2b-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl6050-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
 iwlwifi-mvm-firmware            noarch 20230625-151.fc38   updates        40 M
     replacing  iwl3160-firmware.noarch 1:20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwl7260-firmware.noarch 1:20230515-150.fc38
     replacing  iwlax2xx-firmware.noarch 20230515-150.fc38
Removing:
 kernel                          x86_64 6.3.7-100.fc37      @updates        0  
 kernel-core                     x86_64 6.3.7-100.fc37      @updates       65 M
 kernel-devel                    x86_64 6.3.7-100.fc37      @updates       69 M
 kernel-modules                  x86_64 6.3.7-100.fc37      @updates       54 M
 kernel-modules-core             x86_64 6.3.7-100.fc37      @updates       29 M
 kernel-modules-extra            x86_64 6.3.7-100.fc37      @updates      2.4 M
Removing dependent packages:
 kmod-intel-ipu6-6.3.7-100.fc37.x86_64
                                 x86_64 0.0-4.20230220gitdfedab0.fc37
                                                            @@commandline 274 k
 kmod-v4l2loopback-6.3.7-100.fc37.x86_64
                                 x86_64 0.12.7^20230503g2c9b670-1.fc37
                                                            @@commandline  24 k

Thank you for the information!

PS: I have no idea why there are nvidia and amd packages in there since this machine has no components from either.

2

Kmods are built for each kernel.

What you can see if that an old kernel is being removed and also the kmod for that old kernel.

A new kmod will be built my akmods for the new kernel.
It should all just work.

1 Like
3

If you note, the amd and nvidia packages are both firmware.
Fedora (and most linux distros) install ALL available firmware since no one can know exactly what hardware a user might have and thus the available firmware should cover the installed hardware in almost every case.

1 Like
4

Thank you Barry, indeed it works smoothly!

If you note, the amd and nvidia packages are both firmware.

I see, that makes sense! Thanks for the explanation.

1 Like