CentOS Stream Release 9 Kernel Upgrade Guide

Upgrading the kernel on your CentOS Stream release 9 system is a crucial step to ensure your system’s security, stability, and performance. The following guide provides a comprehensive set of commands to upgrade the kernel without any additional comments or unnecessary data. Copy and paste the following commands into your terminal to execute the upgrade.

Prerequisites ✅

Ensure you:

Are logged in as a user with sudo privileges.
Have a backup of important data.
Understand the risks involved in upgrading the kernel.

Upgrade Steps 👨‍💻

Step 1: Check Your Current Kernel Version

uname -r

Step 2: Enable ELRepo Repository

sudo rpm --import https://www.elrepo.org/RPM-GPG-KEY-elrepo.org
sudo dnf install https://www.elrepo.org/elrepo-release-9.el9.elrepo.noarch.rpm

Step 3: Install the New Kernel

Option 1: Install the Latest Mainline Kernel

sudo dnf --disablerepo="*" --enablerepo="elrepo-kernel" list available
sudo dnf --enablerepo=elrepo-kernel install kernel-ml

Option 2: Install the Latest Long-Term Support Kernel

sudo dnf --disablerepo="*" --enablerepo="elrepo-kernel" list available | grep lt
sudo dnf --enablerepo=elrepo-kernel install kernel-lt

Step 4: Update the GRUB Configuration

sudo grubby --default-kernel
sudo grubby --set-default /boot/vmlinuz-{your_kernel_version}

Step 5: Reboot and Verify

sudo reboot

After rebooting:

uname -r

Final Checks 🔍

Check that all services are running as expected.
Monitor the system for any unusual behavior.

Congratulations! 🎉 You have successfully upgraded your CentOS Stream release 9 kernel to the latest version.