# Masked Kernel Versions

## chawkinsuf

Can someone explain why all the versions of the kernel prior to 3.10 are masked? 

I have some systems that haven't had their kernels updated in a while and it is time to give the kernels an update. However, I am running some software that requires 3.6 or earlier. Even the version that I have been running without incident for over a year is now masked.

Is it safe to unmask and use an older kernel version? Is there a resource that can describe why a package is masked? Thanks.

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## eyoung100

Taken from: Online Repository: /profiles/package.mask

 *Quote:*   

> 275	# Tom Wijsman <TomWij@gentoo.org> (28 Aug 2013)
> 
> 276	# =sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.8.13 is masked due to multiple security bugs:
> 
> 277	# 
> ...

 

Of Special notice:

 *Quote:*   

> 289	# We advice users to upgrade to the new stable kernel 3.10.7; alternatively, if
> 
> 290	# necessary, users can also choose to accept keywords and accept a kernel from
> 
> 291	# the earlier long term stable branches (3.0.X or 3.4.Y), this might be the case
> ...

 

This approach allows Gentoo to have Slotted Kernels, while maintaining the approach of every other distro(one kernel fits all)  Slotting kernels is not for everyone, hence the above comment.

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## chawkinsuf

That answers my question. Thanks for the help and pointing me where to look next time I have a similar question. 

If I'm reading that correctly it means that 3.4.x is still considered stable, but it's masked to encourage people to upgrade to 3.10.x unless they have a specific reason to do otherwise.

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## eyoung100

Thats how I would read it too, In fact, I'm going to try this tonight, as my wireless misbehaves on these newer kernels....

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## TomWij

Well, they aren't masked; you just only need to accept keywords for them. Just add ~sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.4.64 or so to /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords and you will be fine.

If they are indeed masked, like only 3.8.13; you'll need to add it to /etc/portage/package.unmask as well.

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## eyoung100

 *TomWij wrote:*   

> Well, they aren't masked; you just only need to accept keywords for them. Just add ~sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.4.64 or so to /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords and you will be fine.
> 
> If they are indeed masked, like only 3.8.13; you'll need to add it to /etc/portage/package.unmask as well.

 

You can trust what he says as he is the one who wrote the section I quoted   :Cool:   :Razz: 

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## chawkinsuf

I guess I am a little confused about the terminology then. This is the emerge response when I try to install this package before adding it to accept_keywords. Is this something specific to the way the kernel sources are handled?

```

emerge -uav =sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.4.63

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!

!!! All ebuilds that could satisfy "=sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.4.63" have been masked.

!!! One of the following masked packages is required to complete your request:

- sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.4.63::gentoo (masked by: ~amd64 keyword)

For more information, see the MASKED PACKAGES section in the emerge

man page or refer to the Gentoo Handbook.

```

Also, the package info lists the version as unstable, so it is a little unclear that the version is actually stable.

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## figueroa

 *Quote:*   

> Of Special notice:
> 
> Quote:	
> 
> 289 # We advice users to upgrade to the new stable kernel 3.10.7; alternatively, if
> ...

 

Best explanation I've ever seen.  Unfortunately, ordinary users don't usually come across these jewels of wisdom.  I would recommend the message above be included in gentoo-sources elog message.

I've just completed upgrading 2 machines to 3.10.7-r1 from 3.5.7 (and will deploy to all others) which has served me well for many months on about a dozen machines, desktops, laptops, and servers.  Installing 3.10.7-r1 was the most trouble free installation ever.

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## chawkinsuf

Yeah, that explanation is good. Now that I've seen it I understand, but i didn't come across it until I made this post. More visibility might help.

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## eyoung100

 *chawkinsuf wrote:*   

> I guess I am a little confused about the terminology then. This is the emerge response when I try to install this package before adding it to accept_keywords. Is this something specific to the way the kernel sources are handled?
> 
> ```
> 
> emerge -uav =sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.4.63
> ...

 

/etc/portage/package.accept_keywords

sys-kernel/gentoo-sources     ~amd64

```
emerge gentoo-sources:3.4.63
```

In this case the colon represents the SLOT Number

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## TomWij

 *chawkinsuf wrote:*   

> I guess I am a little confused about the terminology then.

 

Not specific to the kernel sources, but the "(masked by: ~amd64 keyword)" bit explains it; saying "something is masked" is kind of ambigiuous on its own.

What I meant to say is that we haven't explicitly put the other versions it in package.mask; so, the only thing that makes it not visible is that keyword.

 *figueroa wrote:*   

> Best explanation I've ever seen.  Unfortunately, ordinary users don't usually come across these jewels of wisdom.  I would recommend the message above be included in gentoo-sources elog message.

 

We'll consider to maybe add a more generic form, or maybe instead consider to put it clearly visible in the kernel and kernel upgrade guides; etc...

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## eyoung100

 *TomWij wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Not specific to the kernel sources, but the "(masked by: ~amd64 keyword)" bit explains it; saying "something is masked" is kind of ambigiuous on its own.
> 
> What I meant to say is that we haven't explicitly put the other versions it in package.mask; so, the only thing that makes it not visible is that keyword.

 

@chawkinsuf: Remember to unmask the slot, not a particular package.

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