[CentOS] RHEL / CentOS Kernel Updates

Tue Jan 29 21:24:11 UTC 2008
nate <centos at linuxpowered.net>

Les Mikesell wrote:
> Johnny Hughes wrote:
>>
>> Overall ... unless you really, Really, REALLY need a newer kernel, it is
>> best to use the one provided by the distribution.
>
> Is there a difference in the way kernel modules are managed between
> CentOS4 and 5?  I thought that under CentOS4 after a kernel update
> VMware would insist that you run vmware-config.pl but it would always
> say that the existing module loads perfectly, where under CentOS5 it
> always compiles a new version for each updated kernel.

I run CentOS 4 and 5 under VMWare ESX 3.x, I hacked up the VMware tools
into two different RPMS

- core rpm (everything but drivers)
- driver rpm

When I want to deploy a new kernel I build a special RPM with the vmware
modules compiled against that kernel(never accepting the built in ones
for no real reason other than I don't want to). And install the updated
drivers at the same time as I install the new kernel. So far it's
worked every time, no need to run vmware-config after kernel updates.

nate