KaOS does not fully roll the stable kernel, once a new kernel is tested well and makes it to stable, it usually stays at the same version for about six weeks. It only is updated once a new major version reaches about 3.xx.7 or 3.xx.8. The kernel is about the biggest cause for breakage in a rolling distribution, that is why this policy. That does not mean you can't have the latest kernel in KaOS, linux-next is fully rolling and is always at the latest version. For those who want even more stability, or have hardware from about 2005-2008, there is also the option to use the lts kernel, currently at linux-lts 3.254, maintained through 2016 (used in Debian Wheezy) Please follow these instructions to add these kernel(s) to your install (and you will be helping to get the next stable kernel up in as good a shape as possible):
Linux-next:
As always, update first
sudo pacman -Syu
Next check what all depends on linux in your system
pacman -Qi linux
look for the line "required by=", anything there needs the -next version (except lirc-utils, no -next version available, and might be removed from the repo's soon anyway).
To install the latest kernel:
sudo pacman -S linux-next
and add any other -next version you had of packages in the "required by" line, examples linux-next-headers, nvidia-next.
After all is installed regenerate grub (for BIOS installs).
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
On reboot, linux-next will be the default kernel to boot into, stable kernel is still an available choice. Do not remove the stable kernel, much better to always have two options for kernels to boot into.
For UEFI installs, add a new file to /boot/loader/entries by opening:
kdesu kate /boot/loader/entries/KaOS.confand edit the linux and initrd line to read as:
linux /vmlinuz-linux-next
initrd /initramfs-linux-next.img
Save as KaOS-next.conf, and you will have the choice to boot from linux-next in the gummi menu. To make it default, edit:
kdesu kate /boot/loader/loader.confchange KaOS to KaOS-next.
Linux-lts:
As always, update first
sudo pacman -Syu
Next check what all depends on linux in your system
pacman -Qi linux
look for the line "required by=", anything there needs needs to be removed from your system (except lirc-utils), there is no support in KaOS for legacy Nvidia, the free nouveau is a better option .
To install the long-term-support kernel:
sudo pacman -S linux-lts
After all is installed regenerate grub
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
On reboot, linux-lts will be an option in grub as a kernel to boot into, stable kernel is still an available choice. Do not remove the stable kernel, much better to always have two options for kernels to boot into.