Installing Separate Kernel Versions in Ubuntu

Check current version/architecture

We need to ensure we get the correct architecture when downloading the new kernel.

dan@ubuntu-test:~$ uname -r
5.11.0-27-generic

Download kernel from Ubuntu

Go to this URL and choose the folder with the version you need. Then navigate to the architecture required. As long as it isn’t an ARM chip choose amd64.

Download the following files:

linux-headers-VERSION_all.deb
linux-headers-VERSION_amd64.deb
linux-image-VERSION_amd64.deb
linux-image-extra-VERSION_amd64.deb

The linux-image-extra* file may not be there.

Install the new kernel

Install all of deb files you downloaded

dan@ubuntu-test:~$ ls
linux-headers-5.14.6-051406_5.14.6-051406.202109181232_all.deb
linux-headers-5.14.6-051406-generic_5.14.6-051406.202109181232_amd64.deb
linux-image-unsigned-5.14.6-051406-generic_5.14.6-051406.202109181232_amd64.deb
linux-modules-5.14.6-051406-generic_5.14.6-051406.202109181232_amd64.deb
dan@ubuntu-test:~$ sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Then reboot. After the reboot check to ensure the new kernel is the current one in use.

dan@ubuntu-test:~$ uname -r
5.14.6-051406-generic

Fixing Issues

If you have issues booting after the new kernel, you can boot from an older kernel version in grub. Then remove all of the new kernel packages you installed.

dan@ubuntu-test:~$ sudo apt remove -y "linux*VERSION*"

Then finally reboot so that the old kernel is back in place.