I’m using Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx Alpha and I decided to check out the latest RC kernel from the Kernel PPA. This is how I installed it on my i386 (32-bit) installation of Ubuntu.

UPDATE: The final 2.6.33 is out, it can be downloaded from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.33/

I downloaded the following files from: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.33-rc6/
linux-headers-2.6.33-020633rc6-generic_2.6.33-020633rc6_i386.deb
linux-headers-2.6.33-020633rc6_2.6.33-020633rc6_all.deb
linux-image-2.6.33-020633rc6-generic_2.6.33-020633rc6_i386.deb

Then, I installed them one by one (double click and click install) in the following order:
linux-headers-2.6.33-020633rc6_2.6.33-020633rc6_all.deb
linux-headers-2.6.33-020633rc6-generic_2.6.33-020633rc6_i386.deb
linux-image-2.6.33-020633rc6-generic_2.6.33-020633rc6_i386.deb

If you are using amd64 (64-bit) installation, you should download the files with amd64 instead of i386. The latest release till date is v2.6.33-rc6. A later version may be available till you read this. First, check the versions at http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ and choose the latest one.

Although the new Kernel promises better support for graphics (nouveau), I did not find any improvements as such with my onboard Intel GMA 3100 Graphics (actually I didn’t do any benchmarks, I just ran Assaultcube and it looks and feels the same coz it ran pretty well already ). I think Nvidia and ATI users will feel the difference though. Also, the boot up has slowed down and usable desktop shows up very late. I also see a lot of disk activity immediately after the boot up. I don’t know what is causing this. I couldn’t find any errors as such in kernel log. I’ll keep this one for now and see how it goes. I will update when the newer build is out.

Please share your 2.6.33 experience.

If you have a Hardy or Intrepid installation and have downloaded the iso of Ubuntu, you may install Ubuntu from a USB pen drive if your BIOS supports booting from USB HDD.

Create a Ubuntu Startup Disk (you’ll find that option in the system menu) and then select the iso you downloaded. Then reboot and configure your BIOS to boot from USB HDD. If you are successful booting from it, you can install it.

However, if you get an error saying “Cannot unmount /media/disk” after you click install, you can mount any other drive and go through the process again, and it should work.