this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2023
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Arch Linux
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The kernel is loaded into RAM so it shouldn't cause issues unless for some reason it gets unloaded. The updated kernel is written to disc first then loaded into RAM apon a reboot. Other parts of the system can cause issues when updated tho, like the audio stack as it gets unloaded whenever it's not in use.
Except for kernel modules - which are stored on disk and often loaded on demand. Though most distros keep around the old kernel and kernel modules to avoid issues. You can still get issues on distro such as Arch which replace the kernel and modules on an upgrade - though there is the
kernel-modules-hook
package with pacman hooks to keep the old modules around until the next reboot to fix this.If you don't have the
kernel-modules-hook
package installed on Arch you really should reboot shortly after an upgrade to the kernel or else new devices you plug in might not function until you do (typically USB as those tend to be what you hotplug the most).