How to install several kernels on Debian

[Yedidyah Bar David]

On Sun, Dec 13, 2015 at 3:06 PM, Oleg Goldshmidt <pub at goldshmidt.org> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I am confused and I wonder if some Debian expert can calm me down. I
> want to install several different kernel versions on a Debian
> server. Off-topic: this is something that Red Hat do without being asked
> (they keep several versions, usually 3), so it is something that seems
> natural to me.

Generally, should work similarly in Debian.

>
> However, I cannot find any documentation anywhere on the 'net that tells
> me how to get two or more kernel versions on the same Debian machine without
> compiling. I just want to install 2 or more linux-image packages and
> whatever else needs to be installed - and have them in grub, etc. The
> only things I see are "don't install new kernels" and "you can upgrade"
> and "download and compile".
>
> # apt-cache search linux-image
>
> shows 3.2.0, 4.2.0, and 2.6. I will be happy with the first two (though
> I'd like something in between as well).
>
> However,
>
> # apt-get install linux-image-4.2.0-1-amd64
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree
> Reading state information... Done
> Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
> requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
> distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
> or been moved out of Incoming.
> The following information may help to resolve the situation:
>
> The following packages have unmet dependencies:
>  linux-image-4.2.0-1-amd64 : Breaks: initramfs-tools (< 0.110~) but
>  0.109.1 is to be installed
>    Breaks: udev (< 208-8~) but 175-7.2 is to be installed
>    E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
>
> does not add to my confidence. I want 2 kernels, 2 initial ramdisks,
> etc., on the same machine and in the same grub without investing time to
> compile.

This break due a specific different issue, not because Debian does not
support this in general.

No idea about your specific issue. Did you try to also upgrade udev and
initramfs-tools?
-- 
Didi