Question debian 8.10 - packages kept back - dist-upgrade advisable?

[Matthl]

Hi,

i'm running
plesk 17.5.3 #43 web admin edition on
debian 8.10 on
a virtual private server (kvm)

Plesk shows everything is up to date in Tools and Settings - System Updates
An "apt-get upgrade" via command line shows:

sudo apt-get upgrade
...
The following packages have been kept back:
  linux-image-amd64
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.

a simulated "apt-get dist-upgrade -s" shows:

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade -s
...
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  firmware-linux-free irqbalance libnuma1 linux-image-3.16.0-5-amd64
The following packages will be upgraded:
  linux-image-amd64
1 upgraded, 4 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Inst libnuma1 (2.0.10-1 Debian:8.10/oldstable [amd64])
Inst linux-image-3.16.0-5-amd64 (3.16.51-3+deb8u1 Debian-Security:8/oldstable [amd64])
Inst firmware-linux-free (3.3 Debian:8.10/oldstable [all])
Inst linux-image-amd64 [3.16+63] (3.16+63+deb8u1 Debian-Security:8/oldstable [amd64])
Inst irqbalance (1.0.6-3+deb8u1 Debian:8.10/oldstable [amd64])
Conf libnuma1 (2.0.10-1 Debian:8.10/oldstable [amd64])
Conf linux-image-3.16.0-5-amd64 (3.16.51-3+deb8u1 Debian-Security:8/oldstable [amd64])
Conf firmware-linux-free (3.3 Debian:8.10/oldstable [all])
Conf linux-image-amd64 (3.16+63+deb8u1 Debian-Security:8/oldstable [amd64])
Conf irqbalance (1.0.6-3+deb8u1 Debian:8.10/oldstable [amd64])

Is it safe to execute the dist-upgrade? Or leave it as it is?

Matthl

 

[IgorG]

Is it safe to execute the dist-upgrade? Or leave it as it is?

Please read more about supported distupgrade procedure here Dist-Upgrade Support

 

[Matthl]

Thank you.

I don't see how my case is covered by the support article, since i'm not planing to do a unsupported release upgrade from debian 8 to 9 and didn't change sources.list.
apt-get wants to run "dist-upgrade" to do a kernel upgrade which isn't covered by "upgrade".

But i guess no one can guarantee plesk will be working after that. Or are there experiences from other users?

 

[JohannesT]

@Matthl Did you do the dist-upgrade? I'm currently facing the same issue only with linux-image-3.16.0-6-amd64.

 

[Matthl]

Hi JohannesT,

yes i did do the dist-upgrade. And also the one, that you mentioned above. As a precaution i made a snapshot of the previous state.
But it could be wise to ask the hoster of your virtual private server first, since not all hosters use virtualization technologies that support kernel changes like KVM does for example.

Matthl