Upgrade Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to Linux Kernel 7.0 HWE

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Overview

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Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) can use the Hardware Enablement (HWE) kernel stack to receive a newer Linux kernel while remaining on the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS release.

The Ubuntu 24.04 HWE package currently provides the Linux 7.0 kernel series for amd64 systems.

This guide explains how to install the Linux 7.0 HWE kernel on an Ubuntu 24.04 LTS system and verify that the new kernel is active.

Requirements

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• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
• Root or sudo access
• Internet connectivity
• Sufficient disk space in the /boot partition for the new kernel and headers
• A reboot is required after installation

Check the Current Ubuntu Version

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Run:

cat /etc/os-release

Output:

PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS"
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION_ID="24.04"
VERSION="24.04.3 LTS (Noble Numbat)"
VERSION_CODENAME=noble
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
UBUNTU_CODENAME=noble
LOGO=ubuntu-logo

Or:

lsb_release -a

The system should report Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat).

Check the Current Kernel

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Run:

uname -r

Output:

6.8.0-90-generic

You can also list all installed kernels with:

dpkg -l | grep linux-image

Output:

ii  linux-image-6.8.0-90-generic         6.8.0-90.91                             amd64        Signed kernel image generic
ii  linux-image-generic                  6.8.0-90.91                             amd64        Generic Linux kernel image

Update Package Information

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Update the package lists and upgrade the existing packages:

apt update
apt upgrade -y

Install the Ubuntu 24.04 HWE Kernel

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Install the HWE kernel package:

apt install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-24.04

This installs the HWE kernel, required headers, and related packages.

Ubuntu's HWE package is designed to track the newer kernel stack for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

Verify the Installed Kernel

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After the installation completes, list the installed kernel packages:

dpkg -l | grep linux-image

Output:

ii  linux-image-6.8.0-137-generic         6.8.0-137.137                                    amd64        Signed kernel image generic
ii  linux-image-6.8.0-90-generic          6.8.0-90.91                                      amd64        Signed kernel image generic
ii  linux-image-7.0.0-28-generic          7.0.0-28.28~24.04.1                              amd64        Signed kernel image generic
ii  linux-image-generic                   6.8.0-137.137                                    amd64        Generic Linux kernel image
ii  linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04         7.0.0-28.28~24.04.1                              amd64        Generic Linux kernel image

You can also check the installed HWE meta-package:

apt policy linux-generic-hwe-24.04

Output:

linux-generic-hwe-24.04:
  Installed: 7.0.0-28.28~24.04.1
  Candidate: 7.0.0-28.28~24.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 7.0.0-28.28~24.04.1 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-security/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     6.8.0-31.31 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages

The installed version should correspond to the currently available HWE kernel release.

For amd64 systems, the current Ubuntu package is based on Linux 7.0.

Reboot the Server

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Reboot the system to load the new kernel:

reboot

Wait for the server to come back online before reconnecting.

Verify Linux Kernel 7.0

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After reconnecting, run:

uname -r

Expected output should be similar to:

7.0.0-28-generic

The exact kernel revision may differ as Ubuntu publishes newer kernel updates.

You can also use:

uname -a

Output:

Linux vps.server.com 7.0.0-28-generic #28~24.04.1-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed Jul  1 15:50:57 UTC 2 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Verify the HWE Meta Package

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Run:

dpkg -l | grep linux-generic-hwe-24.04

Output:

ii  linux-generic-hwe-24.04               7.0.0-28.28~24.04.1                              amd64        Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers

Check Available Kernels in GRUB

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To view installed kernels:

ls -1 /boot/vmlinuz*

Example:

  /boot/vmlinuz
  /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.0-137-generic
  /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.0-90-generic
  /boot/vmlinuz-7.0.0-28-generic
  /boot/vmlinuz.old

The older kernel is normally retained automatically so that the system can be booted with it if required.

Boot an Older Kernel if Required

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If the new kernel causes an issue, reboot the system:

reboot

From the GRUB menu, select:

Advanced options for Ubuntu

Then select the previous working kernel.

After booting, verify the active kernel:

uname -r

Remove an Older Kernel

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Do not manually remove the currently running kernel.

First check the active kernel:

uname -r

List installed kernels:

dpkg -l | grep linux-image

Ubuntu normally handles old kernel cleanup automatically. If manual cleanup is required, remove only kernels that are no longer needed.

Example:

sudo apt purge linux-image-<old-kernel>
sudo apt autoremove -y

Replace <old-kernel> with the exact old kernel package name.

Important Notes

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• Installing the HWE kernel does not upgrade Ubuntu from 24.04 LTS to another Ubuntu release.
• The HWE kernel is provided through Ubuntu's official repositories.
• The exact kernel revision may change as Ubuntu publishes updates.
• A reboot is required to activate the newly installed kernel.
• Keep the previous working kernel until the new kernel has been tested.
• Production servers should have a backup or recovery method available before performing a kernel upgrade.
• For servers using custom kernel modules, verify DKMS compatibility before rebooting.
• Ubuntu Server installations normally use the GA kernel by default, while the HWE kernel is available as an option.

Quick Installation

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For a standard Ubuntu 24.04 LTS system, the complete installation can be performed with:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-24.04 -y
sudo reboot

After reconnecting:

uname -r

Expected:

7.0.0-xx-generic

The Ubuntu 24.04 LTS system has been successfully upgraded to the Linux 7.0 HWE kernel.

Reference

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Ubuntu HWE Kernel Documentation: https://ubuntu.com/kernel/docs/reference/hwe-kernels/

Ubuntu 24.04 HWE Kernel Package: https://packages.ubuntu.com/noble/amd64/linux-generic-hwe-24.04