How to select GA (non-HWE) kernel during Ubuntu Desktop 22.04 LTS installation?

Question

I'm installing Ubuntu Desktop on many computers for my friends and family. I prefer super stability and no kernel upgrades during 22.04 LTS lifecycle.

How can I select original kernel GA 5.15 during Desktop instalation? (not the current rolling HWE one that is installed by default and changes over LTS lifecycle, like 5.19 or 6.2)

I know that I can downgrade after installation, but I would like to do it during installation to save some time and problems.

In Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS it's very easy and available in installation wizard.

Best regards

Can't you just pick the 22.04.1 version of the ISO to get the original, non-hwe kernel? — ubfan1, Nov 30 '23 at 03:56
Yeah, I was experimenting with this. I'm really confused as today I created VM and installed using 22.04.1. No internet access allowed, so system should run just like in April 2022. Yes, GA kernel was installed, but then when I attached to network and ran system update it still installed HWE kernel. AFAIR my systems that were installed last year (before 22.04.2 HWE point release) kept the GA kernel automatically. A real puzzle for me. — keldorn, Dec 01 '23 at 11:57
Does this answer your question? How to stop using the HWE kernel and go back to the GA kernel? — Daniel T, Mar 03 '24 at 00:26
Does this answer your question? How can I disable hwe-support on ubuntu 18.04? — karel, Mar 03 '24 at 02:04

user535733 · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-11T17:21:58.253

The 22.04 Desktop installer currently has no such GUI option. The change must be made after booting into the new system.

The Ubuntu Installer Team deliberately limits the choices offered in the installer to the fewest options that a new, unskilled user will understand and have a preference about. Ubuntu is a distro oriented toward new/unskilled users, and offers secure, safe, and sensible defaults.

For advanced users (like you), the Minimal install option is available. Also most installers can also read Debian Preseed (older) or CloudInit (newer) files to define custom settings during the install. And customization after install using scripts or plain apt commands is very easy.

For those who need to know how to change from HWE to GA:

sudo apt install linux-image-generic              // Install GA
// Reboot into the newly-installed older kernel
sudo apt remove linux-generic-hwe-22.04   // Remove HWE
sudo apt autoremove                               // Clean up

How to select GA (non-HWE) kernel during Ubuntu Desktop 22.04 LTS installation?

1 Answers1