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I downloaded the ISO for Ubuntu 16.04.3 but I want to have it use at least kernel 4.8 because I'm trying to install this on a Microsoft Surface 3 (non-pro), which the 4.8 kernel supposedly adds support for. All the tutorials I see online for kernel upgrade is when Ubuntu is already installed. I need directions for updating it before installation.

Right now when I try to boot from the 16.04.3 live disk I got the Ubuntu logo and then it freezes at a black screen. The same thing happens with the Ubuntu 17.04 live disk as well.

fuzzybabybunny
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    16.04.3 comes with 4.10 already so you can forget about that part which BTW has nothing to do with with the booting problem. –  Sep 18 '17 at 05:41

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When you create a USB boot drive or DVD boot disk from an iso file, you get a live operating system that uses the 'built-in' linux kernel that comes from the iso file. It is not possible to make such a system boot with another kernel.

You may think of a persistent live system. It is possible to install and use various application program packages, but the kernel is started before the system for persistence is activated, so it is not possible to make it use a kernel that is installed afterwards.

The only alternative is to download (or create) a new iso file with the kernel, that you want to use, and to create a USB boot drive or DVD boot disk.

The 16.04 LTS point release iso files come with the following kernels

  • 16.04.1 LTS -- linux kernel 4.4
  • 16.04.2 LTS -- linux kernel 4.8
  • 16.04.3 LTS -- linux kernel 4.10

See this link,

https://www.ubuntu.com/info/release-end-of-life

and scroll down to the paragraph 'Kernel release end of life'. See also the following links concerning the kernels and upgrading the LTS hardware enablement stack, HWE,

Can I smoothly upgrade from one LTS to next LTS release?

wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/RollingLTSEnablementStack

Please notice the difference between a live operating system (live-only or persistent live) and an installed system. Installed systems can be updated & upgraded completely (including the linux kernel, hardware drivers, also proprietary drivers).

It is possible to install standard Ubuntu or an Ubuntu community flavour (Kubuntu, Lubuntu, ... Xubuntu) into an external drive (installed like into an internal drive). See this link,

Boot Ubuntu from external drive.

sudodus
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  • According to this page, it is actually possible to replace the kernel on the live CD: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCDCustomization#Live_CD_Kernel I'd add that to do that, you need to open & edit the ISO file in windows or another OS to be able to write to it. And all of this is considering the partition is writable (ie. USB drive or CD-RW/DVD-RW) – Nikita 웃 Jun 08 '18 at 17:25
  • @CreativeMind, You are right - Remastering (making) an iso file with a new kernel is possible, but I would say very complicated compared to [installing] an installed system to a USB drive (installed like into an internal drive) and installing a new kernel in that system. – sudodus Jun 08 '18 at 17:46