{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "LINUX-UPDATE-SYMLINKS",
    "section": "1",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/LINUX-UPDATE-SYMLINKS/1/json",
    "generated": "2026-10-22T13:26:31Z",
    "synopsis": "linux-update-symlinks {install|upgrade|remove} VERSION IMAGE-PATH",
    "sections": {
        "NAME": {
            "content": "linux-update-symlinks - maintain symlinks to default kernel and initramfs\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SYNOPSIS": {
            "content": "linux-update-symlinks {install|upgrade|remove} VERSION IMAGE-PATH\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "linux-update-symlinks  is  intended  to  be  called  from  the postinst and postrm maintainer\nscripts of Linux kernel packages.  The postinst script must pass the first  argument  install\nor upgrade depending on whether a fresh installation or an upgrade has taken place.\n\nThe VERSION argument must be the kernel version string as shown by uname -r and used in file‐\nnames.\n\nThe IMAGE-PATH argument must be the absolute filename of the kernel image.\n\nBy  default,  this  command  maintains symlinks in the root directory.  This behaviour can be\nmodified by settings in /etc/kernel-img.conf:\n",
            "subsections": [
                {
                    "name": "image_dest",
                    "content": "Specifies the directory in which to maintain symlinks"
                },
                {
                    "name": "link_in_boot",
                    "content": "If set to a true value, specifies that the directory is /boot"
                },
                {
                    "name": "no_symlinks",
                    "content": "If set to a false value, disables maintenance of symlinks\n\nThe symlinks for the primary default kernel version are named vmlinuz or  vmlinux  (depending\non  whether  the  architecture  normally uses compressed kernel images) and initrd.img (if it\nuses an initramfs).  The symlinks for the secondary default have the same names with the suf‐\nfix .old.\n\nIf symlink maintenance is disabled, linux-update-symlinks does nothing, successfully.  Other‐\nwise it makes a list of kernel versions in decreasing order of priority:\n\n• The given VERSION, if the first argument is install\n\n• The current primary default version, if it exists and is not already listed\n\n• The current secondary default version, if it exists and is not already listed\n\n• All other versions whose files are installed, excluding the specified VERSION if the  first\nargument is remove, in decreasing version order\n\nThe  top  two  entries on the list are the new primary and secondary default versions, and it\nupdates the symlinks accordingly.  In case there is only one entry, this is both the  primary\nand secondary default version.  If there are no entries, there are no default versions and it\nremoves the default symlinks.\n\n"
                }
            ]
        },
        "ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES": {
            "content": "INITRD When  the first argument is install or upgrade, linux-update-symlinks assumes that the\ngiven VERSION will use an initramfs unless this variable is set to No.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "FILES": {
            "content": "/boot/initrd.img-*\nInstalled initramfs images\n/boot/vmlinuz-* | /boot/vmlinux-*\nInstalled kernel images\n/etc/kernel-img.conf\nConfiguration file specifying whether and where to create symlinks\n/initrd.img\nSymlink to the initramfs image for the primary default version\n/initrd.img.old\nSymlink to the initramfs image for the secondary default version\n/vmlinuz | /vmlinux\nSymlink to the kernel image for the primary default version\n/vmlinuz.old | /vmlinux.old\nSymlink to the kernel image for the secondary default version\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "AUTHOR": {
            "content": "linux-update-symlinks and this manual page were written by Ben Hutchings as part of  the  De‐\nbian linux-base package.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SEE ALSO": {
            "content": "kernel-img.conf(5), linux-version(1).\n\n5 June 2016                    LINUX-UPDATE-SYMLINKS(1)",
            "subsections": []
        }
    },
    "summary": "linux-update-symlinks - maintain symlinks to default kernel and initramfs",
    "flags": [],
    "examples": [],
    "see_also": [
        {
            "name": "kernel-img.conf",
            "section": "5",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/kernel-img.conf/5/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "linux-version",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/linux-version/1/json"
        }
    ]
}