linux-update-symlinks - maintain symlinks to default kernel and initramfs

linux-update-symlinks and this manual page were written by Ben Hutchings as part of the Debian linux-base
       package.

linux-update-symlinks  is  intended to be called from the postinst and postrm maintainer scripts of Linux
       kernel packages.  The postinst script must pass the  first  argument  install  or  upgrade  depending  on
       whether a fresh installation or an upgrade has taken place.

       The VERSION argument must be the kernel version string as shown by uname-r and used in filenames.

       The IMAGE-PATH argument must be the absolute filename of the kernel image.

       By  default,  this  command  maintains symlinks in the root directory.  This behaviour can be modified by
       settings in /etc/kernel-img.conf:

       image_dest
              Specifies the directory in which to maintain symlinks
       link_in_boot
              If set to a true value, specifies that the directory is /bootdo_symlinks
              If set to a false value, disables maintenance of symlinks

       The symlinks for the primary default kernel version are named vmlinuz or vmlinux  (depending  on  whether
       the  architecture  normally uses compressed kernel images) and initrd.img (if it uses an initramfs).  The
       symlinks for the secondary default have the same names with the suffix .old.

       If symlink maintenance is disabled, linux-update-symlinks does nothing, successfully.  Otherwise it makes
       a list of kernel versions in decreasing order of priority:

       • The given VERSION, if the first argument is install

       • The current primary default version, if it exists and is not already listed

       • The current secondary default version, if it exists and is not already listed

       • All other versions whose files are installed, excluding the specified VERSION if the first argument  is
         remove, in decreasing version order

       The  top  two  entries on the list are the new primary and secondary default versions, and it updates the
       symlinks accordingly.  In case there is only one entry, this is both the primary  and  secondary  default
       version.  If there are no entries, there are no default versions and it removes the default symlinks.

INITRD When  the  first  argument  is  install  or  upgrade, linux-update-symlinks assumes that the given
              VERSION will use an initramfs unless this variable is set to No.

/boot/initrd.img-*
              Installed initramfs images
       /boot/vmlinuz-* | /boot/vmlinux-*
              Installed kernel images
       /etc/kernel-img.conf
              Configuration file specifying whether and where to create symlinks
       /initrd.img
              Symlink to the initramfs image for the primary default version
       /initrd.img.old
              Symlink to the initramfs image for the secondary default version
       /vmlinuz | /vmlinux
              Symlink to the kernel image for the primary default version
       /vmlinuz.old | /vmlinux.old
              Symlink to the kernel image for the secondary default version

       linux-update-symlinks - maintain symlinks to default kernel and initramfs

kernel-img.conf(5), linux-version(1).

                                                   5 June 2016                          LINUX-UPDATE-SYMLINKS(1)

linux-update-symlinks {install|upgrade|remove} VERSIONIMAGE-PATH