DEBIAN 13 and up to date kernel version

[oly]

Hi here,

As mentionned here,  Debian 12 (Bookworm) became EOL by end of 2026-07.
When Olimex will make a Debian 13 image available ?

Moreover, what about using such an old version of the Linux Kernel in the last published Olimex Debian 12 Image ? Any fresher one to come ?

EDIT:
I just dd on a SD Card, the so called image : A20-OLinuXino-bookworm-minimal-20260323-113959.img

The /etc/os-release file contains this informations :

Code Select Expand

PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="11"
VERSION="11 (bullseye)"
VERSION_CODENAME=bullseye
(...)

wich is consistant with the mentionned kernel version, but not with the image file name.

What is the point of this strange settings ?

[LubOlimex]

My advice for first test is to start with base image and after first boot make sure to run apt update and apt dist-upgrade. This requires internet connection.

I don't know where you got that about "/etc/os-release" but this is what I see:

Code Select Expand

root@a20-olinuxino:~# cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="12"
VERSION="12 (bookworm)"
VERSION_CODENAME=bookworm
ID=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"

We don't have a timeline for releases but images are good as long as they still have LTS.

The point of our Olimage Linux images is mainly to demonstrate the full capabilities of the hardware and in newer kernels and file systems we sometimes face problems getting one thing or another working properly. Even the newest releases boot fine, but getting audio and video output and other peripherals working is whole another thing.

For us, the point is the customer to download Olimage image, boot the board with it, and have all or almost all of the hardware working. While keeping everything as open source as possible and available for download. We don't focus on having the latest u-boot or kernel or file system.

[oly]

Hello,

Thank you for your answers.

My advice for first test is to start with base image and after first boot make sure to run apt update and apt dist-upgrade. This requires internet connection.

I don't know where you got that about "/etc/os-release" but this is what I see:

Code Select Expand

root@a20-olinuxino:~# cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="12"
VERSION="12 (bookworm)"
VERSION_CODENAME=bookworm
ID=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"


The /etc/os-release file in the A64-OLinuXino-bookworm-base-20260630-091355.img displays information for VERSION="12 (bookworm)".

The one in the A64-OLinuXino-bookworm-minimal-20260630-091355.img displays information shown in my initial post.

We don't have a timeline for releases but images are good as long as they still have LTS.

The point of our Olimage Linux images is mainly to demonstrate the full capabilities of the hardware and in newer kernels and file systems we sometimes face problems getting one thing or another working properly. Even the newest releases boot fine, but getting audio and video output and other peripherals working is whole another thing.

For us, the point is the customer to download Olimage image, boot the board with it, and have all or almost all of the hardware working. While keeping everything as open source as possible and available for download. We don't focus on having the latest u-boot or kernel or file system.

I understand your marketing approach, but I draw your attention on the fact that, nowadays, state of the art security features should be part of IT products line.

Thus, using the most stable kernel version in a production environment seems not optional.

May be Olimex could maintain two branches of Olimage linux images, one with a fully operational hardware management, one with less proposed peripheral hardware but a more up-to-date OS and kernel versions ?

So, customers could choose regarding their needs and product constraints.

[LubOlimex]

I cannot confirm your findings. I tested both A64-OLinuXino-bookworm-minimal-20260630-091355.img and images and A64-OLinuXino-bookworm-base-20260630-091355.img I get only:

Code Select Expand

root@a64-olinuxino:~# cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="12"
VERSION="12 (bookworm)"
VERSION_CODENAME=bookworm
ID=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"
root@a64-olinuxino:~# cat /etc/debian_version
12.14
root@a64-olinuxino:~# ls -l /etc/os-release
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 21 May  8 17:15 /etc/os-release -> ../usr/lib/os-release
root@a64-olinuxino:~#

> May be Olimex could maintain two branches of Olimage linux images, one with a fully operational hardware management, one with less proposed peripheral hardware but a more up-to-date OS and kernel versions

You can just run the latest distribution and it will boot, refer to this: https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Allwinner

I understand the desire for bleeding edge images and so but at the moment this is what we can provide. Unfortunately, not a lot of contribution to our software efforts and we do all the heavy lifting. Of course, our work can be used for free as basis if you wish to build own images.