Can I Report a Different Ubuntu Version to Get Dell Support?
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TechieTurtle73
I'm having a bit of a tricky situation at work involving a user who keeps experiencing kernel panics on their Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS system running on a Dell Precision 5690. While a few other colleagues are using the same setup without any issues, Dell claims that this specific laptop model only officially supports 22.04 LTS and isn't able to offer any assistance. I'm wondering if there's a way to edit a file to change the version number just for reporting purposes. I need something that doesn't actually affect the system or software that checks the real installed version. Any advice?
Answers
Have you tried using the fallback kernel option while booting? It could help you test if 22.04 has better compatibility. Manually trying out 24 on 22 might be worth a shot too!
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You can find files like /etc/os-release and potentially /etc/ubuntu-release where you could change the version number. But be cautious—changing these might mess with apt and other packages. Instead, have you thought about running Ubuntu 22.04 on the machine? It could help identify if there’s a hardware issue causing the kernel panic, plus you'd be able to get Dell's official support by using the supported version. Also, sharing the kernel panic logs would help us tackle the problem better!
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So, you're thinking about falsifying your version? That's a slippery slope! Just go back to Dell and talk to someone else, ideally someone from their second-tier support if possible. They can review the history and might provide better guidance.
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Instead of trying to fake the version number, why not present the actual issue to Dell? They might be more responsive with the real problem on the table!
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To check your kernel version, open a terminal and type: 'uname -r' for the version number or 'uname -a' for more details. If you need deeper insights, you can use 'cat /proc/version'. For more help on reading boot messages, AI tools like Perplexity or Claude might assist you!
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LinuxLearner25: I appreciate the input! I’m still pretty new to Linux, and our company doesn't really support it, but I wanted to help out. I asked for some logs, but we only got journalctl logs from the last boot. I need to follow up for more logs to pinpoint the issue. Running 22.04 could be a solid option, so I’ll check that out!
DebuggingDino: Totally understandable! Keep asking questions—it's the best way to learn! Getting those logs will definitely help in diagnosing the kernel panic.