How to Install Liquorix Kernel on Debian 12, 11 or 10

For desktop users seeking enhanced performance in multimedia, gaming, and real-time applications, the Liquorix kernel, rooted in the Zen kernel, offers a tailored solution. This custom Linux kernel has features that elevate system responsiveness and efficiency. If you aim to install the Liquorix Kernel on Debian 12 Bookworm, Debian 11 Bullseye, or Debian 10 Buster, this guide will provide a comprehensive overview of its unique attributes and benefits.

Key Features of the Liquorix Kernel:

• Zen Interactive Tuning: Prioritizes responsiveness, enhancing the desktop user experience.
• Optimized I/O Scheduler: Incorporates the Budget Fair Queue (BFQ) scheduler for high throughput and low latency and optimizes DM-Crypt workqueues.
• Enhanced Virtual Memory: Implements improvements like background-reclaim for huge pages and refined compact settings.
• PDS/BMQ CPU Scheduler: Offers fair scheduling for gaming and multimedia, with a reduced 2ms scheduling timeslice.
• High-Resolution Scheduling: Features a 1000Hz tick rate for precise task scheduling and a preemptible RCU suitable for real-time systems.
• Kernel Preemption: Provides aggressive preemption for responsive system performance under intense workloads.
• TCP BBR2 Congestion Control: Maximizes throughput, outperforming the default Cubic algorithm.
• Compressed Swap & LRU: Uses LZ4 for swap storage compression and an improved LRU algorithm for better performance under high memory pressure.
• Binary Builds & Drop-in Replacement: Offers binary builds for Debian and Ubuntu, providing comprehensive kernel replacement with extensive hardware support.

With these insights into the Liquorix Kernel’s benefits, let’s delve into its installation process on Debian.

Install Liquorix Kernel on Debian 12, 11, or 10 via APT

Step 1: Update Debian Before Liquorix Kernel Installation

Before installing the Liquorix kernel, ensure your Debian operating system is up to date. This helps to prevent potential conflicts with existing packages. In your terminal, run the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command first updates the package list (sudo apt update) and then upgrades all installed packages to their latest versions (sudo apt upgrade).

Step 2: Install Required Packages For Liquorix Kernel

To import and install the Liquorix kernel, some additional packages are needed. In your terminal, run the following command to install these required packages:

sudo apt install curl lsb-release apt-transport-https

This command installs curl (used for downloading files), lsb-release (provides distribution-specific information), and apt-transport-https (allows using HTTPS for package management).

Step 3: Install Liquorix Kernel via APT Command on Debian

The Liquorix Kernel team provides a convenient bash script to streamline installation. This script imports the required GPG keys, adds the Liquorix repository, updates your sources list, and installs the custom kernel on your Debian system.

Execute the following command to run the script and install the kernel:

curl 'https://liquorix.net/add-liquorix-repo.sh' | sudo bash

During the installation, the linux-image-liquorix-amd64 package (containing the Liquorix kernel) and the linux-headers-liquorix-amd64 package (providing the necessary kernel headers for building kernel modules) will be installed.

Upon successful completion, you should see the output in your terminal indicating a successful installation:

Step 4: Reboot Your System to Complete Liquorix Installation

After successfully installing the Liquorix kernel packages, you must reboot your system to activate the new kernel. In your terminal, execute the following command:

sudo reboot

This command gracefully restarts your system, allowing it to boot with the newly installed Liquorix kernel.

Step 5: Confirm Liquorix Kernel Installation on Debian

Once your system has rebooted, verify that the Liquorix kernel is active. In your terminal, run either of the following commands:

hostnamectl

This command displays system information, including the active kernel version.

Alternatively, use the cat command to check the /proc/version file:

cat /proc/version

This command outputs the contents of the /proc/version file, which contains information about the currently running kernel.

If the Liquorix kernel has been installed and is active, you will see its version in the output of either command.

Additional Commands For Liquorix Kernel on Debian 12, 11 or 10

Update Liquorix Kernel on Debian

To keep the Liquorix kernel up to date, you can use the standard apt update and apt upgrade commands.

Check for updates with the following command:

sudo apt update

If an upgrade is available, update the Liquorix kernel by running:

sudo apt upgrade

Remove Liquorix Kernel From Debian

Step 1: Remove the Liquorix Kernel APT Repository

To remove the Liquorix repository, execute the following command:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/liquorix.list

Step 2: Remove the Liquorix Kernel

To uninstall the Liquorix kernel, execute the following command:

sudo apt autoremove linux-image-*.*.*-liquorix-amd64 linux-headers-*.*.*-liquorix-amd64 --purge

This command removes the Liquorix kernel packages along with any unused dependencies.

During the removal process, you will encounter a prompt asking to confirm the removal of the Liquorix kernel. Ensure you select the appropriate option to proceed with the removal. However, do not reboot your system immediately; continue with the instructions provided in the following steps.

Step 3: Check or Re-install the Default Kernel

Before proceeding, ensure you have an existing Linux kernel installed. Run the following command to install the Debian default kernel:

sudo apt install linux-image-amd64

By default, this command installs the Debian default kernel. Failing to do this may result in an unbootable system.

Step 4: Update Grub and Initramfs

Run a quick update for GRUB and initramfs:

sudo update-initramfs -u && sudo update-grub

Step 5: Reboot System

Restart your computer to finalize the removal of the Liquorix kernel:

sudo reboot

Step 6: Verify Default Kernel Re-installed

After rebooting, verify that the default kernel is active by running either of the following commands:

hostnamectl

or

cat /proc/version

These commands display the currently running kernel version, confirming the default kernel is re-installed.

Conclusion

Installing the Liquorix kernel on a Debian Linux system can provide an enhanced desktop experience, especially for those seeking improved responsiveness and performance for gaming, multimedia, and real-time workloads. The process is straightforward and involves adding the Liquorix repository, updating the package list, installing the kernel, and rebooting the system. While the Liquorix kernel is unnecessary for every user, it can be a valuable addition to those requiring specific optimizations.