How to Install the Original Kernel 6.8 in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

Want to downgrade the Linux Kernel to the original GA (General Availability) Kernel 6.8 in Ubuntu 24.04? Here’s how to do the job step by step.

Since Ubuntu 24.04.2, the LTS by default ships with HWE kernel 6.11, which will be updated to the newer kernel series for the next point releases. However, the original Kernel 6.8 is always easy to install back.

Install the GA Kernel 6.8 in Ubuntu 24.04

The original kernel is provided by the linux-image-generic package in system main repository.

Simply, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open up a terminal window. Then, run command to install the package:

sudo apt install linux-image-generic

NOTE: running sudo command will ask to input user password for authentication. There’s no visual feedback while inputting password, just type in mind and hit Enter.

Configure to boot Kernel 6.8 by default

After running the command above in last step, you should now have Linux Kernel 6.8. However, it won’t boot with that kernel as you also have higher kernels installed.

To boot the original kernel 6.8 by default, you have 2 choices:

remove the newer kernels.
or configure Grub boot-loader to select boot 6.8 kernel by defau.t

Option 1: Remove the HWE Kernel

If you don’t have any non-default kernels, then just remove the Hardware Enablement (HWE) kernel, by running command in a terminal window (Ctrl+Alt+T):

sudo apt remove --autoremove linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04

Then, your Ubuntu will automatically boot with kernel 6.8 on next boot, as there’s no higher kernel series available.

Option 2: Configure Grub to boot Kernel 6.8 by default

If you want to keep your Ubuntu with multiple kernels, then you may tell Grub boot-loader to boot which kernel by default on every boot.

If you have Grub-Customizer installed, then launch it and navigate to General Settings tab. Finally, choose a predefined entry, and save!

Without using 3rd party tool, you may instead open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to edit the grub configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Then, change GRUB_DEFAULT line to GRUB_DEFAULT=”1>2″.

Here 1 means the second entry in main menu (usually “Advanced options for Ubuntu”), 2 means the third entry in sub-menu. So, “1>2” (double quotation marks required) means the 3rd entry in sub-menu of the 2nd main menu entry.

Here you need to change the NUMBER according to your Grub boot menu! The menu entry counts from 0. “Advanced options for Ubuntu” entry is usually 1, and kernel 6.8 in sub-menu in my case (see screenshot below) is 6. You need to replace it with yours.