Linux Kernel 6.13 RC4 Released: A Tiny Christmas Gift From Kernel Developers

Linus Torvalds released the fourth candidate (RC4) for Linux kernel 6.13 on December 22, 2024. 6.13-rc4 includes repairs and improvements to each subsystem.

In the release announcement, Torvalds mentioned that this rc4 is a little smaller than a typical rc4 update, which bodes well for the stability of the upcoming version. He also expressed hope that rc5 will be smaller, as developers may be off during the Christmas holiday.

[…] So this is definitely a little smaller than most rc4s, I hope rc5 will be very small because you all should relax on Christmas holidays. […]

He encourages everyone to continue testing, especially those who are still working during the holidays.

Catalog

- What are the new features of Linux kernel 6.13 RC4?

• 1. AMD GPU Repair
• 2. BPF and network repair
• 3. Memory management and virtual machine repair
• 4. Cooling and power management
• 5. Device Tree and ACPI Fix
• 6. USB and serial port repair
• 7. File system and storage repair
• 8. Other fixes
• Test Linux kernel 6.13-rc4

New to Linux Kernel 6.13 RC4?

Linux Kernel 6.13-rc4 contains numerous bug fixes from numerous contributors. These fixes address issues with various kernel components, including drivers, memory management, networking, and file systems.

These fixes range from slight compiler warnings to critical error handling improvements. Here is a brief overview of some of the key fixes and improvements:

1. AMD GPU repair

Some fixes for AMD GPU drivers, especially in the drm/amdgpu subsystem. These include:

• Fixed IP version checking issues in various AMD GPU components such as nbio7.7, nbio7.11, mmhub4.1, gfx12 and smu14.0.2).
• Improved error handling and memory management.

2. BPF and network repair

BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter)Subsystem has undergone some updates, including:

• Fixed bpf_skb_change_tail() and bpf_tcp_ingress().
• New self-test to ensure the stability and correctness of BPF function.

Network-related fixes include:

• Improved netdevsim to prevent bad user input and correctly handle healthy interrupt write operations.
• Fixed the team driver to ensure that the features are displayed correctly even without a port.

3. Memory management and virtual machine repair

Memory management has received attention, and the fix is ​​as follows:

• Prevent potential integer overflow in chelsio/chtls.
• Make sure to handle PFN (page frame number) correctly in split_large_buddy().
• Fixed zram to prevent uninitialized backup devices and zero-size block devices.

4. Heat dissipation and power management

Repair of the cooling subsystem includes:

• Correct the boundaries and detection routines in thermal/thresholds.
• Ensure that cpufreq/amd-pstate is handled correctly so that preferred kernel support is detected before driver registration.

5. Device tree and ACPI repair

Equipment tree and ACPI subsystems have also been repaired accordingly:

• Add empty dma-rangesaddress conversion test.
• Fixed ACPI EC (Embedded Controller) support on LoongArch.

6. USB and serial port repair

Some updates have been made to USB and serial drivers, including:

• Add support for new devices such as TCL IK512 MBIM & ECM, MediaTek T7XX and MeiG Smart SLM770A.
• Fixed the option driver to handle new combinations and prevent memory leaks.

7. File system and storage repair

File system-related fixes include:

• Prevent memory leaks in ceph and nilfs2.
• Ensure that btrfs is properly processed in the completion handler and split bios to the file system sector size boundary.

8. Other fixes

Other noteworthy fixes include:

• Improved io_uring to prevent memory leaks and ensure that registered ring files are properly processed.
• Fixed xen/netfront to prevent crashes when removing the device.
• Updated selftests to ensure better coverage and correctness.

Test Linux kernel 6.13-rc4

Each new release brings performance, security, and compatibility improvements with newer hardware. By testing the candidate version, users can help identify and fix errors before the final version is released, ensuring that everyone has a more stable and reliable experience.

If you are a developer, system administrator, or just someone who likes to fiddle with Linux, download and test Linux Kernel 6.13-rc4.

To try out the latest version candidate, you can download the source code from the official Linux kernel archive or Linus Torvalds' git tree .

I wish you a happy test and a happy holiday!

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