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SparkyLinux 2024.02 has been released today as another snapshot in the semi-rolling series of this Debian-based GNU/Linux distribution leveraging the Debian Testing repositories.
Coming three weeks after SparkyLinux 2024.01, the SparkyLinux 2024.02 release is powered by Linux kernel 6.6.13 LTS, GRUB 2.12 bootloader, PipeWire 1.0.3, and includes updated packages from the Debian Testing (where the development of Debian 13 “Trixie” takes place) repositories.
SparkyLinux 2024.02 improves the command-line installer (CLI) by re-implementing support for the Btrfs and XFS filesystems. The CLI installer also received an option to not set a root password, as well as support for installing required EFI debs from the upstream Debian GNU/Linux servers if they aren’t found on the live ISO.
The SparkyBackup utility that lets you backup your installations has been updated as well in this release with the ability to create EFI-compatible ISOs, an UEFI firmware setup option in the live EFI GRUB menu, Memtest86+ 7.0 for both EFI and BIOS boot menus, as well as SparkyLinux version in the live GRUB main menu.
Other than that, the devs updated the Sparky Locker desktop screen locker to start automatically, changed the way the Yad window of Sparky APTus, Sparky Welcome, and Sparky USB Imager is being closed to prevent other Yad-based apps from being terminated, and improved Sparky Tray.
As mentioned before, SparkyLinux 2024.02 comes with the Linux 6.6.13 kernel by default, but if you want to use a newer kernel, you can install the latest Linux 6.7.4 kernel from the repositories. The Linux 6.6.16 LTS, Linux 6.1.77 LTS, and Linux 5.15.148 LTS kernels are also available for installation from the SparkyLinux repos.
You can download SparkyLinux 2024.02 right now from the official website. For more details on the changes included in this update, feel free to visit the release announcement page.
Last updated 3 months ago
