PULS Kernel/GRUB Manager

"2 Days ago, when I was trying to use Debian 12 on a modern Acer system, I found out that the kernel it comes with doesn't have an Acer fan controller patch inside. Installing a kernel from bookworm-backports stopped me at 6.12.xx — so why shouldn't we go further?"

PULS Kernel/GRUB Manager is a specialized tool for Linux users who need fine-grained control over their system's kernel and boot process. It simplifies fetching, compiling, and installing mainline kernels while ensuring system safety through snapshots and Secure Boot management.

Status: Heavy development — expect rough edges, bugs and issues, but it works!

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Features

Dashboard

• Live overview of running kernel version
• Current GRUB default entry at a glance
• /boot disk free space
• Quick-action buttons: Create Snapshot, Refresh Kernel List

Kernel Management

• Mainline Fetching: Fetch latest stable and RC kernels from kernel.org
• GPG Verification: Cryptographic signature check before extraction
• Tailored Compilation: localmodconfig creates a lean, hardware-specific kernel
• menuconfig Support: Optional interactive kernel configuration before compiling
• Kernel Removal: Remove installed kernels (blocks removing the running kernel)
• Automatic DKMS: Rebuilds modules (e.g. NVIDIA) for new kernels
• Dependency Automation: Installs all required build tools before compilation

Boot & GRUB Control

• Parameter Tuning: Modify kernel parameters and GRUB settings
• Boot Order Viewer: Visualized boot entry management with set-default buttons
• Boot Once: Set a one-time boot entry without changing the default (grub-reboot)
• Safety Backups: Automatic timestamped backups of GRUB config with dry-run validation
• Backup History: View and restore any previous GRUB backup

Safety & Security

• System Snapshots: Integrated Timeshift support with snapshot history
• Dependency Status: Per-package OK/Fail display for all required tools
• Secure Boot (MOK): Complete Machine Owner Key management
• Panic Analysis: Extract and analyze kernel panic logs from pstore and kdump

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Installation

Install Debian Package (.deb) — Recommended

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ./puls-kernel-mgr_*.deb

Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/word-sys/puls-kernel-mgr.git
cd puls-kernel-mgr
pip install .

Dependencies

Required:

python3-gi  gir1.2-adw-1  gir1.2-gtk-4.0  pkexec  grub2-common
tar  wget  xz-utils  gpg  openssl  mokutil  dkms  librsvg2-common

Build tools (auto-installed on first run):

build-essential  flex  bison  libncurses-dev  libssl-dev  libelf-dev  bc  rsync

Optional:

timeshift  btrfs-progs  kdump-tools

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Usage

Graphical Interface (GTK4/Libadwaita):

puls-kernel-mgr-gtk

Command Line Interface:

puls-kernel-mgr                            

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Developer: Barın Güzeldemirci
License: GPL-3.0