Patch to end i486 support hits Linux kernel merge queue

The change on the table

It has been reported that veteran contributor Ingo Molnár queued a patch at the end of March to start removing support for 80486‑class CPUs from the upstream Linux kernel. Slated for the Linux 7.1 merge window, the change would strip the M486, M486SX and MELAN Kconfig options — effectively preventing new upstream kernels from being built specifically for 486‑class systems if the patch lands. If merged, it would mark the first processor‑architecture removal from the kernel since 2012, when 80386 support was dropped.

Why maintainers want it gone

Maintainers argue the workarounds and compatibility glue for ancient 32‑bit x86 CPUs cost developer time and occasionally cause bugs. It has been reported that Molnár first proposed dropping 486 support in April 2025 and discussed the idea with Linus Torvalds, who in 2022 dismissed 486 hardware as largely irrelevant — “museum pieces,” in his words. Molnár had previously suggested raising a minimum feature bar (Time Stamp Counter and CMPXCHG8B), but the current approach simply removes the specific config knobs.

Who will be affected?

Actual users, according to Molnár's merge request, should be few to none: there are no recent mainstream kernel packages that target 486 chips, so legacy users can continue running older kernels. Hobbyists and vintage‑hardware fans will feel the sting, though — what’s a retro lab without the software to boot it? Consider this an official end of an era: the Linux tree moving on, like swapping a VCR for streaming.

With kernel 7.0 due soon and 7.1 expected mid‑year, whether the patch makes the final cut is still up in the air. Either way, the proposal crystallizes a wider trade‑off the project faces: when to stop carrying backward‑compatibility baggage so developers can focus on the future.

Sources: The Register