diff --git a/nodeup/pkg/model/ntp.go b/nodeup/pkg/model/ntp.go
index 024355f049f0b..c598ce79bfdf9 100644
--- a/nodeup/pkg/model/ntp.go
+++ b/nodeup/pkg/model/ntp.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (b *NTPBuilder) Build(c *fi.NodeupModelBuilderContext) error {
 		}
 		c.AddTask((&nodetasks.Service{Name: "systemd-timesyncd"}).InitDefaults())
 	} else if b.Distribution.IsDebianFamily() {
-		c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "chrony"})
+		//c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "chrony"})
 		if ntpHost != "" {
 			c.AddTask(b.buildChronydConf("/etc/chrony/chrony.conf", ntpHost))
 		}
diff --git a/nodeup/pkg/model/packages.go b/nodeup/pkg/model/packages.go
index 12d1782ca1d2b..a94b032a05553 100644
--- a/nodeup/pkg/model/packages.go
+++ b/nodeup/pkg/model/packages.go
@@ -36,16 +36,16 @@ func (b *PackagesBuilder) Build(c *fi.NodeupModelBuilderContext) error {
 	// kubelet needs:
 	//   conntrack  - kops #5671
 	if b.Distribution.IsDebianFamily() {
-		// From containerd: https://github.com/containerd/cri/blob/master/contrib/ansible/tasks/bootstrap_ubuntu.yaml
-		c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "bridge-utils"})
-		c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "conntrack"})
-		c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "iptables"})
-		c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "libapparmor1"})
-		c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "libseccomp2"})
-		if b.NodeupConfig.KubeProxy != nil && fi.ValueOf(b.NodeupConfig.KubeProxy.Enabled) && b.NodeupConfig.KubeProxy.ProxyMode == "nftables" {
-			c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "nftables"})
-		}
-		c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "util-linux"})
+		//// From containerd: https://github.com/containerd/cri/blob/master/contrib/ansible/tasks/bootstrap_ubuntu.yaml
+		//c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "bridge-utils"})
+		//c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "conntrack"})
+		//c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "iptables"})
+		//c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "libapparmor1"})
+		//c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "libseccomp2"})
+		//if b.NodeupConfig.KubeProxy != nil && fi.ValueOf(b.NodeupConfig.KubeProxy.Enabled) && b.NodeupConfig.KubeProxy.ProxyMode == "nftables" {
+		//	c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "nftables"})
+		//}
+		//c.AddTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: "util-linux"})
 		// Additional packages
 		for _, additionalPackage := range b.NodeupConfig.Packages {
 			c.EnsureTask(&nodetasks.Package{Name: additionalPackage})
diff --git a/tests/e2e/scenarios/karpenter/run-test.sh b/tests/e2e/scenarios/karpenter/run-test.sh
index 83fdc342957ed..64b805d5059f5 100755
--- a/tests/e2e/scenarios/karpenter/run-test.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e/scenarios/karpenter/run-test.sh
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   amiFamily: Custom
   amiSelectorTerms:
-    - ssmParameter: /aws/service/canonical/ubuntu/server/24.04/stable/current/arm64/hvm/ebs-gp3/ami-id
+    - ssmParameter: /aws/service/canonical/ubuntu/server/25.10/stable/current/arm64/hvm/ebs-gp3/ami-id
   associatePublicIPAddress: true
   tags:
     KubernetesCluster: ${CLUSTER_NAME}
@@ -59,13 +59,13 @@ spec:
 YAML
 
 # Create a NodePool for Karpenter
-# Effectively disable consolidation for 30 minutes to avoid flakes in the tests
 kubectl apply -f - <<YAML
 apiVersion: karpenter.sh/v1
 kind: NodePool
 metadata:
   name: default
 spec:
+  replicas: 1
   template:
     spec:
       requirements:
@@ -79,14 +79,90 @@ spec:
         group: karpenter.k8s.aws
         kind: EC2NodeClass
         name: default
-  replicas: 4
-  disruption:
-    consolidationPolicy: WhenEmpty
-    consolidateAfter: 30m
 YAML
+# Wait for the nodes to start being provisioned
+sleep 10
+# Wait for the nodes to be ready
+"${KOPS}" validate cluster --wait=10m
 
+# Increase NodePool for Karpenter
+kubectl apply -f - <<YAML
+apiVersion: karpenter.sh/v1
+kind: NodePool
+metadata:
+  name: default
+spec:
+  replicas: 2
+  template:
+    spec:
+      requirements:
+        - key: node.kubernetes.io/instance-type
+          operator: In
+          values: ["m6g.large"]
+        - key: karpenter.sh/capacity-type
+          operator: In
+          values: ["on-demand"]
+      nodeClassRef:
+        group: karpenter.k8s.aws
+        kind: EC2NodeClass
+        name: default
+YAML
+# Wait for the nodes to start being provisioned
+sleep 10
+# Wait for the nodes to be ready
+"${KOPS}" validate cluster --wait=10m
+
+# Increase NodePool for Karpenter
+kubectl apply -f - <<YAML
+apiVersion: karpenter.sh/v1
+kind: NodePool
+metadata:
+  name: default
+spec:
+  replicas: 3
+  template:
+    spec:
+      requirements:
+        - key: node.kubernetes.io/instance-type
+          operator: In
+          values: ["m6g.large"]
+        - key: karpenter.sh/capacity-type
+          operator: In
+          values: ["on-demand"]
+      nodeClassRef:
+        group: karpenter.k8s.aws
+        kind: EC2NodeClass
+        name: default
+YAML
+# Wait for the nodes to start being provisioned
+sleep 10
+# Wait for the nodes to be ready
+"${KOPS}" validate cluster --wait=10m
+
+# Increase NodePool for Karpenter
+kubectl apply -f - <<YAML
+apiVersion: karpenter.sh/v1
+kind: NodePool
+metadata:
+  name: default
+spec:
+  replicas: 4
+  template:
+    spec:
+      requirements:
+        - key: node.kubernetes.io/instance-type
+          operator: In
+          values: ["m6g.large"]
+        - key: karpenter.sh/capacity-type
+          operator: In
+          values: ["on-demand"]
+      nodeClassRef:
+        group: karpenter.k8s.aws
+        kind: EC2NodeClass
+        name: default
+YAML
 # Wait for the nodes to start being provisioned
-sleep 30
+sleep 10
 # Wait for the nodes to be ready
 "${KOPS}" validate cluster --wait=10m
 
diff --git a/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/command.go b/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/command.go
index 5de8ed6573f7e..5ab79ab6fbf47 100644
--- a/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/command.go
+++ b/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/command.go
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ func (c *NodeUpCommand) Run(out io.Writer) error {
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.EtcHostsBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.NTPBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.DirectoryBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
-	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.UpdateServiceBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
+	//loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.UpdateServiceBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.VolumesBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.ContainerdBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.ProtokubeBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ func (c *NodeUpCommand) Run(out io.Writer) error {
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.HookBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.KubeletBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.KubectlBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
-	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.LogrotateBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
+	//loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.LogrotateBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.ManifestsBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.PackagesBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
 	loader.Builders = append(loader.Builders, &model.NvidiaBuilder{NodeupModelContext: modelContext})
diff --git a/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/nodetasks/update_packages.go b/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/nodetasks/update_packages.go
index 63dacc6332cd9..399296be1db60 100644
--- a/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/nodetasks/update_packages.go
+++ b/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/nodetasks/update_packages.go
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ package nodetasks
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"os/exec"
-	"syscall"
 
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
 	"k8s.io/kops/upup/pkg/fi"
@@ -83,13 +81,13 @@ func (_ *UpdatePackages) RenderLocal(t *local.LocalTarget, a, e, changes *Update
 	} else {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unsupported package system")
 	}
-	klog.Infof("running command %s", args)
-	cmd := exec.Command(args[0], args[1:]...)
-	output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
-	// 'yum check-update' exits with 100 if it finds updates; treat it like a success
-	if exitCode := cmd.ProcessState.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus).ExitStatus(); err != nil && exitCode != 100 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error update packages: %v: %s", err, string(output))
-	}
+	klog.Infof("NOT running command %s", args)
+	//cmd := exec.Command(args[0], args[1:]...)
+	//output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	//// 'yum check-update' exits with 100 if it finds updates; treat it like a success
+	//if exitCode := cmd.ProcessState.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus).ExitStatus(); err != nil && exitCode != 100 {
+	//	return fmt.Errorf("error update packages: %v: %s", err, string(output))
+	//}
 
 	return nil
 }