Oooh the frustration - first time kernel compile

[Emc2]

Here's the situation:

Mandrake 9.0 on my desktop
RedHat (can't remember version) on my laptop.

RedHat has the kernel header files, but Mandrake doesn't. Wen't to Mandrake CD1, and from KDE ran the .rpm file. Supposedly they're installed now.

Trying to put 2.6.0.test9 on both systems. In RedHat, I followed the instructions, to make mrproper, xconfig, dep, bzImage, modules, modules_install, and install. Reboot (using grub), and the kernel always 'panics' while loading the file system.

In mandrake, every time I type "make" in the /usr/src/ directory, it tells me 'no makefile found'

Please, shed some light on this...

[SpookyEddy]

In RedHat, I followed the instructions, to make mrproper, xconfig, dep, bzImage, modules, modules_install, and install. Reboot (using grub), and the kernel always 'panics' while loading the file system.

Did you remember to add support for your file system (ext2, ext3, Reiser etc) to your new kernel. It needs to be compiled in and not a module.

In mandrake, every time I type "make" in the /usr/src/ directory, it tells me 'no makefile found'

Thats because /usr/src/ shouldn't contain any Makefiles so you have nothing to make. You want to be in /usr/src/linux (the kernel source tree).

Regards

ed

[Emc2]

There's no "linux" folder, although I DID install the kernel source file RPM.

And support for the file system comes when I'm using xconfig right?

[SpookyEddy]

There's no "linux" folder, although I DID install the kernel source file RPM.

Often this is a link to another directory under /usr/src/ called something like linux-2.6.0-test9 (obviously dependant on your kernel version).

And support for the file system comes when I'm using xconfig right?

Correct.

Regards

ed

[Emc2]

Maybe I'm just destined to never compile a kernel...

I'm forgetting about my PC for now and working only with the laptop, running RedHat, booting using Grub.

Everything in the xconfig for the file system is correct. I've gone through every setting and still nothing I even looked at an article from www.justlinux.com on configuring a kernel, but it didn't even mention file systems. I guess it just assumes everything's supposed to be intact already? I dunno...

Still gonna fight to get it working though...M$ puts out a patch a week these days it seems, and it's making my OS kinda slow...

[pbharris]

i wrote this:

kernel compiling

[washe]

ahhh I used that how to, for my first kernel compile some time ago....


Thanks Pbharris.... I realized how small the world is....

[Emc2]

thx pbharris, I'll try that on my laptop when I get my usb mouse back for it (the touchpad doesn't work in linux *yet* and I just d/l'ed redhat on my desktop and will install it later).

Unless you can show me a "getting around in KDE (or GNOME) without a mouse" guide, which is always nice...

[Emc2]

you know, I feel kinda stupid right now, but I guess alot of noobs go through this too...haven't done it yet, but I found the mistake and am downloading the *real* kernel now.

On kernel.org 's homepage, every link to a kernel is to a patch. I was trying to compile off of a patch. So what it was doing was using the 2.4 kernel on compile while in the 2.6 directory? I dunno, but the 2.6 kernel I'm d/l'ing is 40MB now, and it's in .tar.gz like described in every freakin manual I've read.

I'll post back with how it goes. I wish manuals for n00bs like me made an issue out of this, and kernel.org was more noob friendly (even though the guide above really did say something about it, I just missed the point).

[the jester]

Disclaimer #1 the 2.6.0-testx series are still under development, i.e. beta - run at your peril

Disclaimer #2 the following steps are what I needed to do to get 2.6.0-test9-mm1 working with gentoo - I cannot vouch for them 100% on other distros, but the gurus can set me straight

if you're going to compile a 2.6.0-test kernel there are a couple of gotchas that you need to be aware of

do the following as su

1. you'll need to add the dirctory /sys
mkdir /sys

2. you'll need to add the file system /dev/pts to your /etc/fstab - use your editor (nano/pico/vi, etc) to add the following
none /dev/pts devpts defaults 0 0

3. ls -l /usr/src to see which kernel source your current linux is symlinked to (if it's not there jump to next step)

4. back up your current kernel .config - type uname -a to discover what kernel you are running now, then cp /usr/src/linux-version/.config /usr/src/linux-version/.configold

5. delete the directory linux
rm -r /usr/src/linux

6. link the new sources to the directory linux
ln -s /usr/src/linux-2.6.0-test-version/ /usr/src/linux
(where -version = the numbers/letters you see)

7. cd into /usr/src/linux and make menuconfig
go through selecting the correct options based on your hardware be careful to enable /dev/pts under filesystems along with whatever fs you use for /, /boot - ext2 ext3 reiser etc

8. save your new config and then "make" it
make clean bzImage modules modules_install (watch tv/read a book)

9. make sure /boot is mounted and then
cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage-2.6.0-test (or whatever you call it) - be sure you don't wipe out the current kernel

10. cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.6.0-test
(if you already had a System.map in there then rename it - mv /boot/System.map /boot/System.maporiginal
ln -s System.map-2.6.0-test System.map

11. edit your bootloader (grub or lilo) to add a new entry

12. umount /boot

13. reboot to check out your new kernel

14. once it boots fine without complaints then recompile your nvidia drivers (if you use them) - not sure for ati, but surely similar

Hope that helps

PS - a lot of the "ready-made" distros - mandrake, red hat. etc, don't automatically install the kernel headers - you'll not get far without them if you want a new kernel - they're usually on one of the cds so check there first