Kernel compiling guide for newbies...

bughead1 · 05-10-2003, 10:41 AM

I'm no help when it comes to looking for missing files needed to enable the ncurses based menuconfig, but remember, in addition to "menuconfig," there are also the options of "xconfig" (Gui based), and "config" (CLI, or "text" based).

Obviously, you have to have the X Windowing System up and running in order to use "xconfig." But "config" can be used even without ncurses at the command line. It is a bit slower to set up your configuration, and you can't go back to correct a mistake (you just have to hit CTRL+C and start over), but it's there and might be the ticket for you.

Just enter "make config" instead of "make menuconfig." Or, if you have X, login as root, open a shell, and do everything within an xterm, and substitute "make xconfig," for "make menuconfig."

YMMV ;-)

gargamel · 05-10-2003, 03:46 PM

Thanks. I can't use xconfig, however, as there's no X on my laptop. Which explains why I'm looking for menuconfig: I want *some* kind of user friendliness, but no X. And I guess that menuconfig is not the only thing in need of Ncurses.

So even if I get along with the (cumbersome) config, I still think I'd need Ncurses, sooner or later.

Sincerely

TheDot · 05-11-2003, 02:39 AM

Now, I've used these steps since 7.0, and it still works, but I wrote this script not too long after 8.1 came out because I got sick of redoing all the steps by hand, and just readjusted the /boot/ section.

***WARNING***
This script does not back up your old kernel like DaOne's steps do. This script is made for if you're NOT changing crucial parts of the kernel. It should only be used for if say you're adding a new sound card to your computer, and want to change the drivers (something that will most likely not make your computer crash upon reboot). Other than that, there should be no problems using this script.
***WARNING***

To use it, just copy and past this code into a text file located under /usr/src/linux/, and then chown and chmod the text file to only be usable by root. I recomend:

Code:

pico /usr/src/linux/doall
chown root:root /usr/src/linux/doall
chmod 700 /usr/src/linux/doall

Code:

# Copyright MainelyPCs.com(R) 2001
# v1.3
# This is a simple script to take care of the process of compiling a kernel step-by-step.
#
# Lines in this script can only be changed, deleted, and/or added to for personal use, and
# this copyright section must remain intact at all times.  Whether you have read this or not,
# you have agreed to it by simply browsing this script, and/or using it.
# This script may not be sold for commercial use.
#
# I want to thank the many people that have made the subscripts of this script for this script
# to be possible, and the good guys at Slackware for comming up with such a fine distro. :-)
# -TheDot

echo "Let's save our current .config if we have one.  If we don't, let's ignore any stat errors." ;
sleep 2 ;
cp -v .config ../ ;

echo "Let's properly clean everything." ;
sleep 2 ;
make mrproper ;

echo "How about we move our .config back in, shall we?" ;
sleep 2 ;
cp -v ../.config ./ ;

echo "Let's start making some decisions!" ;
sleep 2 ;
make menuconfig ;

echo "Finish up..." ;
sleep 2 ;
make dep ;
echo "And clean..." ;
sleep 2 ;
make clean ;
echo "And last but not least, COMPILE in 4..." ;
sleep 4 ;
make bzImage ;

echo "Let's set everything up..." ;
# Comment or uncomment the following according to your version of Slackware
#
# Slackware 7.0 - 8.0
#
#cp -v arch/i386/boot/bzImage /vmlinuz ;
#cp -v .config /boot/config ;
#cp -v System.map /boot/System.map ;
#
# Slackware 8.1+
#
cp -v arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz ;
cp -v .config /boot/config ;
cp -v System.map /boot/System.map ;

echo "Let's not forget the most important step!!  If you do not do this, your system will not boot!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !!" ;
sleep 5 ;
lilo ;

echo "Cleaning out the old..." ;
sleep 2 ;
cd /lib/modules/2.4.20/ ;
pwd ;
rm build ;
rm -rf * ;
cd /usr/src/linux/ ;

echo "And in with the new..." ;
sleep 2 ;
make modules ;
make modules_install ;
/sbin/depmod -A ;

# Do we want to reboot, power off, or neither afterwards? (Uncomment for your choosing. Use at your own risk! You may want to
# go back and check for errors...)
#reboot
#poweroff

This script has yet to fail me. :-) Just thought some people may want to grab this for their own use. If you can improve upon this, such as prompting to continue with the next step, and want to make it into a full blown shell script, please contact via my email address in my profile.

Good luck to all who use it! :-)
-TheDot

pbhj · 05-13-2003, 07:13 AM

DaOne et al.

Thanks for this, I'm just getting back into Slackware having got a second hard drive ... anyway ... my question is, what are the different steps when I'm booting from floppy.

Presumably, the floppy boots a kernel held on my boot partition (/dev/hdb1). Do I need to change anything on the floppy when I recompile the kernel?

Also, when using menuconfig I try to install the usb (or was it sound?) stuff I need but I get a warning that something it depends on is specified as a module and so the usb stuff can only be specified as a module. How can I determine what the dependency is?

Cheers guys,

pbhj

teacup · 05-14-2003, 03:01 PM

I tried the steps listed above but something went wrong and now I can't boot. The only kernel I can boot from is slack.old in the menu, but X gives me some nasty error and my keyboard mouse dont work at all. I think it's not actually loading my old kernel or something. The file named vmlinuz.old is definately my old kerne (I checked it using file). Why won't it show both the new and the old kernel? I tried using a floppy to boot but it loaded the same nonworking kernel. Help! Heres my lilo config:

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda
#compact # faster, but won't work on all systems.
prompt
timeout = 50
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
vga = 791
# Normal VGA console
# vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# ramdisk = 0 # paranoia setting
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda3
label = mykernel
read-only
image = /boot/vmlinuz.old
root = /dev/hda3
label = slack.old
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# DOS bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/hda1
label = Windows
table = /dev/hda
# DOS bootable partition config ends

TheDot · 05-14-2003, 04:36 PM

Which steps are you talking about, teacup? The ones in my script, or DaOne's? I ask, because my script doesn't back up the old kernel. In fact, I should note that in the post. *runs off to edit his post*

*added after getting back from editing other post:*

Also, if you can boot with the bootdisk ok, and login ok, then run:

lilo -v

And make sure that both the old and new kernel are getting written with lilo.

You should get something along the lines of:

Code:

LILO version 22.4.1, Copyright (C) 1992-1998 Werner Almesberger
Development beyond version 21 Copyright (C) 1999-2002 John Coffman
Released 27-Jan-2003 and compiled at 19:45:45 on Mar  9 2003.

Warning: LBA32 addressing assumed
Reading boot sector from /dev/hda
Using MENU secondary loader
Calling map_insert_data

Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-ide-2.4.20
Added mykernel *

Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz.old
Added slack.old

Boot other: /dev/hda1
Added Windose

/boot/boot.0300 exists - no backup copy made.
Writing boot sector.

And then you should have 3 options next time you boot up.

You can also try making timeout = 200 in your /etc/lilo.conf to give you more time (in this case, 20 seconds) so you can actually see the options, and have more time to chose.

Hope that helps.

Silence95 · 05-14-2003, 05:48 PM

Need some help:

I try to run automake to the kernel i,ve unzipped but I get this message:

automake: `configure.ac' or `configure.in' is required

how do I get those files or what shall I write in them if I need to create them?

Aussie · 05-14-2003, 05:57 PM

You don't use automake on the kernel.

teacup · 05-14-2003, 08:38 PM

I was referring to DaOnes I didn't read anything other than the first page of this thread before I compiled....

Whoops...

I cannot boot with the boot disk. It loads up the same kernel that screws everything up. If I boot up with knoppix it won't let me run lilo.

Help!

TheDot · 05-14-2003, 09:32 PM

Is this a boot disk that you put the "screwed up" kernel on to? Or one made from the bootdisks directory of the Slackware ISO (or CD)?

If you try making a boot disk from that directory, like using bare.i, it will boot the kernel on the floppy, and you will get a prompt. You can even use the CD, if you have it. Either way, att that prompt, put in something like:

bare.i root=/dev/hda3 noinitrd ro

That should get you booted to where you can log in, and be able to run lilo. I've run into all sorts of boot problems in my time, and it boils down to, if one thing doesn't work, try another.

Good luck!

teacup · 05-14-2003, 10:46 PM

It was one made with the slack cd. I tried loading the kernel from the cd using:

bare.i root=/dev/hda3 noinitrd ro

as you said, but it still gives the nasty blue screen saying x error. I have no input from keyboard or mouse. This is strange.

TheDot · 05-15-2003, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by teacup
It was one made with the slack cd. I tried loading the kernel from the cd using:

bare.i root=/dev/hda3 noinitrd ro

as you said, but it still gives the nasty blue screen saying x error. I have no input from keyboard or mouse. This is strange.

Well, first, that only loads the actual kernel from the CD. Everything else gets pulled from the system itself. This, in turn, and from you telling me you get an x error, leads me to believe that you usually boot up with the graphic interface, where a screen comes up and you click on your icon, maybe enter your password, and log in (or something to the affect of this process), correct? Only now, it boots up to the point of you see the graphics come up, but no further, and it craps out with an error, correct?

And let me ask you one last thing, can you boot from the CD, without having to use floppies?

I ask, because you'll need it, either to boot directly, or make the boot and root disks from it, for my fix.

If your system will boot it, that will make things much easier.

Let me know, and I'll give you my fix. Not that I'm holding it for ransom or anything silly like that, just that I rather cut down the steps in the actual fix, and make it a seperate post.

Silence95 · 05-15-2003, 06:51 AM

Aussie:

What do I Use to the kernel?
How do I make it work?
I have tried gcc also but I only get errors

Aussie · 05-15-2003, 07:10 AM

Have a look at the Kernel-HOWTO for a full explanation.

Silence95 · 05-15-2003, 07:15 AM

Thanks! I did that

But the problem is that I dont have a linux dir in /usr/src yet.
Thats why I try to get the kernel I,ve downloaded run.
But thats doesnt go well I have unzipped it and all but I cant run it.