[Gllug] Kernel remaking

[Daniel Clusells]

Hi everybody,

First of all I must recognize that my experience with Linux didn't include
modules. It was another of those new things to learn about when having time
or when needed (ie never).

After a too long time without a computer now I have one and I'm trying to
revise some stuff. As I don't have so much time I decided to remake the
kernel (2.2.16) with the original configuration (Red Hat 7) making just a
few changes. As it was also the first time I tried to do this I thought that
maybe I was doing something wrong. Now I'm sure it always takes the options
I set (file .config). Finally I decided to check what parts it couldn't get
through and switch them off:
    Loadable Module support
        .Enable loadable module support  // Unfortunately doing this
everything gets set on
    Character devices
        .Direct Rendering Manager (XFree86 DRI support)
        ./dev/agpapart (AGP Support) (EXPERIMENTAL)
    Ftape, the floppy tape device driver
        .Ftape (QIC-80/Travan) support
    I2C Support
        .I2C Support
    Sound
        .Crystal Sound Fusion (CS461x)
        .Support for Turtle Beach MultiSound Classic, Tahiti, Monterey
        .Support for Turtle Beach MultiSound, Pinnacle
    USB support
        .Support for USB
    Network device support
        Ethernet (1000 Mbit)
            .Alteon AceNIC/3Com 3C98S/NetGear GA620 Gigabit support
        Ethernet (10 or 100 Mbit)
            .Ethernet (10 or 100 Mbit)

Some of these need firmware, are experimental or I dunno. After that it only
told me that the kernel was too big. I don't know if it says that only when
it arrives to the end or there were more errors (first time trying to make
it with everything:-). In one of them I think I saw a mistake in a Makefile
so I thought that the important one, modules, could have some problem too.
Looking at the kernel's Makefile I thought it was really strange that the
option CONFIG_MODVERSIONS (.Set version information on all symbols for
modules) was not there. I made a change and the remaking with modules
succeeded but they didn't work. As I'd already spent too much time for that
I used the old method and remade the kernel looking at every option. I
probably won't have more time to spend with this but if somebody knew
anything I'm letting out of control I'd thank any clue (I don't like to
leave things without explanation).

Later I found newer kernels in some CDs and decided to try. I remade the
2.4.6 and 2.4.9 and no problems with modules.

By the way, when remaking the 2.4 kernels I was surprised because I didn't
need to put parameters for the sound card, but it works. I think that's
really great. Everyday closer to "other" "OS" :-).

Thanks in advance.

Daniel Clusells
dclusells at terra.es



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