[Sussex] First kernel compile on the cards...

[Gavin Stevens]

Thanks to Steve D, Steve W & Thomas for your constructive thoughts. I'll 
paste them into AbiWord (as I tend to do with Linux related info) & decide 
a course of action...

I'll let you know how it goes (although I dare say I will have more 
questions as well).

Gavin.

On Sat, 24 Apr 2004 11:37:39 +0000, Steve Williams 
<sdp.williams at btinternet.com> wrote:

> Hi Gavin,
>
> My thoughts to add to others already epressed.
>
> On Friday 23 April 2004 22:47, Gavin Stevens wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> My upgrade to Debian Woody has left me with a very nice system & I'm 
>> well
>> pleased with it. However, I still don't have sr_mod to do SCSI emulation
>> for CD writing (sg & ide-scsi are there). So it looks like I am going 
>> have
>> to download & compile a kernel & add the modules that way (I didn't add
>> SCSI support when I first installed Potato 'cos I was a newbie who 
>> didn't
>> realise that SCSI was needed to make an IDE CD-R work).
>>
>
> I've compiled 2.6 kernels with built-in ide cdr support and it works 
> fine, and
> don't need to run an initrd either. The only reason I have not to use a 
> 2.6.
> kernel is that ata raid devices seem to be a bit of a mystery under 2.6,
> whereas 2.4.25 it's cinch. So I would suggest a 2.6 kernel if you're not
> using ata raid.
>
>> I know that I could go for a 2.6 kernel & not have to bother with SCSI
>> emulation, but I'm wondering if this is a bit of a leap for various
>> reasons: I note that the new kernels are quite different in some ways
>> (initrd etc.). I tried a 2.4 kernel when I upgraded but couldn't get 
>> that
>> to work, so it might be too much in the first instance.
>>
>> I'm currently running kernel 2.2.20. Does it sound sensible for me to 
>> get
>> the latest 2.2 kernel (2.2.26) & compile that? My thinking is that this
>> should require the minimum of alteration to my system to get working as 
>> it
>> is still a 2.2 kernel. (I seriously need to burn about 3 CDs as my HDD 
>> is
>> getting ever more full).
>>
>> I went to kernel.org & there seem to be all sorts of different bits to
>> download there. For configuring (i e: adding the modules I need) &
>> compiling do I need the "full source" (around 15MB)?
>
> I suggest you apt-get the kernel sources from debian mirrors rather than 
> use
> the vanilla kernel sources. Steve Dobson is the man to ask about debian, 
> but
> I think it should be something like (bear in mind you may have to add a
> deb ??? unstable main line to your sources.list file to get hold of 2.6
> kernel sources) :
>
> apt-get update
>
> apt-get install kernel-(tree || image)
>
> This should show you a list of what's available, then take your pick.
>
> Otherwise I can thoroughly recommend Gentoo, but only if you've got time 
> and
> broadband on your side.
>
>>
>> I have looked at, & will read further, the Kernel-HOWTO; but that can't
>> answer these questions & it's always instructive to hear from those who
>> have actually compiled a kernel.
>>
>> I hope these questions don't sound too daft & I would really appreciate
>> any thoughts on this.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Gavin.
>>
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>
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