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By halo14 at 2005-05-31 08:07
I just installed Slackware-current and the 2.6.11.9 kernel from Disc #2 from the latest (5-18-05) Slackware-current set. It was MUCH easier than I had expected it to be, so I thought I would share for other Slackware users who may want a 2.6 kernel without the hassle of compiling a new one.

I used the one from the CD because it's a good general base, and for whatever reason, I just couldn't get a decent kernel compiled on Slack. So here's how I did it, basically, it's nothing more than what it tells you to do in the README.initrd file.

The latest Slackware discs all include an optional 2.6 kernel so this should work the same on the 10.1 discs as well. I just like to use Slackware-current because it's still very stable. More so than 'stable' versions of distro's like Fedora, Mandrake, etc.. in my experience.

Step 1 - Installation
Install Slackware. I generally don't try to install a trimmed down version from the start. Rather, I install everything except KDE and GNOME(which isn't even available on the new discs).

Step 2 - Mount Disc #2 and cd to 2.6 kernel directory
After the installation is complete, login as root and mount the Slackware installation disc #2.
Code:
cd /mnt/cdrom/testing/packages/linux-2.6.11.9
Step 3 - Install 2.6 kernel files
Here is where you'll find the 'README.initrd' file which explains how to install the 2.6 kernel if you are using anything other than ext2 filesystem.
You can 'ls' to see the available files, but you want to be sure you have the kernel, kernel modules, and makeinitrd(included in the installation if you choose everything) installed.
Code:
installpkg kernel-generic-2.6.11.9-i486-1.tgz
installpkg kernel-modules-2.6.11.9-i486-1.tgz
Now, I used pkgtool to make sure I had 'mkinitrd' installed, you may want to do the same. If it's not installed, install it at this time.

Step 4 - Make initrd for necessary modules
Okay, the point of initrd is an initial ramdisk file system with which to load modules the kernel will need in order to boot. This includes things like filesystem modules, disc controller modules, etc. Since I'm running an IDE system with reiserfs, the only thing I need initrd to load is the reiserfs modules.
Code:
cd /boot
mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.11.9 -m reiserfs
This will do two things. It will create the /boot/initrd-tree containing the initrd filesystem. It will also create the actual initrd(initrd.gz). Another example, if you are using ext3 filesystems:
Code:
mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.11.9 -m jbd:ext3 -f ext3 -r /dev/hdb1
In this example, there is a root partition at /dev/hdb1 that is ext3. Note: to use ext3 you need both jbd and ext3 (I don't know what jbd is so don't ask ;))

Step 5 - Make necessary changes to LILO
If you'd like, you can enter 'ls' in /boot to see the files we now have. Among others, you should see 'vmlinuz-generic-2.6.11.9' and 'initrd.gz'.

Now to make the changes to /etc/lilo.conf, use your favorite text editor(I prefer 'vi' or 'mcedit'. Add the following under your previous kernel:
Code:
#Linux bootable partition config begins

image = /boot/vmlinuz-generic-2.6.11.9
  initrd = /boot/initrd.gz
  root = /dev/hda1
  label = Linux-2.6.11.9
  read-only
#Linux bootable config ends
Save and exit the editor. Now run /sbin/lilo. If you see the 'Added Linux-2.6.11.9', you should be okay. Go ahead and reboot.

When you reboot, select the 'Linux-2.6.11.9' entry and see if it works, it should.

Everything should work except sound at this point. This is because you are still using the old 2.4.30 alsa-drivers.

Mount the cd #2 again. In the same directory where the 2.6.11.9 kernel packages are, there is the alsa-drivers for it as well.
Code:
cd /mnt/cdrom/testing/packages/linux-2.6.11.9
installpkg alsa-driver-1.0.8_2.6.11.9-i486-1.tgz
alsaconf
It should recognize your sound card (if it's supported) and all should be working.

I had an excellent experience with this, that doesn't necessarily mean yours will be the same. Good luck to all, and please post additional tips that I might have missed.

by minike on Mon, 2005-09-26 18:06
hi there..
months ago I installed 2.6.10 kernel in my slack 10.1 following your recipe, and every was fine, so I "close the chapter" of the kernel upgrade.
But now I'm wondering: what are the advantages and disvantages between compiling and not-compiling the kernel, like I did?
the advantages maybe are obvious, but what's about the disvantages?
regards.

by Anonymo on Thu, 2005-10-06 16:09
disadvantages might be that your kernel doesn't work a.k.a kernel panic

by minike on Thu, 2005-10-06 22:33
sorry, I don't get it..
what's that "kernel panic" stuff about?

by george314 on Fri, 2005-10-21 15:38
"kernel panic" is basically when your computer poops in its pants and can't boot up. I ran into this while following the instructions to upgrade to the 2.6 kernel. My lilo was on a floppy, so I could not change it. Then I put lilo on MBR and my new shiny 2.6 kernel booted. So, if you run into kernel panic, make sure your lilo.conf is working and it's on MBR.

George

by svar on Sun, 2005-10-30 04:42
Two questions(SLACK 10.2, test26.s):
1) In the README.initrd file, there is also a mention of installpkg mkinitrd
I do not see an mkinitrd.tgz, at least not in the second CD
Do we really need to install it?

2) I have a SCSI system and all fs s are reiser except boot which is ext2
How do I find out how to make an initrd for such a system?
I mean throughout the installation I specified twice I want test26.s,
and uname -r says 2.6.13
Are the SCSI modules already installed and in any case, how do I really make a proper initrd?
Actually, I want to be able to decide at lilo time whether to boot the 2;.6 or 2.4.31 kernels. How do I do that?
I'm really confused with the installation that does ot really install 2.6.13
and it's not clear to me if it installed the SCSI and reiser modules or not.
But it does not look like it installed 2.4.31 either because uname says 2.6.13!

by Anonymo on Mon, 2005-12-12 20:38
what happened to this discussion/tutorial?

by repentorperish on Sun, 2006-02-19 09:31
Quote:
Originally Posted by svar
Two questions(SLACK 10.2, test26.s):
1) In the README.initrd file, there is also a mention of installpkg mkinitrd
I do not see an mkinitrd.tgz, at least not in the second CD
Do we really need to install it?
you probably have it installed already -- it is part of the main install so if you originally did a full install then you'll have it. that's why it's not included with the new kernel.

Quote:
Originally Posted by svar
2) I have a SCSI system and all fs s are reiser except boot which is ext2
How do I find out how to make an initrd for such a system?
first off, you ONLY need to worry about your root partition. the point of initrd is to load modules that are required before the root partition is mounted -- anything that is not needed to mount root can be loaded later on. so you only need support for ext2, which according to README.initrd is already in the kernel, so nothing needs to be added.

as for scsi, i'm not sure about that i'm afraid, although the main 2.6 kernel option includes scsi support so it might be worth giving it a shot and seeing what happens -- ie you might not need an initrd at all.

Quote:
Originally Posted by svar
I mean throughout the installation I specified twice I want test26.s,
and uname -r says 2.6.13
Are the SCSI modules already installed and in any case, how do I really make a proper initrd?
Actually, I want to be able to decide at lilo time whether to boot the 2;.6 or 2.4.31 kernels. How do I do that?
the README.initrd file explains how to add another entry to /etc/lilo.conf so that you can have both 2.4 and 2.6 options at boot time. after you've added the extra 2.6 entry you have to run lilo to update the changes. you can probably almost copy-paste this entry from the example Patrick includes in README.initrd, although you probably need to change the root partition.

by deadeyes on Fri, 2007-06-22 14:14
pretty good

but I can't find the package alsa-drivers-*.tgz in the linux-2.6.* directory.

I just installed slackware.
Maybe this needs a little update.

Greetings


  



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