This thread is like a billion years old.

I just downloaded and installed the new Sarge stable, and am looking to get a new 2.6 kernel for it. Are these instructions (the ones in post #1) still good? I was about to jump right in a follow them, then I thought better of it, and decided to ask.

If they're outdated, do you know where there is a similar guide that would apply to the new Sarge?

EDIT

NVM

I passed a few boot-time parameters, patched the kernel and updated my .config and presto I have a working kernel.

Thanks.

This topic is puzzling. Some users simply # apt-get install kernel-image-2.6.8-2-k7 and follow it with # update-grub and reboot and everything works. For the rest of us, it's one big hassle. Are we all stupid? I've tried the above. I've tried building from source. I've tried adding "acpi=off" to the kernel line in grub. Nothing I have done will let me boot into the 2.6 kernel. It refuses to load my ethernet cards. It won't load X; see the log below.

(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/input/mice
No such device.
(EE) Default Mouse: cannot open input device
(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Default Mouse"
(II) UnloadModule: "mouse"
(WW) No core pointer registered
No core pointer

Fatal server error:
failed to initialize core devices

The systems log shows:

No module symbols loaded - kernel modules not enabled.

modprobe: FATAL: Error inserting apm (/lib/modules/2.6.8-2-k7/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/apm.ko): No such device

Is the 2.6 kernel just not compatible with some machines? What's the problem?

try noapm instead of acpi=off (judging from the error)
if you can, change /dev/input/mice to /dev/psaux and see if that works...seen that problem with another system
I have found that compiling a 2.6 kernel from source has been the easiest and most successful method....YMMV of course

Thanks, Cedar. I found that there was an apm listed in /etc/modules, so I #'d that. I also added: psmouse
mousedev
usbhid

This actually booted to the login screen, but alas, no mouse. I have an optical usb mouse; anything special required?

The kernel could not find my true-type fonts, my agp (I have an ati card) nor my two ethernet cards.

As to compiling from source, I tried that a few weeks ago and had the same problems. I suspect that there are things configured in this box which are interfering with the 2.6 kernel. I've been running this install for about 2 1/2 years, so it's hard to tell what's hidden away.

Regards,

I don't understand how anyone without a degree in computer science can actually do all this ... Compiling why don't the people who make Debian make a point and click way to update the kernel instead of assuming that everyone who uses a computer has a degree from Harvard in computer science It's no Wonder why everyone uses Microsoft windows and not Linux I mean if there's people out there, smart enough to understand all this, that's great but it's just plain ridiculous for someone to go through all this trouble just to update a kernel.

Not to mention all of the 10000000 error messages that will happen along the way while attempting upgrading the kernel.

i dont have a degree in Computer Science but i read extensively about UNix and linux.....the key to learning this OS is not only hands on like window$ but also reading and researching why you have problems....

Actually, most people will not need to compile a kernel unless they want to have a custom kernel with some feature (like win4lin support in my case). Debian does make it easy to install and upgrade pre-compiled kernels using apt or synaptic. Libranet has a graphical utility for re-compiling kernels that makes it easier to compile from source.

or support for some hardware in the form of a kernel module...if the kernel isn't compiled with this support then it has to be done from source...also, my stupid winmodem driver requires the kernel source for the current running kernel in order to build a kernel module for the modem so you have to compile the source and boot into that kernel to build the module

it's not that difficult with the 2.6 kernel...it's easier if you already have libqt3-mt-dev installed so you can use make xconfig although make menuconfig isn't that different, just without the slick gui

The Libranet Adminmenu kernel compile tool rocks...very easy to use...it gives you the choice of menuconfig, xconfig, or gconfig based on what development packages you have installed...it's about as point and click as you can get when compiling a kernel

i am in desperate situation.i got these /usr/src/modules/alsa-driver and i want to make alsa-modules.xxxx.deb package as it was the only way my box detects snd-azx (Azalia)module.as it was not the part of kernel-sources.pls help me its urgent or point me to some howto for making alsa-modules.deb package. again please its urgent

alsa,sorry alas i got sound rockin` .please view the link:http://linuxforu.com/yabbse/index.ph...;threadid=1223

Yeah,Today I got Graphics also working for my Intel 915 GAV!; )
for that i downloaded XFree86 4.5 .debs from:
http://ftp.fifi.org/debian-local/sta...xfree86-4.5.0/
everything went OK.No depedencies (For ME!)selected device "i810" and rebooted to find Graphics Working!!
HAIL DEBIAN!

works for me perfect, just needed to add some modules for the sound card.
10x

Im thinking about upgrading a debian server i have just acquired. The person i got it from was unsure what the kernel version is .. what is the command that tells you linux and kernel version?

uname -r will give you the kernel version