Problems installing new kernel-image
 

Hi. I'm rather new to Linux. I used Knoppix to install Debian onto my system. Now I want to install a different kernel-image.

I'm trying to use Synaptic to install kernel-image-2.4.21-3-k7. It downloads it fine. It brings up a message: "You are attempting to install an initrd kernel image (version 2.4.21-3-k7) This will not work unless you have configured your boot loader to use initrd. (An initrd image is a kernel image that expects to use an INITial Ram Disk to mount a minimal root file system into RAM and use that for booting)." It gives instructions for configuring lilo, and I tell it that I don't want to stop.

Here comes the problem (I think). It then says:

=====
Setting up kernel-image-2.4.21-3-k7 (2.4.21-3) ...
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/extra/build
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/extra/kernel
depmod: /lib/modules/extra/modules.dep is not an ELF file
depmod: /lib/modules/extra/modules.generic_string is not an ELF file
depmod: /lib/modules/extra/modules.ieee1394map is not an ELF file
depmod: /lib/modules/extra/modules.isapnpmap is not an ELF file
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/extra/modules.parportmap
depmod: /lib/modules/extra/modules.pcimap is not an ELF file
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/extra/modules.pnpbiosmap
depmod: /lib/modules/extra/modules.usbmap is not an ELF file
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/extra/net
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/extra/pcmcia
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/extra/usb
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-ad1816a.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-ali5451.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-als100.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-azt2320.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-azt3328.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-cmi8330.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-cmipci.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-cs4232.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-cs4236.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-cs4281.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-cs46xx.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-dt019x.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-ens1370.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-ens1371.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-es18xx.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-es1938.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-es968.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-ice1712.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-ice1724.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-intel8x0.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-interwave-stb.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-interwave.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-korg1212.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-maestro3.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-mixer-oss.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-msnd-pinnacle.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-nm256.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-opl3sa2.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-opti92x-ad1848.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-opti92x-cs4231.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-opti93x.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-pcm.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-pdplus.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-rawmidi.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-sb16.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-sbawe.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-seq-virmidi.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-seq.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-sonicvibes.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-sscape.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-trident.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-usb-audio.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-via82xx.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-vxpocket.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-wavefront.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd.o
There was a problem running depmod. This may be benign,
(You may have versioned symbol names, for instance).
Or this could be an error.
depmod exited with return value 1
Since this image uses initrd, I am not deleting the file
/lib/modules/2.4.21-3-k7/modules.dep. However, there is no
guarantee that the file is valid. I would strongly advice
you to either abort and fix the errors in depmod, or
regenerate the initrd image with a known good modules.dep
file. I repeat, an initrd kernel image with a bad modules.dep
shall fail to boot.
Would you like to abort now? [Yes]
=====

I've tried searching (google is usually my friend), and I still have no idea what this means or what to do. Most things I've found say that upgrading a kernel-image in Debian is quite painless. Um, this is scaring me off :)

What is the problem? What do I do? Any ideas?

andy

Hi, first of all I'm a total newbie...

But a few days ago I got to compile my own new kernel because of some video card problems and it worked without major problems... The kernel I used is a 2.4.18.

The best thing to do I downloading the sources of the kernel to build one which satisfy your needs...

Here is a good howto: http://articles.linmagau.org/modules...icle&artid=158

If you'r not in X the easiest way to configure your new kernel is using make menuconfig.

When you configure it to your hardware, it is easier to use the built-n support. For example, if you have a Soundblaster live! you should use the built-in support for this sound card.

Built-in support = * modules=M

If you have any problems, I'll be happy to try to help you.

/su

hi

Im fairly new too, but i have had the same problem. after reinstalling serveral times i gave up and ignored them, said no to aborting, and everything seems to work.

howver dont do what i did, and thats abort then reboot. after i did that lilo wouldnt load my boot image.

Have Fun
Ryan

Knoppix is built to run as a live CD, so the kernel is built for that purpose. A stock debian kernel will not work with knoppix. I have not gone through the necessary steps to build a newer kernel for knoppix as I didn't need one. You might want to search out and ask at the knoppix.net about building kernels for knoppix.

-rock

I had thought that installing Knoppix onto a hard drive created a standard Debian installation (with a mix of stable and unstable packages) and that the kernel was a standard 2.4.20 kernel with XFS support added.

I'd still like to know what causes the error messages and if they are really safe to ignore. I don't have the time right now to look at compiling a kernel (maybe in a few weeks), and I think the 2.4.21 kernel provides better support for my sound card, so it'd be nice to be able to do a simple upgrade.

<quote>I had thought that installing Knoppix onto a hard drive created a standard Debian installation</quote>

When you do a knoppix hd install you no longer have the knoppix hardware configuration running at boot, you no longer have all of the mount icons on your kde desktop, terminal-server does not work etc.

<quote>and that the kernel was a standard 2.4.20 kernel with XFS support added</quote>

Yes, from what I've read, the knoppix kernel is a kernel.org (standard) kernel with just a couple of patches, closer to "standard" than a debian kernel.

Do look at knoppix.net if you haven't done so, you'll be able to get better help there with your knoppix hd install.

-rock