This is my first time customizing the kernel. I patched to 2.4.19 and am using SLackware 8.1. A few questions:

1. When I compile some options as loadable modules, do I then have to go into /lib/modules/2.4.19/..... and then insmod module.o and/or put it in modules.conf? Or does it do this automatically when you make some things loadable modules. Because it didn't do this for me...I had to go in there and insmod ntfs.o. WHich brings me to my second question:

2. I could have sworn I set my RealTek NIC as a loadable kernel module. I made sure I did make modules then make modules_install. However, I cannot find my NIC driver anywehere....Not in /lib/modules or anywhere. It was using natsemi.o before the compile and now is no longer there. Should I recompile even though I thought I chose the NIC as a loadable module before. And if I do, must I make a new bzImage file or can I skip all that and make menuconfig ; make modules ; make modules_install ?

Thanks.

Well if you haven't touched your tree yet after your compile, you can browse in there, and see if you did set things up the way you wanted to. So you could see if you did set it as module or whatever.

Cool

How/where do I do that?

ok, I went back into "make menuconfig" . My NIC does have a "M" next to it meaning it should be a loadable module in /lib/modules, right?

Yes, well it's not directly in /lib/modules (sorry if you knew that) it would actually be in the sub directory of the kernel in question.

I dont see my NIC card driver in /lib/modules...../ even though I selected it as a loadable module in menuconfig. I think I forgot to "make clean" when I compiled; could that have messed something up?

I really doubt it. If it's a generic Realtek card, you only need the module '8139too' if it's based off the 8139 chipset. There are others listed in the device section, 8129 and such. I'd say look for that one, try it, if it's not there, then rebuild with one of the other choices. I doubt make clean could have messed things up, as long as the compile finished cleanly and didn't error out.

I'd give each one a try, and then start looking for other solutions.

Cool

Oh man, I think I know the problem. My NIC in my linux box might not be a Realtek NIC. My windows box has a Realtek NIC and I thought I bought an identical NIC for my Linux box. But I just remember I probably didn't, LOL. Before the recompile, I was using the natsemi driver, which is for a Netgear NIC - that's the NIC I must have in there! So yes, when I chose Realtek as my loadable module, 8139too.o was in /lib/modules/... and as expected I got errors when I used modprobe or put it in rc.modules because it's the wrong module for that NIC. So I'll either recompile the kernel or just download natsemi.c. Then this all should be solved. Sometimes the stupidest things (like forgetting what NIC you bought for your box) is the cause of problems.

Yeah, but you still learn something along the way anyway, glad you figured it out.

Cool