Hi,
I am currently working in Red Hat Linux 8.0 , Kernel 2.4.18-14. " patch-DFB-0.9.16-i810-0.0.5.diff " is DirectFB gfx driver. How to apply this patch in such a way that the kernel knows that a new driver has been installed ?

cd /where/linux-src/lives
patch -P0 < /path/to/patch/patch-DFB-0.9.16-i810-0.0.5.diff

If you get an error message here read
man patch, and have a look at your diff-file :)

then the usual steps of kernel compilation :)

Cheers,
Tink

Hi,
Thanks for u'r suggestion. Is it necessary to recompile the kernel after applying the driver patch to the kernel ?

I haven't seen binary patches as of now yet :)


So, it you just patch the source, how would
the kernel know about your modification if not
by recompiling?

Cheers,
Tink

Hi,
Ok. Thanks for u'r suggestion.

the kernel patches are source code, not driver files like
windows.
patching the kernel means adding in source code to the
kernel source, then compiling the kernel and modules,
and booting with that kernel, then you have the support
for the new hardware you patched in.
you also have to configure your kernel source before you
compile, probably.
you should find a kernel compilation howto, or search
this site for how to compile a new kernel.

Hi,
I am currently working in Red Hat Linux 8.0 ,kernel 2.4.18-14. What i want is to patch the existing kernel with " patch-DFB-0.9.16-i810-0.0.5.diff " (gfx driver) and compile the existing kernel. I don't want to download a new kernel, patch it and compile. How to compile the existing kernel with a driver patch ?

do the command tinkster gave you. if you don't have
the kernel source installed, the command will not work.
you can't patch the kernel without the kernel source
installed. usually in /usr/src/linux

Hi,
i tried as follows as per Tink suggestion.

[root@instec src]# ls
linux-2.4 linux-2.4.18-14 redhat
[root@instec src]# pwd
/usr/src
[root@instec src]# patch -p0 < /root/Framebuffer/Directfb/DFB-0.9.16-i810-0.0.5/
patch-DFB-0.9.16-i810-0.0.5.diff
can't find file to patch at input line 4
Perhaps you used the wrong -p or --strip option?
The text leading up to this was:
--------------------------
|diff -Naur DirectFB-0.9.16-orig/configure DirectFB-0.9.16/configure
|--- DirectFB-0.9.16-orig/configure 2003-01-13 15:25:30.000000000 +0000
|+++ DirectFB-0.9.16/configure 2003-01-18 01:15:30.000000000 +0000
--------------------------
File to patch:

How to overcome the aforesaid problem ?

you need to be in the directory with the kernel source.
if there is not a directory in /usr/src
like linux or linux-2.4.18-10 or similar. it's not there.
you'll have to install it from your redhat cdrom

Hi,
I tried again under linux directory but still the problem persists.

[root@instec src]# ls
linux-2.4 linux-2.4.18-14 redhat
[root@instec src]# cd linux-2.4.18-14/
[root@instec linux-2.4.18-14]# patch -p0</root/Framebuffer/gfxdriver/DFB-0.9.16-i810-0.0.5/
patch-DFB-0.9.16-i810-0.0.5.diff
can't find file to patch at input line 4
Perhaps you used the wrong -p or --strip option?
The text leading up to this was:
--------------------------
|diff -Naur DirectFB-0.9.16-orig/configure DirectFB-0.9.16/configure
|--- DirectFB-0.9.16-orig/configure 2003-01-13 15:25:30.000000000 +0000
|+++ DirectFB-0.9.16/configure 2003-01-18 01:15:30.000000000 +0000
--------------------------
File to patch:

How to overcome the aforesaid problem ?

patch says the file it was trying to patch didn't exist.
you probably do not have the linux kernel source installed.
you probably just have a few header files and stuff there,
so that programs that need them can compile.
You'll have to install the source. It's on the Red Hat cdrom.

Hi,
I downloaded linux-2.4.17 kernel and listed the folders in the "linux" directory after unzipping the files. The folders are as follows.

[root@instec linux]# ls
arch Documentation include kernel Makefile README scripts COPYING drivers init lib mm REPORTING-BUGS CREDITS fs ipc MAINTAINERS net Rules.make

And earlier i installed Red Hat Linux 8.0 from cd rom with kernel 2.4.18-14. The folders are as follows.

[root@instec linux-2.4.18-14]# ls
abi CREDITS fs kernel mm Rules.make arch crypto include lib net scripts configs Documentation init MAINTAINERS README COPYING drivers ipc Makefile REPORTING-BUGS

Both, that is the one installed earlier and the one i downloaded have the same source files, "Kernel" directory. So what may be the problem for the patch file not being excuted correctly ?

the patch may be( or probably is) for a different version
of the kernel. If it doesn't tell you on the site you got
the patch from, which kernel source it is for, i don't know
what to tell you. try to patch anyway, and see if it works.

suriyamohan,

You should take some time and read the Kernel-HOWTO. It is very helpful. After you read it, come here with any questions you have.