kernel >= 2.6.10 is needed (but I have it!)

Madd_hatter · 04-15-2005, 09:48 AM

I'm running fedora core 3 on my laptop and the kernels that get installed by Fedora don't work correctly. I've solved the problem by just downloading and compiling my own kernel which works great. Unfortunately when I try to get rid of the old kernels that FC3 left on there I get this

Code:

~]# uname -r
2.6.11.7

~]# rpm -e kernel-2.6.11-1.14_FC3
error: Failed dependencies:
     kernel >= 2.6.10 is needed by (installed) hal-0.4.7-1.FC3.i386

trying to remove hal just gives me about 8 billion more dependencies. Basically I want to do one of two things.

1. Get fedora to realize I actually do have a kernel that works
or
2. Find a way to get the kernels I download to be configured properly (I don't think this is possible but if I'm wrong I'd love to know.)

Darin · 04-15-2005, 09:57 AM

Code:

rpm -e --nodep kernel-2.6.11-1.14_FC3

I belive that's the correct switch, this would uninstall the old kernel, but it sounds like you downloaded a kernel that wasn't an .rpm so you will not be able to register it in Redhat Package Manager (RPM) for dependencies.

To register your new kernel with the package manager in Fedora, you have to download (or create) an .rpm.

syg00 · 04-15-2005, 10:02 AM

Now you know what all those references to "dependancy hell" are all about.
Such comments usually from ex users - including me.

Can only commiserate - unfortunately can't help, except to sugest you also go find another distro that better meets your needs.

Nobber · 04-15-2005, 10:03 AM

Is there a compelling reason to remove the old kernel? Leaving it there should cause no problems.

Madd_hatter · 04-15-2005, 10:04 AM

Thanks, I'll try to figure out how to make an RPM out of my kernel next time (although I hear it's a pain). Right now I'm just trying to figure out how to back up everything I've done so the next time I screw up I don't have to start from scratch. (partimage...ohhh how I hope you work right for me)

edit: no problems with leaving the old one necessarily, except that some day I would assume I'll try to update packages and get "kernel >= 9.99.99 required" or whatever and even if I have that one installed I won't have an RPM that meets the requirements so I won't be able to do it. Am I making sense?

Nobber · 04-15-2005, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Madd_hatter
no problems with leaving the old one necessarily, except that some day I would assume I'll try to update packages and get "kernel >= 9.99.99 required" or whatever and even if I have that one installed I won't have an RPM that meets the requirements so I won't be able to do it. Am I making sense?

Aye, but if you do ever come across an RPM package that needs "kernel >= #.#", there will presumably be a kernel RPM you can use to fulfil that dependency. You can then install that kernel RPM but just not use the kernel it contains. Inconvenient, perhaps, but package managers must be appeased at all costs!

Madd_hatter · 04-15-2005, 10:47 AM

haha, I could definitely do that. I didn't think about it. I'd really rather "do it right" if I could though.
I guess that makes me obsessive compulsive.

Plus this whole business of creating your own RPM from your kernel doesn't seem so tough. I'm giving it a shot right now. (now all I need to do is figure out how to get rid of the non-RPM kernel, what a mess!)

masand · 04-15-2005, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Darin

Code:

rpm -e --nodep kernel-2.6.11-1.14_FC3

I belive that's the correct switch, this would uninstall the old kernel, but it sounds like you downloaded a kernel that wasn't an .rpm so you will not be able to register it in Redhat Package Manager (RPM) for dependencies.

To register your new kernel with the package manager in Fedora, you have to download (or create) an .rpm.

that is

--nodeps

regadrs

Madd_hatter · 04-15-2005, 01:20 PM

ok, I tried making a new RPM and installing it, which seemed to work fine.

Code:

 $ rpm -qa | grep kernel
      kernel 2.6.11.7-2
      kernel-utils-2.4-13.1.49_FC3

unfortunately installing the RPM didn't make an entry in grub.conf and I can't seem to create one that works myself. I copied what the previous setup had minus a few changes that seemed to make sense. This is what I got.

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,1)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=1
timeout=30
splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
#hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.11.7)
	root (hd0,1)
	kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11.7 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
	initrd /initrd-2.6.11.7.img
title Fedora Core (2.6.11.7_Custom_RPM)
	root (hd0,1)
	kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11.7-2 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
	initrd /initrd-2.6.11.7-2.img
#title Fedora Core (2.6.11-1.14_FC3)
#	root (hd0,1)
#	kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.14_FC3 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
#	initrd /initrd-2.6.11-1.14_FC3.img
title WinXP (SP2)
	rootnoverify (hd0,0)
	chainloader +1

basically I'm wondering if I created the RPM wrong or something. I thought it was supposed to put an entry in automatically. But either way I have 2 questions.

Is there an obvious error here that I'm missing?
and/or
Is there a good "make an RPM and install it from source" tutorial out there? (I searched and couldn't find anything that great, I worked with what I could find and got to this problem heh

)

AnimaSola · 04-15-2005, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Madd_hatter
Is there a good "make an RPM and install it from source" tutorial out there?

*wants one of those too*

Darin · 04-20-2005, 04:39 AM

Hmm I think you've opened up a can of worms that many people have chosen not to touch. If you make a 'proper' RPM from your source files then you will include the steps that modify grub.conf in that RPM, but that's something you have to add to the RPM when you make it.

There are basically two ways that I, and it seems many others, have dealt with this on package management. These work with more than just the kernel, so things like apache or whatever else you install from source. The first is to leave/install a 'dummy' package that is close to what you have installed from source, to satisfy any dependency issues. The second is to remove the package that you replaced and use the force option when installing new packages that depend on what you have removed. I guess there is a third option which would be to wait until the Linux vendor comes out with an updated package and then install that.