Linux newbie needs help configure kernal source code
 

Hey everyone.

To get my wlan USB adapter to work I need to install a driver (www.linux-wlan.org) which requires me to configure the kernal.

Note: Before I did anything I had NOTHING in my /usr/src folder.

I went to the Add/Remove program and added the ENTIRE developer package (including the source code). Next, I checked the /usr/src folder and noticed a new folder Linus 2.4.0-6 (something like that), and bunch of files inside, including README's. Next, like a fool, I tried to compile the WLAN driver, only to learn that I need to compile the kernal first. After many failures I realized that the /usr/src/linux2.4.0-6 folder was only the source code, and not compiled yet. I then found a guide on how to config (make config) the source code and compile it.

Here is my problem:

I cannot 'make config' because access is denied (in my /usr/src/linux folder), even when I log it as root. How can I configure if access is denied? Do I need to move the source code to something like /home?? If I do this, do I need to erase the current linux folder in /usr/src??? How do I move the source code to /home, or do I need to download it from internet and untar into the home, is there any way to load the source code into /home FROM THE CD?? Also, if I move the source code to /home, can I config from there?? Will it compile everything into the right directory??

Thanks in advance.

You have to compile the kernel as root. The easiest place to compile it is in /usr/src/linux. The "access denied" problem may be a permissions problem. Check that root has read/write and sometimes execute permissions for all of the files in /usr/src/linux and /usr/src/linux-2.4.19-6 and all of their subdirectories and files.

jailbait

How do I check this? Where can I find the root's access abililties??

"Where can I find the root's access abililties??"

Use the ls command, for example:

ls -l /usr/src/linux-2.4.19-6

The permissions will show up something like:
drw-r--r--

d stands for directory
the next three characters are the root permissions for read, write, and execute.