strange kernel compile error
 

i'm trying to compile a 2.6.11 linux kernel from kernel.org.

sometime late in the compile, i get this:

DOCPROC Documentation/DocBook/kernel-api.sgml
Use of uninitialized value in join or string at /usr/src/linux-2.6.11/scripts/ke
rnel-doc line 369, <IN> line 698.
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/lib/string.c): no structured comments found
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/mm/slab.c:2773): No description found for paramete
r 'unused'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/kernel/sysctl.c:1381): No description found for pa
rameter 'ppos'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/kernel/sysctl.c:1593): No description found for pa
rameter 'ppos'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/kernel/sysctl.c:1700): No description found for pa
rameter 'ppos'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/kernel/sysctl.c:1832): No description found for pa
rameter 'ppos'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/kernel/sysctl.c:1857): No description found for pa
rameter 'ppos'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/kernel/sysctl.c:1943): No description found for pa
rameter 'ppos'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/kernel/sysctl.c:1965): No description found for pa
rameter 'ppos'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/kernel/sysctl.c:1987): No description found for pa
rameter 'ppos'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/fs/super.c:152): No description found for paramete
r 'sb'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/include/linux/skbuff.h:283): No description found
for parameter 'sp'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/include/linux/skbuff.h:283): No description found
for parameter 'local_df'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/include/linux/skbuff.h:283): No description found
for parameter 'tc_verd'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/include/linux/skbuff.h:283): No description found
for parameter 'tc_classid'
Error(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/include/linux/skbuff.h:936): cannot understand proto
type: '#ifndef CONFIG_HAVE_ARCH_DEV_ALLOC_SKB '
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/net/core/skbuff.c:1472): No description found for
parameter 'skb'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/net/core/skbuff.c:1472): No description found for
parameter 'skb1'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/net/core/skbuff.c:1472): No description found for
parameter 'len'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/drivers/net/8390.c:1006): No description found for
parameter 'size'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/arch/i386/kernel/irq.c): no structured comments found
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/drivers/block/ll_rw_blk.c:624): No description found for parameter 'tags'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/drivers/block/ll_rw_blk.c:1973): No description found for parameter 'bio'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/drivers/video/fbmem.c:1221): No description foundfor parameter 'name'
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/drivers/video/fbmem.c:1221): No description foundfor parameter 'option'
Error(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/drivers/video/fbmem.c:1265): cannot understand prototype: 'const char *global_mode_option; '
Warning(/usr/src/linux-2.6.11/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c): no structured comments found
make[4]: *** [Documentation/DocBook/kernel-api.sgml] Error 1
make[3]: *** [mandocs] Error 2
make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.11'
make[2]: *** [real_stamp_doc] Error 2
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.11'
make[1]: *** [stamp-doc] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.11'
make: *** [stamp-buildpackage] Error 2


?????

did i do something wrong?

i'm running debian and tried to use 'make-kpkg buildpackage' to make a .deb kernel image as is explained here: http://www.desktop-linux.net/debkernel.htm

I don't think you did something wrong. The 2.6.11 is maybe incomplete. I've had problems since kernel 2.6.9, and some really strange problems too. I think the kernel developers should slow down a bit and rethink the code.
Oh, btw... have you checked if you have some kind of SGML parser? it seems to be complaining about it...

odd. the 2.6.11 is supposed to be the most recent "stable" release at kernel.org. i've compiled kernels before using the same method i'm using now without trouble, the last one being a 2.6.10. i did, however, reinstall the system since then (hence the new kernel compiling). what is an SGML parser?

if i can't get this to work (and it probably won't be worth it unless someone can point to a simple solution), is there a way that i can work the configuration i just put together into a 2.6.10 kernel, and then build it?

i think this only happens if you do
make htmldocs

try to compile your own kernel and skip the kpkg thing is what i would do
i see lots of posts where kpkg doesn't work

That might do it, because the SGML parser is only used to generate documentation, AFAIK.
Good luck and happy hacking :)