New Member of the Community

Hi All,

Today I joined LinuxQuestions.org and am making my first append as recommended.

My motivation for joining was to learn more about building the Linux kernel. There are tons of choices to make when running "make menuconfig" so I would like to be better informed. The first time I built the kernel a couple of days ago I was distressed to see a "panic" when I tried to load it.

Hopefully I will learn enough to build a working kernel. I think it is so cool to be able to do this.

-Randy Beck

Welcome to LQ!

Hope you enjoy your stay

Hi, welcome to LQ. For building kernel you might want to check www.kernelnewbies.org .

Welcome Randy,

What distro are you using?

Did you try make oldconfig before you did menuconfig to modify options? And did you do make install afterward?

Originally Posted by kentyler Welcome Randy, What distro are you using? Did you try make oldconfig before you did menuconfig to modify options? And did you do make install afterward?

Thanks to everyone for their welcome messages. They are most appreciated.

Ken, being brave, I chose the latest, stable, pristine kernel from kernel.org/mirrors, linux-2.6.29.1.

I did not try make oldconfig before building. But I did do make install afterwards.

Well the best way to be sure that you have the options you need would be to use the .config from either the kernel package sometimes in /boot/ copied to the source directory .config or install the kernel build packages and then take that .config from the place the kernel package is installed in and place it in your kernel directory and run make oldconfig then resolve issues with anything which has been removed/depreciated since the distro's kernel. This way you have all the modules/features enabled that comes with the stock kernel and can add/remove from the list but start with a BASE working kernel but the latest version.

Originally Posted by kentyler Well the best way to be sure that you have the options you need would be to use the .config from either the kernel package sometimes in /boot/ copied to the source directory .config or install the kernel build packages and then take that .config from the place the kernel package is installed in and place it in your kernel directory and run make oldconfig then resolve issues with anything which has been removed/depreciated since the distro's kernel. This way you have all the modules/features enabled that comes with the stock kernel and can add/remove from the list but start with a BASE working kernel but the latest version.

Thanks Ken,

I took your advice and things have gone well thus far. I just ran the command "make modules install" and see the following output. Should I be concerned about all the WARNING's?

[root@kobol linux-2.6.29.1]# make modules install
CHK include/linux/version.h
CHK include/linux/utsrelease.h
SYMLINK include/asm -> include/asm-x86
CALL scripts/checksyscalls.sh
CHK include/linux/compile.h
CC [M] samples/markers/probe-example.o
CC [M] samples/markers/marker-example.o
CC [M] samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-sample.o
CC [M] samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-probe-sample.o
CC [M] samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-probe-sample2.o
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST 1052 modules
CC samples/markers/marker-example.mod.o
LD [M] samples/markers/marker-example.ko
CC samples/markers/probe-example.mod.o
LD [M] samples/markers/probe-example.ko
CC samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-probe-sample.mod.o
LD [M] samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-probe-sample.ko
CC samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-probe-sample2.mod.o
LD [M] samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-probe-sample2.ko
CC samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-sample.mod.o
LD [M] samples/tracepoints/tracepoint-sample.ko
sh /root/kernel/linux-2.6.29.1/arch/x86/boot/install.sh 2.6.29.1 arch/x86/boot/bzImage System.map "/boot"
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.ko needs unknown symbol hci_free_dev
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.ko needs unknown symbol hci_alloc_dev
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.ko needs unknown symbol hci_unregister_dev
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.ko needs unknown symbol hci_recv_fragment
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.ko needs unknown symbol hci_register_dev
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.ko needs unknown symbol hci_recv_fragment
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.ko needs unknown symbol hci_register_dev
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/bluetooth/btusb.ko needs unknown symbol kmalloc_caches
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/hidp/hidp.ko needs unknown symbol batostr
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/hidp/hidp.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_unregister
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/hidp/hidp.ko needs unknown symbol baswap
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/hidp/hidp.ko needs unknown symbol hci_get_route
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/hidp/hidp.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_register
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/hidp/hidp.ko needs unknown symbol kmalloc_caches
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_conn_auth
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_conn_check_link_mode
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol batostr
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_link
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_unregister
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_accept_dequeue
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_conn_encrypt
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_get_route
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_accept_unlink
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_unlink
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_accept_enqueue
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_connect
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_err
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_wait_state
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_class
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_register
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_conn_change_link_key
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_ioctl
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_unregister_proto
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_poll
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_recvmsg
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_register_proto
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol hci_send_acl
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/l2cap.ko needs unknown symbol kmalloc_caches
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol hci_conn_auth
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol hci_conn_switch_role
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol hci_unregister_cb
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol batostr
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_link
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_unregister
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol baswap
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_accept_dequeue
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol hci_conn_encrypt
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol hci_get_route
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_accept_unlink
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_unlink
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_accept_enqueue
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_wait_state
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_class
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_register
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol hci_conn_change_link_key
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_ioctl
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol hci_register_cb
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol bt_sock_poll
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/net/bluetooth/rfcomm/rfcomm.ko needs unknown symbol kmalloc_caches
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.29.1/kernel/drivers/scsi/scsi_wait_scan.ko needs unknown symbol scsi_complete_async_scans
WARNING: No module ehci-hcd found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module ohci-hcd found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module uhci-hcd found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module ata_piix found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module ata_piix found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module aic79xx found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module ata_piix found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module dm-mem-cache found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module dm-region_hash found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module dm-message found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module dm-raid45 found for kernel 2.6.29.1, continuing anyway

Sounds like you need to build and install the kernel with the modules that you built. Even though the kernel may be the same version the modules you built won't work with a stock kernel.

What distro are you using?

Hi Ken,

I am using Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.
The kernel source I downloaded from kernel.org/mirrors is:

uname -a
Linux kobol 2.6.29.1 #1 SMP Tue Apr 21 19:45:36 EDT 2009 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

Thanks for your help/encouragement. I was able to build and successfully load the 2.6.29.1 kernel this afternoon.

--Randy