Cannot compile kernel

talimuh · 06-27-2018, 01:26 AM

Hello. I downloaded a kernel from kernel.org but I can't compile it
When I try

Code:

make menuconfig

I get this

Code:

Install ncurses (ncurses-devel or libncurses-dev

When I try to install it

Code:

Package libncurses5-dev is not available, but is referred to by another package.

Code:

 Package libncurses-dev is not available, but is referred to by another package. This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or is only available from another source

Code:

 Unable to locate package ncurses-devel

Code:

aptitude search libncurses
    i   libncurses5                     - shared libraries for terminal handling    
i A libncurses5:i386                - shared libraries for terminal handling    
i   libncursesw5                    - shared libraries for terminal handling (wi

Sources.list

Code:

# 

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 8 _Jessie_ - Official Snapshot amd64 LIVE/INSTALL Binary 20160917-14:54]/ jessie main

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 8 _Jessie_ - Official Snapshot amd64 LIVE/INSTALL Binary 20160917-14:54]/ jessie main

deb http://ftp.ua.debian.org/debian/ stretch-backports main
deb-src http://ftp.ua.debian.org/debian/ stretch-backports main

deb http://security.debian.org/ stretch/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ stretch/updates main

# jessie-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
deb http://ftp.ua.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates main
deb-src http://ftp.ua.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates main


#deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian buster contrib

cyent · 06-27-2018, 04:53 PM

Hmm. The aptitude UI can be a trifle.... ahhh,.... overwhelming?

Have you tried the more modern and very simple "apt"

eg.

apt search ncurses | grep dev
sudo apt install libncurses5-dev

hazel · 06-28-2018, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyent

Hmm. The aptitude UI can be a trifle.... ahhh,.... overwhelming?

Have you tried the more modern and very simple "apt"

eg.

apt search ncurses | grep dev
sudo apt install libncurses5-dev

It's apt-get, not apt. But I agree with what you say about aptitude.

hydrurga · 06-28-2018, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazel

It's apt-get, not apt. But I agree with what you say about aptitude.

apt search and apt install are fine.

https://manpages.debian.org/jessie/apt/apt.8.en.html

cyent · 06-28-2018, 03:43 PM

> It's apt-get, not apt. But I agree with what you say about aptitude.

Life keeps on moving on....

It used to be apt-get, it's now apt.... but if apt-get works for you... problem solved.

mark_alfred · 07-03-2018, 05:59 PM

I think the problem is your sources.list. You only have the backport and update repositories, and not the regular sources enabled. So, add the following repository to your sources.list:

Code:

deb http://ftp.ca.debian.org/debian/ stretch main

That's the one I use, since I'm in Canada (hence, "ca" -- for others in other nations, see here). Anyway, after you add that (or a similar) repository, then update it and see if you can then install libncurses5-dev. You should be able to.

Rather than downloading directly from kernel.org and compiling it, there might be an easier way to install a newer kernel: http://jensd.be/818/linux/install-a-...stretch-stable From the instructions, seems you'd run the following command:

Code:

sudo apt-get -t stretch-backports install linux-image-4.16.0-0.bpo.2-amd64

Or maybe it would be something other than amd64, depending upon your machine. Choices are here.

If you wish to compile a kernel yourself, here's a description of a way to get a more recent kernel source to compile on Debian: https://debian-handbook.info/browse/...mpilation.html The package linux-source-4.16 is available from the Debian backports repository you have in your sources.list. That's newer than what Debian stable has.

Perhaps 4.16 isn't new enough for you, given that the latest stable kernel from kernel.org is 4.17.4. The package linux-source-4.17 is available from Sid, though I'd avoid that. However, possibly you could rely on the following repository:

Code:

deb-src http://ftp.ua.debian.org/debian/ sid main

Then, you could build the linux-source-4.17 package from source for your Stretch (Debian stable) machine (in essence, porting it to your system yourself). Once that was done, you could rely on the aforementioned instructions to compile the kernel. Here's how I build packages from source:

Quote:

sudo apt-get build-dep package
apt-get source package
cd package-1.0
dpkg-buildpackage -b -uc -us

Anyway, as I mentioned at the beginning, you should be able to install the libncurses5-dev package after you add the repository, if you're determined to compile the kernel from kernel.org.