LinuxQuestions.org - [SOLVED] Compile of Kernel 4.16 fails

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Compile of Kernel 4.16 fails

I was trying to upgrade to kernel 4.16 to gain protection against Meltdown and Spectre. I downloaded the source from kernel.org, then I copied my old config file over. When running "make oldconfig", you see this error:

Code:

  HOSTCC  scripts/basic/fixdep

  HOSTCC  scripts/kconfig/conf.o

  YACC    scripts/kconfig/zconf.tab.c

/bin/sh: 1: bison: not found

scripts/Makefile.lib:217: recipe for target 'scripts/kconfig/zconf.tab.c' failed

make[1]: *** [scripts/kconfig/zconf.tab.c] Error 127

Makefile:514: recipe for target 'oldconfig' failed

make: *** [oldconfig] Error 2

This was fixed by:

Code:

apt-get install bison

After that, I ran "make distclean" and tried "make oldconfig" and I got this error:

Code:

  HOSTCC  scripts/basic/fixdep

  HOSTCC  scripts/kconfig/conf.o

  YACC    scripts/kconfig/zconf.tab.c

  LEX    scripts/kconfig/zconf.lex.c

/bin/sh: 1: flex: not found

scripts/Makefile.lib:202: recipe for target 'scripts/kconfig/zconf.lex.c' failed

make[1]: *** [scripts/kconfig/zconf.lex.c] Error 127

Makefile:514: recipe for target 'oldconfig' failed

make: *** [oldconfig] Error 2

This was fixed with:

Code:

apt-get install flex

Now "make oldconfig" executes properly. Note that I did not see this problem with kernel 4.15. Therefore, anyone trying to upgrade to kernel 4.16 should install bison and flex first.

It appears that I've fixed the problem. I'm just posting the solution in case someone else runs across the same thing.

Yes, it seems you were missing some packages. If you want to compile software on Debian/Ubuntu derivatives, the best practice is to install the meta package named "build-essential", this will pull in all related tools such as bison, flex, automake, gcc etc (basically everything required to compile software).

Quote:

Originally Posted by coralfang (Post 5846011)

The build-essential package in Debian Stretch does not include bison and flex. That is the problem.

If you read:

Code:

/usr/share/doc/build-essential/list

The list is:

Code:

libc-dev

gcc

g++

make

gpkg-dev

The "Essential: yes" list can be viewed by running:

Code:

apt-get install dctrl-tools

grep-status -FEssential -sPackage -ni yes

That list is:

Code:

yes

perl-base

grep

base-passwd

debianutils

bash

hostname

gzip

bsdutils

dash

mount

coreutils

e2fsprogs

tar

base-files

init-system-helpers

ncurses-base

libc-bin

The bison and flex packages are not there. I had already installed build-essential before I started compiling the kernel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_yates (Post 5846577)

The build-essential package in Debian Stretch does not include bison and flex. That is the problem.

Ah, it's been many years since i've used Debian, i could have sworn those two packages were part of the build-essential, i guess not!