Good Day All:

I'm totally new and using CentOS 5.3 Final.

I'm logging in as root. In the attempt to try the below commands:
1. make config
2. make menuconfig
3. make xconfig

I got the error of:
make: *** No rule to make target 'xconfig' or 'menuconfig' or 'xconfig' respectively.

I had been searching through net for all the suggested solutions which didn't work.

Initially found the linux was missing from the /usr/src
I "successfully" install the file and had the linux pointed to linux-2.6.30.1

If I run any of the above commands at the root, I still getting the same error message but if the commands were run on the /usr/src/linux, I got a new error message of:
HOSTCC scripts/basic/fixdep
/bin/sh: gcc command not found
make[1]: *** [scripts/basic/fixdep] Error 127
make: *** [scripts/basic] Error 2

I was then being asked to install the gcc using the below:

1. #system-config-packages &
result: it fails with error Unable to retrieve software information

2. # rpm -ivh gcc* to install from CD
result: can't perform it as I don't have CD reader. The CentOS was being installed using an external CD reader, now I no longer have it.

3. #yum install gcc gcc-c++ autoconf automake
result: failed as it Cannot find a valid baseurl for repo: contrib
This I believe could be due to CentOS system is not connecting to network. I got another laptop is able to connect to internet. If this is a workable solution, please lead me step-by-step where to download the file and how to unzip and install.

I then was too believe somehow my CentOS yum is not working. I tried all the solutions I was able to find in the net but to no avail.


May someone kindly give me a proper step-by-step workable solution to allow me successfully run the above three commands.

Your direct and clear instructions to resolve this problem is very much appreciated. tx!

p/s: I had been spending days and countless hours to resolve this.

Do you have a working internet connection?
What is the output of 'yum repolist' ?

About the kernel, try this guide:
http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/Custom_Kernel

many thanks for the input.

the "#yum repolist" returns me a very long list of errors.

by using the "#rpm -q kernel-source", it returns "package kernel-source is not installed" error.

I tried "#yum install kernel-devel", it returns another long list of errors.

Any possibilities can send me a link to install the "package kernel-source" in details.

Thanks.

ok...I'm struggling to work on the link given. will update you. many thanks!

I think it may help if you list some (if not all) of the output of the yum command showing the errors.

What type of internet connection do you have?

Good Day mjmwired

Many thanks for your reply. Problem resolved by installing it from the kernel-2.6.18-128.2.1.el5.src.rpm

Again thanks a lot!