understanding kernel compilation errors
 

I'm trying the past few days to compile my kernel. However errors keep on appearing. Is there a documentation about these errors? So i would be able to understand them and choose the right options in "menuconfig". I haven't found yet what i am asking for. The ideal of course would be a database, where somebody would right the errors or some key words and would find entries having to do with his problem and how to fix it, or choose the right options in "menuconfig".

What kernel and what errors?

Incorrect config options don't usually cause errors, rather just mean problems later whn the kernel runs...

If you carefully select and read each config option you should really have no trouble...

By "kernel errors", i mean things like that:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
make[1]: `arch/i386/kernel/asm-offsets.s' is up to date.
CHK include/asm-i386/asm_offsets.h
CHK include/linux/compile.h
GEN .version
CHK include/linux/compile.h
UPD include/linux/compile.h
CC init/version.o
LD init/built-in.o
LD .tmp_vmlinux1
arch/i386/kernel/built-in.o(.text+0xd2b): In function `arch_align_stack':
: undefined reference to `exec_shield_randomize'

arch/i386/kernel/built-in.o(.text+0xea5): In function `randomize_range':
: undefined reference to `exec_shield_randomize'

fs/built-in.o(.text+0x1ef30): In function `load_elf_binary':
: undefined reference to `exec_shield'

fs/built-in.o(.text+0x1f094): In function `load_elf_binary':
: undefined reference to `exec_shield'
make: *** [.tmp_vmlinux1] Error 1

what kernel are you trying to build? Is the build environment set up right - ie have you built a kernel before on this system - esp a clean generic kernel from kernel.org?

My first thing to try would be to check to see if exec_shield (X86_MCE) is selected in Processor type and features and see if it compiles okay with it on... seems to be some component looking for the exec_shield calls to me...

Sorry I don't know of any reference to cover all of this aside from reading errors like these and the kernel docs and so forth...

What kernel version?
 

Hello,
I have difficulties compiling the linux 2.4.25 kernel and I was able to resolve my problems.
My major problem was about understanding the cnfiguration options. One mistake, and I had to start all over again.
In one situation, the kernel compiled correctly, but it could not boot, because of an outdated grub bootloader.