After recompiled my Mandrake Kernel, cdrom is missing

hanxuerui · 03-30-2003, 01:11 PM

I used linux not too long, my mandrake will halt my computer if I leave it there for more then one day. Then I decide to build my kernel. Seems everything is good, but one thing, my cdrom is not there anymore, the /dev/cdrom directory is there, but the /dev/cdrom/cdrom0 is not.

I did a littler google, find some place mentioned MAKEDEV, gived it a try, got "permission ..." problem.

What do you guys think about the issue?

How could I get a better understanding about the dev system, can you give me a URL or e-book about this knowladge

Thanks. Any help is appricated.

jailbait · 03-30-2003, 07:23 PM

Your problem is most likely in your new kernel compile. I suggest that you double check your kernel options regarding CD support.

hanxuerui · 03-30-2003, 08:03 PM

Thank you Steve.

So you mean, it should be something I forgot to add into my kernel.
I think you must be right. I tryed the "make xconfig" a couple times. It take too long. It is something about scsi emulator. My cd driver is Iomega ZipCD, there are something strange about it..

jailbait · 03-30-2003, 10:31 PM

If your CD is a CD-RW then you have to install kernel support for both IDE and SCSI CD, and you have to install the SCSI-IDE emulation.

When CD-RW support was written into the kernel SCSI support was written first. Then IDE support was added later and the IDE support was just tacked onto the SCSI support. So the kernel specifications for a CD-RW are complicated.

hanxuerui · 03-31-2003, 09:41 AM

Thanks Steve,

That is impotent to me. I will try it again, the latest one I remember I have the scsi selected, but anyway, seems it is still a long way to go, I only have one or two chance to recompile my kernel one day. It took too long to build the bzImage. Do you remember under which subsection, the ide-scsi is in? Are ide-scsi and scsi-ide different from each other?

I will keep you informed. Thanks again.

jailbait · 03-31-2003, 12:59 PM

The proper term is IDE-SCSI. I misspoke when I said SCSI-IDE.

hanxuerui · 03-31-2003, 08:18 PM

I can not find the option of the ide-scsi module, I am using the "make xconfig" as the config step, do you know where it is?

jailbait · 03-31-2003, 09:53 PM

Here are the parameters in my last kernel 2.4.20 compile which pertain to my
CD-RW:
-----------------------------
ATA/IDE/MFM/RLL
y ATA/IDE/MFM/RLL

SCSI support
y SCSI support
y SCSI disk support
y SCSI CD-ROM support
m SCSI generic support

File Systems
y ISO 9660 CDROM file system support
y Microsoft Joliet CDROM extensions
y Transparent decompression extension
-----------------------------

Because I have set "SCSI generic support" as a loadable module (m) I need the
following entry in my lilo configuration to describe my CD-RW (hdb) to the
kernel during boot:
append = "hdb=ide-scsi"

I think that if you set "SCSI generic support" to y then you do not need the
append command in lilo.

However, if you have "initrd = /boot/initrd" in your lilo configuration then you
must set "SCSI generic support" to m and also must use the append command in
lilo.

hanxuerui · 03-31-2003, 11:16 PM

That is so clear. I am sure it is going to work. I will let you know.`

Thanks for all your help.

hanxuerui · 04-01-2003, 12:08 PM

I got a big problem now, that recompiled kernel does not work. After I changed the lilo.conf, make that kernel as the default select, the system boot will show me only one line information:
"Linux loading ......"

After this line is done, it will died there. no more action, not like it did before, the screen will show me a better information, do you know about this.

I am so ....., do you have any idea about this? Thanks.

jailbait · 04-01-2003, 06:20 PM

I gave you an abreviated description of possible boot problems with the
boot configuration I showed you. Here is a longer, much better explanation.
The article offers several possible solutions depending on your mix of
kernel parameters and lilo parameters.

http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/initrd.html

hanxuerui · 04-04-2003, 10:48 AM

Steve,

Thanks for all your help. I tried a couple times more, and haha, it getting worse, my screen is black now if I boot on my kernel. Then I think it is time to try something else. I downloaded RH9, and seems it is okay on this machine, but needs more time to test it out.

It is to hard to get a kernel works on my computer. Or I should say I am too Junior for custom my kernel, maybe after a couple months using and learning.

Have a good day, Steve.