How do you install kernel sources?

Red Squirrel · 07-08-2006, 01:29 PM

I'm trying to get GSX installed on FC5 but it says I need kernel sources installed, I did tons of research, downloaded RPMs for kernel sources, etc etc... I just can't get the damn thing installed, or if it did install, I have no clue where it went. When I do rpm -i on the rpm theres a slight delay then it brings me back to the prompt, so I dont even know if it did install or not, or if I even have the right rpm.

I have the DVD, so if it happends to be on there installing from DVD is an option as well, just not sure what file I'd have to get, etc...

Also, I need to install X libraries, how would I go about doing that? I'm pretty sure that's on the DVD, so how would I go into a mode where I can select packages? (kind of like add/remove components, type deal).

drkstr · 07-08-2006, 01:39 PM

You need to find the kernel source package on your distro's install media and install it. It will install to '/usr/src/linux-<version>' when you are done, make sure the output of 'uname -r' is the same as the version in your '/usr/src/' directory or the drivers will not work right.

Quote:

Also, I need to install X libraries, how would I go about doing that? I'm pretty sure that's on the DVD, so how would I go into a mode where I can select packages? (kind of like add/remove components, type deal).

I don't know anything about Fedora, but you can install the rpm's manually from your install medium or use 'yum'.

regards,
...aaron

Brian1 · 07-08-2006, 01:41 PM

Whereever you got your current precompiled rpm kernel there should be a one that matches in version number to kernel-devel.*.rpm

Example of my defualt ones I keeped from the install
# rpm -qa | grep kernel
kernel-2.6.9-5.0.3.EL
kernel-devel-2.6.9-5.0.3.EL

Since most of my hardware is non standard for those precompiled kernels I build my own from source. I just keep these around for references.

Brian1

Red Squirrel · 07-08-2006, 01:59 PM

So both kernel sources and X should be on the media right? Is there a way to do it through a "add/remove" system? That way I dont have to deal with the depandancy issue that I'll most likely face if I try to rpm -i the RPM individually from the mounted CD.

Red Squirrel · 07-08-2006, 02:28 PM

I tried installing the packages kernel-devel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.i586.rpm and kernel-devel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.i686.rpm but it says its already installed (probably from me trying to figure out how to install it) but yet there is no linux folder in /usr/src/ There is only kernels and redhat. There's also this command I read on I had to do to the /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/kernel-2.6.spec (rpmbuild or something, I cant remember) but that command did not do much other then spit out random text strings. I remember trying it once at work as I ran into a similar issue, and the process lasted about 6 hours, but this time it lasted a few seconds. Both instances, it basically just stopped, but nothing really happened to the system (no new folders, etc).

Brian1 · 07-08-2006, 02:32 PM

If that is the case then it should work. Where does the contents of kernel-devel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.i686.rpm is installed?

Not sure but the kernel is i586 and the devel is i686. Not sure if that makes a differnece or not.

Brian1

Red Squirrel · 07-08-2006, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian1

If that is the case then it should work. Where does the contents of kernel-devel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.i686.rpm is installed?

It's suppost to go in /usr/src/linux-[kernel name] like mentioned, but its not there, and that's the problem I'm getting. It does not actually install, but it says its installed already.

Brian1 · 07-08-2006, 07:31 PM

You can extract the contents of the rpm just like a tar file and place them where needed.

Brian1

Red Squirrel · 07-09-2006, 12:09 PM

Oh so is that what I have to do? Then whatever program needs the sources I just point it there? What is the switch to exact, the rpm --help gives me a migraine trying to look at it and it seems to not even have most switches.

drkstr · 07-09-2006, 12:28 PM

try 'tar -vxf your.rpm -C /extract/directory'. This is just a standard extract command, it works for Slackware's .tgz packages, hopefully it will work for rpm's as well.

...aaron

Red Squirrel · 07-09-2006, 02:39 PM

I just get "tar: This does not look like a tar archive"

When I try to install it it says its already installed. How can I find out where? And would it require any other intervention, like compiling or something? I dont even understand the concept of installing kernel sources, why cant it just be a tar file with .h files in it? But from the sound of it, it needs to be installed as if it was a program.

Red Squirrel · 07-09-2006, 03:24 PM

Hmm now that I reread this error, its actually saying that a newer one is installed, and not THAT one... so how do I force it to install anyway? I tried to compile the new one to see if it would actually work but I just got a dependancy error (as usuall...) I dont even want to go there. If I can get the source of the current kernel working, thats all I want.

Code:

[root@borg RPMS]# rpm -iv kernel-devel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.i686.rpm 
Preparing packages for installation...
        package kernel-devel-2.6.17-1.2139_FC5 (which is newer than kernel-devel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5) is already installed
        package kernel-devel-2.6.17-1.2145_FC5 (which is newer than kernel-devel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5) is already installed
[root@borg RPMS]#

Brian1 · 07-09-2006, 04:14 PM

You can use the --force option. rpm -ivh --force *.rpm

Brian1

Red Squirrel · 07-11-2006, 08:50 AM

Thanks that worked. I got GSX installed now, this is sweeet!