Trying to install kernel on Ubuntu 6.06 machine
 

Greetings,

I am new to linux.
I have been trying to install the latest linux kernel, 2.6.18, on my AMD 64 machine.
I have a dual OS set up with windows XP and ubuntu 6.06. Ubuntu was installed from a live CD. Currently I have: Kernel: 2.6.15-26-amd64-generic from that installation. I do not have internet access when running ubuntu (part of the reason why I am trying to change the kernel), so I cannot follow tutorials exactly, I have to download files I think I need in windows and then try and install them when I boot into ubuntu.


I have used the following tutorials to guide me:

https://secure.engr.oregonstate.edu/..._Upgrade_Guide (not a lot though)
http://doc.gwos.org/index.php/Kernel_Compilation_Dapper
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ompile+kernels
http://www.cyberciti.biz/nixcraft/vi...kernel-26.html


I made sure I had Gcc compiler installed , and went about installing everything listed on the CHANGES file found in the package containing the kernel 2.6.18 code. I installed the compiler and GNU make from the live CD.

When I get to the stage where I have to issue make commands, it says "No rule to make target".

I feel that something crucial is missing. The installation of ubuntu didn't install important develepment packages, which is really lame. Some of us actually want to be able become expert linux users, and not rely on the GUI nearly all the time. Maybe there is a better version of linux I can use which is more learner oriented I can use?

Maybe I am missing important libraries?

I can't properly install any programs in the linux command line method either, I can't get past the configuring stages, it says "failed program was:| /* confdefs.h. */". (It says the compiler cannot make the executable files in the actual terminal. and the look at the config file created, quote is from config file)

I feel that the kernel and program install problems are related, something is missing that doesn't let me get very far when attempting to compile programs in the command line. (.deb packages work just fine)


All help is appreaciated.

Typically to compile stuff you need to install the build-essential package.

Oh, and if you're interested in having the guides in front of you while you're working, you can install PDFCreator on Windows and then print the guides to *.pdf. Then take them on a thumb drive or shared partition and just open them from linux. Not as good as having the internet, but maybe worth a look.

By the way, what hardware do you have (output of lspci)? What ethernet card? Does the ethernet work from the live CD? Maybe we can help you get your ethernet up and running without a kernel upgrade. Then you can worry about the kernel recompile later on. sorry, just trying to think out of the box a bit...

Thanks for the reply, my lspci output is as follows:


0000:00:00.0 Memory controller: nVidia Corporation CK804 Memory Controller (rev a3)
0000:00:01.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 ISA Bridge (rev a3)
0000:00:01.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation CK804 SMBus (rev a2)
0000:00:02.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation CK804 USB Controller (rev a2)
0000:00:02.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation CK804 USB Controller (rev a3)
0000:00:04.0 Multimedia audio controller: nVidia Corporation CK804 AC'97 Audio Controller (rev a2)
0000:00:06.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation CK804 IDE (rev f2)
0000:00:07.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation CK804 Serial ATA Controller (rev f3)
0000:00:08.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation CK804 Serial ATA Controller (rev f3)
0000:00:09.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 PCI Bridge (rev a2)
0000:00:0a.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 Ethernet Controller (rev a3)
0000:00:0b.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 PCIE Bridge (rev a3)
0000:00:0c.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 PCIE Bridge (rev a3)
0000:00:0d.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 PCIE Bridge (rev a3)
0000:00:0e.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 PCIE Bridge (rev a3)
0000:00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
0000:00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
0000:00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
0000:00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
0000:01:09.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 03)
0000:05:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV43 [GeForce 6600] (rev a2)

Guide useability us not a problem, I aldready have a shared partition which I save html files (the guides in html form that is) and open when using linux as and when.


Unfortunatly, my computer does not have an ethernet connection, and cannot have one, the nearest router is some distance away. I use a wireless card to connect to the internet, which works fine on windows, but not on linux (power doesn't even come on), which is part if the reason I am learning to install the latest kernel.

I will check to see if I have the build-essential package, I think I do (90% sure....but hopefully not). I don't see why the installer would miss something of such elementary importance, but then again I am a n00b.

My bad, what I meant was when I said "I cannot follow tutorials exactly", is that I cannot go into the terminal and issue commands to download files as is detailed in the steps of the tutorials, as I have no internet connection in linux.