hello all gurus

I tried it with kernel redhat -9 ( I am not remembering kernel version 2.4.2 I suppose )
And kernel 2.4.19, kernel version 2.4.18 and same error happen
i am trying to compile a new-kernel image(nothing exta added)
from source from readhat-7.3 ( kernel version 2.4.18) make sequance
make mrproper
make xconfig
make dep
make bzimage
make modules
make modules_install <---<< ERROR ERROR ERROR

[root@linux-7_3 linux-2.4]# make -i modules_install
make -C kernel modules_install
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.4.18-3/kernel'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `modules_install'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.4.18-3/kernel'
make -C drivers modules_install
……………………………………..
…………. Lot of it ………………..
…………………………………….
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.4.18-3/arch/i386/lib'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `modules_install'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.4.18-3/arch/i386/lib'
cd /lib/modules/2.4.18-3-pppoe; \
mkdir -p pcmcia; \
find kernel -path '*/pcmcia/*' -name '*.o' | xargs -i -r ln -sf ../{} pcmcia
if [ -r System.map ]; then /sbin/depmod -ae -F System.map 2.4.18-3-pppoe; fi
[root@linux-7_3 linux-2.4]#
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
when I look @ the /lib/modules/linux-coustom/ the directory structure was in-complete and no modules were loded

after a long patience, I tried to understand what make file is doing,
in /usr/src/linux/Makefile will reference to other make files like /usr/src/linux/kernel/makefile etc
and all make file include /usr/src/Rules.mk
after studying it for a while I found that ALL_MOBJS is the variable on which every thing will depend, and modules will be copied if this variable gets defined properly @run time which is defined as below in /usr/src/Rules.mk
#
# A rule to make modules
#
ALL_MOBJS = $(filter-out $(obj-y), $(obj-m))
Obj-y
Obj-m are inturn run time variable
So in summery $(filter-out $(obj-y), $(obj-m)) was expanded to be NULL as Obj-y == Obj-m always ( I debuged it by putting log messages )

For a time factor I redefined above to
#
# A rule to make modules
#
#ALL_MOBJS = $(filter-out $(obj-y), $(obj-m))
ALL_MOBJS = $(obj-m)

And run
make modules_install

And the /sbin/depmode –a command in serept file /usr/src/Rules.mk showed fallowing lenthy errors
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
make modules_install
……………………………………..
……… modules copied here …………
……………………………………….
find kernel -path '*/pcmcia/*' -name '*.o' | xargs -i -r ln -sf ../{} pcmcia
if [ -r System.map ]; then /sbin/depmod -ae -F System.map 2.4.18-3-pppoe; fi
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/2.4.18-3-pppoe/kernel/drivers/media/radio.o
depmod: cannot read ELF header from /lib/modules/2.4.18-3-pppoe/kernel/drivers/media/video.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.18-3-pppoe/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/dmi_scan.o
depmod: pm_kbd_request_override
depmod: pci_bridge_force_restore
depmod: noautodma
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.18-3-pppoe/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/entry.o
depmod: sys_sgetmask
depmod: sys_signal
------- lot of it --------------
depmod: sys_ssetmask
depmod: sys_getrusage
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.18-3-pppoe/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/ioport.o
depmod: init_tss
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.18-3-pppoe/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/irq.o
depmod: init_tss
depmod: rand_initialize_irq
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.18-3-pppoe/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/nmi.o
…………………………….
…….. lot of it…………….
……………………………
I avoided error by
make –i modules install
And most of the modules did got installed ( not all modules got installed ) with the last ERROR messages off course .

Now I could able to boot my system at least
But the bzImage not even able to uncompress fully

I need help regarding same
1> why make module_install not working
2> is there any precaution to be taken before building

follow this guide and see if your missing anything....i see you didn't do make clean, so that may pose a problem...