Kernel 2.6.10 - bugs and problems (discussion)
 

Hi there,

this thread is meant for discussion of the bugs and problems with the 2.6.10 kernel from testing/.

First, I have tried out it right after the clean install, and switched back to 2.4.29 due to the following problems:

-I wasn't able to open a virtual console as normal user. Seems to be a 2.6 specific problem.
-Several symlinks in /dev weren't set at all. This seems to be a problem of udev-050, which works with the 2.6 kernel only.
-Sound issues with intel-8x0 cards (ALSA). Here it was only a symlink problem, but other users reported much more problems.
---------EDIT-----------------------------
-I wasn't able to ctrl-alt-f6 to the text console in mode 4 while the login screen was up. Seems to be a weird one, but annoyed me because I use this sometimes. After logging to any account it was working as usual.

This has nothing to do with kernel-2.6.10; also appears at 2.4.29. Perhaps a kdm bug?
--------/EDIT-----------------------------

At last, I have one question: I'm sure this is interesting for Pat and the other people at slackware.com. I've searched the site for a form or method to report such stuff - anybody please tell me how to do it :-)

Seppel

I'm running 2.6.10 on Slack at the moment and haven't noticed the problems you mentioned. I actually compiled the kernel myself but I used the config file from Slackware and just added a couple of things to get my Speedtouch modem going, so it is basically the same kernel.

I did have a problem with the devices, there was no /dev/hdc or /dev/scd0 or anything like that. I think it was because I still had the append = "hdc=ide-scsi" in lilo.conf, I've taken that out and all devices seem fine now. I can open virtual consoles as any user and my sound is working (I use snd-intel8x0).

I think Pat knows 2.6 is not as finished as 2.4 yet, which is why its still in testing, but I'm really happy with it, I think there is a noticeable improvement in performance.

Hi slackaddict,

fine for you if kernel 2.6 runs fine :-)
Of course there are some problems with it, that's the reason why it's still testing I think ;-)
I also recognized the performance improvement, and the no-longer need for scsi emulation (I also think your /dev/hdc problem related to lilo.conf) were reasons to try it out. But, after all, I have to say it still isn't my choice.

I also tried to compile the kernel myself, but that went totally wrong and I was stuck and went back to 2.4... whatever.

Greetings,

Seppel

Hi, I'll chime in.

I've not yet been able to get any version of kernel 2.6.x to boot on my laptop, which is happily running Slackware 10.1 with the precompiled 2.4.29 kernel.

I've tried to boot a 2.6 series kernel from a Knoppix disk, an Ubuntu disk, and from the precompiled 2.6.10 version in Slackware 10.1 /testing. In each case, the boot aborts with kernel panic very early on - it seems that the ATAPI CD-Rom is not detected properly? With the bootable CD's, I did try various options (no ACPI, failsafe mode, expert mode, etc), just to see if I could boot somehow.

My laptop in a Compaq Presario 1230. It has a kind of unusual processor, the Cyrix MediaGX (586i). In the 2.4.x series of kernels, there is a dsmeg message at each boot:
"Working around Cyrix MediaGX virtual DMA bugs."
My impression is that these (or other) bugs have not yet been worked-around in the 2.6.x kernel, possibly because the processor is not used by many people at this point. That's just a guess, though.

I'm very happy that the 2.4.x kernel remains the default in Slackware. :)

In the past I've always used the default kernel that comes with Slack, I figure Pat knows a lot more about that sort of thing than I do ;) .

The only reason I decided to try 2.6 was that stupid Speedtouch modem I mentioned earlier. Apparently since 2.4.28 these will only work with a patched kernel, I thought if I was recompiling the kernel I may as will give something new a go.

Seppel, I noticed there was a thread here about alsa and the 2.6.10 kernel, so it looks like this will definitely need to be worked on before 2.6 becomes the default. No doubt, Pat has done the right thing keeping 2.4 as the default for now.
I know what you mean :) , the only way I could get a good kernel is to use the config file from Slackware testing and only changed what I knew about (ie not much).

-----------
-Several symlinks in /dev weren't set at all. This seems to be a problem of udev-050, which works with the 2.6 kernel only.
-----------

it's not only the symlinks wich are not made, also the directory /dev/sound
and all nodes inthere are not made at boot.
instead there's a node called /dev/sound.
also there was no /dev/dsp.

my guess : get the 2.6.9-kernel sources and use the config-file from the Slackware-cd ( 2.6.10 ) to start with.
2.6.9 is running here with no prob's ( well....none that i'm aware of )

egag