Unexplained Compiling Error

SlackwareInAZ · 05-31-2005, 10:05 AM

I'm unable to make menuconfig when I try to compile a new kernel. I get various gcc-lib errors as well as scripts/basic/fixdep.c xxx errors.

This is how the problem occurs which may be more a permissions not copied problem.

Step 1: Install Slackware from a current iso so it is upgraded to the current spec out of the box, so to speak. Compile the newest 2.6 kernel patched for Reiser4. All steps in compiling such as make menuconfig, make && make modules_install && make install work fine. Reboot to the newest 2.6 kernel patched for Reiser4 and everything works fine, including the ability to compile new kernels.

Then I copy the contents of this Slackware install to another partition using cp -a (in order to change to Reiser4 filesystem).

Reboot using a Reiser4 capable live cd, such as Gentoo. Reformat my existing Slackware partition (hda6) with Reiser 4. Mount it and copy data back from other partition. Chroot to hda6 and lilo -v. Reboot into hda6 now formatted with Reiser4. Everything seems to work fine, except when I go to make a newer kernel the next time an upgraded 2.6 kernel is available, then my various errors mentioned above occur. Try menuconfig, config, and xconfig with the same results.

I originally thought it had something to do with the NTPL upgrade or glibc 2.5 upgrade. I then thought maybe something was amiss copying Slackware originally installed on reiser3.6 to another Reiser 3.6 partition, then back to the original hda6 partition after it was formatted with Reiser4. So recently I copied the contents back to a reiser3.6 partition (I hadn't patched 2.6.11.11 with the Reiser4 mm patch) after briefly trying another distro and viola, the compile issue resurfaced.

I believe it must has something to do with losing functionality during the copy operation. I took painstaking effort to ensure all files are copied so I know that's not the problem. Is cp -a method insufficient to ensure permissions, or what am I missing here?

Any help would be most appreciated, since I like using Reiser4, which necessitates the copy to and from until Slackware supports this file system as an install option.

Gary

Nobber · 05-31-2005, 10:20 AM

This won't help you much, but...

Quote:

Originally posted by SlackwareInAZ
Is cp -a method insufficient to ensure permissions...?

No, I've used the "cp -a" method to copy root filesystems from partition to partition, and never had a problem booting from and using them afterwards. So I doubt that's your problem. (However, I make sure not to copy the contents of directories such as /proc, /sys and /tmp when doing so.)

gbonvehi · 05-31-2005, 10:34 AM

Did you try make clean before compiling the new one?

jong357 · 05-31-2005, 11:08 AM

That is strange.... What's the exact error? Shouldn't be your 'cp' command. I always use 'cp -Ra' when I transfer like that, altho I'm not sure whether or not that would even make any difference. It sounds like you have quite a few factors involved. copying from a gentoo cd, which is how I do it, leaves you with unpopulated /{proc,sys,dev} directories so that's surely not an issue. Even if you did do the initial copy from your running slack, those should get wiped on every boot anyway.

I would be prone to blame it on your newer glibc. Try compiling a few misc source packages and see if the same thing happens. I think that would be a good place to start. Download something small and do a ./configure and make test. I don't have alot of expierence with upgrading glibc, but I did it once and all hell broke loose... I decided then and there that I would only use the glibc version that all my packages were compiled against.

Try posting the error message next time you come across it...

SlackwareInAZ · 05-31-2005, 04:01 PM

Jong357,

That's originally what I thought, that I had problems with glibc libraries.

So I did a clean reinstall of the OS. Then everything worked fine. It's only when I take a good working system mounted on hda6, then copy it to another partition. Then I boot to a Gentoo Reiser4 capable liveCD. Format hda6 to Reiser4 (the whole point of the copying, to begin with), then copy the data back. And I make new proc, sys, and tmp directories to allow Slackware, on boot to repopulate.

So I am able to take a system w/o problems capable of compiling kernels with all the associated steps, make clean, blah, blah, blah and break it by copying to another partition, reformating to R4 Important note: it even does it formatting to the Reiser3.6, recopying data back. Then I try to compile another kernel when an upgrade is available and presto, the problem is back. ARRGH

Help me understand this!!!

Gary

P.S. I guess that out of desperation, I could try copying the proc and sys directories as well. I was under the impression that these are "virtual" directories created each time on startup as detailed in /etc/fstab file. I empty the /tmp folder, so I doubt that's the problem, but at this point I'll try anything. Which means I'll reinstall Slackware Current and make sure it's fine, then copy all the files to another partition, reformat hda6 and copy everything back, this time including /proc and /sys directories.

SlackwareInAZ · 05-31-2005, 04:06 PM

Gbonvehi,

In order to be meticulous in troubleshooting and/or recreating this problem I use a clean source of linux-2.6.11.11 each time. I get the error when I do "make menuconfig". It errors out without the menu screen opening, so that I can select Reiser 4 before actually compiling using make && make modules_install steps.

It's something in the copying process, whether it is not copying the contents of /proc and /sys over, or with permissions that create the problem.

Thanks,
Gary

Shade · 05-31-2005, 04:22 PM

This is most certainly a cp permissions problem. And here's the ticket:

Code:

       -p     Preserve the original files' owner, group,  permis_
              sions  (including the setuid and setgid bits), time
              of last modification and time of last  access.   In
              case  duplication  of  owner  or  group  fails, the
              setuid and setgid bits  are  cleared.   (Note  that
              afterwards  source and copy may well have different
              times of last access, since the copy  operation  is
              an access to the source file.)

From `man cp`

--Shade

SlackwareInAZ · 05-31-2005, 04:36 PM

Shade,

I reviewed the man page for cp this morning before posting and had the same thoughts. I will reinstall and copy data using cp -a -p, or should it just be cp -p? Then reformat to Reiser4, and copy back with the correct switch.

Thanks

Gary

wpyh · 06-01-2005, 07:54 AM

Code:

       -a, --archive
              Preserve as much as possible of the  structure  and
              attributes  of  the original files in the copy (but
              do not preserve directory  structure).   Equivalent
              to -dpPR.

Shade · 06-01-2005, 09:15 AM

You know, it might have something to do with broken symbolic links. There are a few options in the cp man page having to do with how to handle symbolic links.

wpyh, thanks for pointing that out. I overlooked -a's meaning in the manpage when I posted that.

--Shade

Darin · 06-01-2005, 09:40 AM

If you suspect some sort of permission problem using cp there are other options such as tar or cpio that are normally used for backup. You could use one of these to just make a backup file stored on the spare partition and then restore it onto the newly formatted partition. Since I'm not a big tar/cpio expert I'd suggest you gloss over the man pages before jumping in.

SlackwareInAZ · 06-01-2005, 10:46 AM

Problem Fixed!

After another reinstall of Slackware Current and a successful kernel compile, I did my normal cleanup, in preparation for copying to another partition. Part of my process was to remove unneeded programs such as Mozilla 1.7.8 (I prefer Firefox) and Mozilla Thunderbird. Lately, after upgrading to the newest 2.6 kernel I had been removed the original 2.4.30 kernel, including the kernel headers!

I then encountered the compiling problems. Reinstalled the headers from the CD and problem fixed. So live and learn. I am not sure if I had the problem on previous installs after copying due to probable permission problems, since I only recently started removing all kernel 2.4.30 entries using pkgtool.

Shade, I used your suggestion for cp and did a cp -a -p (is the -a really needed?) and then copied everything to a spare partition, rebooted to a Reiser4 livecd, reformatted to Reiser4 and copied everything back. Compiling still works fine, so I'm set.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Gary