RE: Fedora Core2 - IMPORTANT

Kernel 2.6.6 was released for FC2 today. I will try it with the 2.6.6 kernel
this weekend.

Kevin

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Nick Jones
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 10:32 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [at76c503a-user] Fedora Core2 - IMPORTANT


Versions 0.12beta12 and below of this driver WONT work with Fedora
Core2.  The next few versions after v0.12beta12 may not work with fc2
either if we can't find a fix.

Although the problem occurs in kernel functions outside at76c503a, those
functions are called indirectly by at76c503a, and because of the nature
of those kernel functions, I believe it is being caused somehow by a
disagreement between at76c503a and the redhat kernel that comes with fc2.

The only solution that I can suggest right now, one that has worked for
me, is that you upgrade to version 2.6.6 of the standard kernel.org kernel.

This will be good practise for those who are not so confident about
building kernels, for you I will offer a couple of pointers.  To build a
kernel that can run at76c503a, you must include the following
steps/settings in your standard procedures:

* Redhat will create a file called /boot/config-2.6.5-1.358  for you.
This file contains the configuration of the modified 2.6.5 kernel that
comes with fc2.  You can leave this file as it is if you want the
configuration of the fc2 kernel to be automatically absorbed by the new
2.6.6 kernel you have just downloaded.

This can be a good thing because the redhat configuration compiles
almost every kernel feature and driver as a loadable module, so that the
it can adapt to the varying hardware configurations we all have.

But I prefer to rename or remove this file and manually specify the
precise set of features I need.  The benefits are that the number of
files installed will be much more concise and most importantly, your
kernel will compile MUUUUUCH faster.  Just make sure you are aware of
what hardware is present in your system.

Another reason not to do this is because there may be settings or
modules that you don't want to have on your system, read on:

* You might want to disable two interesting new options, especially if
you use precompiled kernel modules (of course I mean the nvidia drivers)

Disable these:
-Processor type and features/Use register arguments
-Kernel Hacking/Use 4kb for kernel stacks instead of 8kb

My suggestion is to disable these because one of my theories about the
problem with at76c503a relates to one of these options, I will do more
testing later.  Also, doing this (in addition to compiling agp support
as a module) will prepare you for the nvidia drivers (although I had the
enabled by accident any my nvidia drivers work ok, oh well)

* Finally, the features you need to enable to use the at76c503a driver:

Enable these:
-General Setup/Support for hot-pluggable devices (if you want to use
hotplug)
-Device Drivers/Networking Support/Wireless LAN (non-hamradio)/Wireless
LAN drivers (non-hamradio) & Wireless Extensions
-Of course usb host controller interface drivers, loadable module
support, all the usual stuff

If I have missed anything, someone please point it out as a reply - thanks.

For any other kernel compilation issues, please use google or ask in a
forum dedicated to that topic.

Thanks

  Nick



Nick Jones wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>
> It seems that fedora core2 is causing problems with our at76c503
> driver, or maybe vice versa.
>
> I haven't got any answers for these problems, but I will try it out
> myself with fc2, either by installing that here at home, or trying it
> out on my office computer which has fc2 installed.
>
> Either way, please give me a bit of time, I can't promise that I can
> do it quickly but I will look into it.
>
> Thanks
>
>  Nick
> _______________________________________________
> at76c503a-user mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/at76c503a-user
>

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