Re: Fedora Core2 - IMPORTANT

The 2.6.6 kernel rpm from redhat will probably be compiled with the same 
4k stacks option that I mentioned earlier.

**4k stacks is the key feature**  with this enabled, at76c503a will not 
work, I experimented with this last night:  a self compiled 2.6.6 kernel 
with 4k stacks DISABLED allowed me to use at76c503a with no problems, a 
self compiled 2.6.6 kernel with 4k stacks ENABLED had panic problems.

In order to use at76c503a, you will need to compile the kernel from sources.

But before you do that, go into menuconfig and change:

-Kernel Hacking/Use 4kb for kernel stacks instead of 8kb

Also change

-Processor type and features/Use register arguments

if you want.

Thanks

  Nick





Mark Sansome wrote:

>Well Kevin,
>
>I don't know about you - but it hasn't worked for me....
>
>I had already found the 2.6.6 kernel on the updates site but just before
>your message my up2date system registered it as being available so I
>allowed it to update the system.
>
>Now the strange thing is that I had, prior to that point, the following
>packages:
>kernel-2.6.5-1.358.i686.rpm
>kernel-source-2.6.5-1.358.i386.rpm
>kernel-utils-2.4-9.1.131.i386.rpm
>
>Up2date only offered me the kernel package - not the source... So I
>looked again at the updates site. The only thing there matching the 
>kernel-2.6.6-1.427.i686.rpm was something called
>kernel-sourcecode-2.6.6-1.427.noarch.rpm (note NOT
>source-2.6.6-1.427.i386.rpm) I have no idea if this is significant or
>not - but I downloaded and installed it anyway...
>
>Anyhow...
>
>I uninstalled the existing at76c503a driver, and reinstalled it again
>under the 2.6.6 kernel.
>
>No joy...
>
>Exactly the same problems as before.
>
>I would be very interested in your experience Kevin. I am not keen on
>the idea of compiling the kernel myself (I am a complete newbie), but it
>looks like that may be the only option...
>
>
>All the best
>
>Mark
>
>
>On Fri, 2004-06-11 at 23:37, Kevin Ashurst wrote:
>  
>
>>You can download the rpm's from
>>http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/core/updates/2/
>>under i386 if on the intel platform. I am going to try it out this weekend,
>>and I'll let you know how it goes.
>>
>>Kevin
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: [email protected]
>>[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Mark Sansome
>>Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 12:44 PM
>>To: [email protected]
>>Subject: RE: [at76c503a-user] Fedora Core2 - IMPORTANT
>>
>>
>>Nick, Thanks very much for looking into this. I hope we have a
>>universally working driver before too long.
>>
>>I have to say that the idea of compiling my own Kernel fills me with
>>dread so I was going to ask if the Red Hat flavour of the 2.6.6 kernel
>>(when it is released) would work if we use up2date to get it; so Kevin I
>>would be most interested to hear how you get on. Please let us know....
>>
>>Thanks to all.
>>
>>Mark
>>
>>
>>On Fri, 2004-06-11 at 19:23, Kevin Ashurst wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>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
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>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>>      
>>>
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>
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