Re: Fedora Core2 - IMPORTANT

A potential fix has been found, meaning you may not need to rebuild, but 
in answer to your question, this is as good a place to start as any:

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO.html

This may be a bit outdated, and there are many many resources out there 
for you, please go to google and enter something like: "compile linux 
kernel"

There are many forums and web pages dedicated to the topic, and linux 
newbieism in general, there is a wealth of experience out there for you 
to refer to.

The net is your oyster my friend!

Although it is difficult to do the first time, it is well worth learning 
how to compile up a custom kernel for your machine, and your 
preference.  The process of configuring, compiling and installing 
requires a lot of knowledge and understanding not just of configuring 
the linux kernel, but of your machines hardware configuration, and many 
system tools that you will need to make use of during the process.

Don't be embarrassed if you find it takes you a week or more of studying 
and tinkering (after work/school hours of course) before you are even 
ready to boot your kernel for the first time.


  Nick



Nielson wrote:

>Hi Nick,
>
>Thanks for looking into this! Is there a link you know of that can show me
>how to upgrade the kernal? I have downloaded the "linux-2.6.6.tar" &
>"patch-2.6.6.zip" but I'm not sure what to do with them. Any help is greatly
>appreciated!
>
>-Nielson
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Nick Jones" <[email protected]>
>To: <[email protected]>
>Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 10:31 AM
>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
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>at76c503a-user mailing list
>>[email protected]
>>http://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/at76c503a-user
>>
>>    
>>
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>  
>