Slack 10 Kernel 2.6.9 Recompile

[vwgtiturbo]

Okie dokie... I have Slack 10 (2.4.x) on two machines. On my machine at work, I compiled a 2.6.9 kernel for it today, and that went well, as far as I can tell. In fact, I was surprised that it worked because every other time I have tried to compile a kernel, I have given up, as I get a lot of errors and end up getting frustrated... Anyways, when I got home and tried to compile 2.6.9 for my home machine, everything goes well until I do a 'make modules_install'. I get this error:

root@hell:/usr/src/linux-2.6.9# make modules_install
ln: when making multiple links, last argument must be a directory
make: *** [_modinst_] Error 1

I looked around online for a while, after not having a damn clue what I was looking at, and didn't find anything. I also ran 'make -d modules_install' and here are the last few lines:

Considering target file `modules_install'.
File `modules_install' does not exist.
Considering target file `_modinst_'.
File `_modinst_' does not exist.
Finished prerequisites of target file `_modinst_'.
Must remake target `_modinst_'.
Got a SIGCHLD; 1 unreaped children.
Got a SIGCHLD; 1 unreaped children.
Putting child 0x080796f0 (_modinst_) PID 22679 on the chain.
Live child 0x080796f0 (_modinst_) PID 22679
Got a SIGCHLD; 1 unreaped children.
Reaping winning child 0x080796f0 PID 22679
Got a SIGCHLD; 2 unreaped children.
Live child 0x080796f0 (_modinst_) PID 22683
Reaping winning child 0x080796f0 PID 22683
Got a SIGCHLD; 2 unreaped children.
Live child 0x080796f0 (_modinst_) PID 22684
Reaping winning child 0x080796f0 PID 22684
Got a SIGCHLD; 2 unreaped children.
Live child 0x080796f0 (_modinst_) PID 22685
Reaping winning child 0x080796f0 PID 22685
ln: when making multiple links, last argument must be a directory
Got a SIGCHLD; 2 unreaped children.
Live child 0x080796f0 (_modinst_) PID 22686
Reaping losing child 0x080796f0 PID 22686
make: *** [_modinst_] Error 1
Removing child 0x080796f0 PID 22686 from chain.


WTF am I looking at?!? As always, any assistance is GREATLY appreciated* ;D

PS- Just in case you are wondering, here is the link I used as a guide to the compilation (if you know any better ones, I would love to take a look):* http://www.digitalhermit.com/linux/K...ild-HOWTO.html

[SkyNet]

On this home machine. Do you have module-init-tools tools installed? It is something that is required by 2.6.x kernels that the 2.4.x didn't have.

[vwgtiturbo]

depmod -v spits out that I have version 3.0 of the module utilities...

[SkyNet]

What did you change this field to? EXTRAVERSION = -1

Since you are going from a 2.4.x kernel to a 2.6.x kernel there is no need to change this field, so if you have then change it back and try again. You may need to do a make clean before you try again.

[vwgtiturbo]

hmmm.... I changed the EXTRAVERSION to 'Test'. The guide I was using just said to make it something unique, not specifying that it mattered what you actually changed it to.

[SkyNet]

Yeah, I know you did this because it was in the guide, but what I'm trying to say is that since you are moving to a 2.6.x from a 2.4.x kernel it is not needed, and I believe it might be the cause of your problems. So please change it back to the default, and try to compile your configuration again.

[vwgtiturbo]

Cool, I'll try that when I get home. Thanks for the help!

[vwgtiturbo]

Well, I changed it back to '-1' and my results are the same (after doing a make clean). It is odd that it gets through the entire process just fine, but craps out at 'make modules_install'. It seems like the whole process is happening really quick though. It is almost making me suspicious. Isn't a kernel compile supposed to be time consuming?

[SkyNet]

It's not really going to be time consuming on an Athlon 64 3800+ lucky bastid. I hate to make you do this, but you may wish to also try a make mrproper to completely wipe out your .config, and set it up again from scratch. I will keep looking for a solution.

[vwgtiturbo]

Good point about the 3800... I have been a little disappointed in it's speed though, considering how much I dropped for this processor. Basically, I went from a 1.3 Athlon to the 64, and for daily crap, I can barely tell the difference. Now, when I do something intensive, THEN it really wakes up, but I would rather feel the difference ALL the time. I ended up not using the Cool and Quiet crap. Throttling... who needs it? Yeah, it runs 10 degrees warmer, but the performance difference is worth it.

Back to this... I have tried doing this about 6 times, 5 of which I DID do a 'make mrproper'. HOWEVER, during those 5 times, I was using the weird EXTRAVERSION, so... On the sixth time, I did a make mrproper, but finally learned to use the old config so I wouldn't have to do that garbage again.

I will do the make mrproper with the default extraversion, and see what I turn up. I looked again online for about an hour on Google, and found nothing. I entered in the complete error message, and Google returned three pages of results. I looked at EVERY one of them (YIPPEE). It seems that there have been some problems with this (both with the 2.4 and 2.6 kernels) but NONE of the posts had an answer. They all said to change the EXTRAVERSION back to default, then the poster replied that it didn't work and the post just kind of ended. Maybe they found an answer and didn't bother to post it. God, I HATE that...