Compiling a Kernel? How to?

tellurye · 06-12-2002, 08:51 PM

I am trying Red Hat 7.3 on my laptop. In order to use a graphics card, I need to run summit driver provided by www.xig.com. The rpm they gave me is designed for the kernel with 7.1. Its stated that if I upgrade my kernel (which I have an upgraded one, since I have 7.3) that I must compile and install the XSVC driver manually. I know this is beyond the scope of this forum, but is there a good tute on compiling? Here's what the notes tell me to do:

Manually compiling and installing the driver

To compile and install the driver manually (if you upgradeyour kernel for example), you will need to make sure that:
- you have a working C compiler
- You have the kernel src for you kernel installed in /usr/src/
- there is a symlink at /usr/src/linux that points to your kernel source tree.

Then execute the following commands:

cd /usr/src/xig/xsvc
make clean
make
make install

Once installed, you can load the driver by typing:

modprobe xsvc

So, I followed the directions, I know I have the C compiler, and all that stuff, but I don't know how to do the last two things, like it said. When I typed in the following commands, it didn't work, obviously. I'm sure that's all I'm missing.

If anyone can point me in the right direction to doing the above steps, I bet it would work. Thanks so much. This will not only help me, but others who are stuck with the Intel830M graphics card.

Thanks again.

JimH · 06-12-2002, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by tellurye

I know this is beyond the scope of this forum, but is there a good tute on compiling?

I would not consider it beyond the scope of this forum.

but I don't know how to do the last two things, like it said. When I typed in the following commands, it didn't work, obviously.

Which two commands don't you understand?

Jim H

tellurye · 06-13-2002, 04:19 PM

Hey, JimH

Well I just meant that I need to learn Linux and I shouldn't be asking for such a large task, but wasn't sure if there was a way to accomplish this without taking too much of someone's time. I'd be happy to return the favor, which is why when I solve this issue, I'm going to post it here and at Dell's forum. So many of us are screwed and Dell won't do anything to help us.

As for the commands, I know I have a C compiler...I think that was standard, along with Perl and Python with Red Hat. Plus, I've compiled little programs before so I should be all set there. And I do have the Make utility installed. What I don't know how to do, is have the last two instructions "have the kernel src for your kernel installed in /usr/src/" and "there is a symlink at /usr/src/linux that points to your kernel source tree" How can I check to make sure that's all set up and if it isn't how can I do it?

After that, I'm sure when I type in the commands, it will work. I can't remember the exact error message, but I think its becuase it can't find my kernel (since the XSVC was diesigned for Red Hat 7.1 and not 7.3) They said it would work, I just have to do the above modifications.

Thanks so much.

JimH · 06-13-2002, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by tellurye

Well I just meant that I need to learn Linux and I shouldn't be asking for such a large task

Well it isn't really a big task. You don't have to recompile your kernel, you just have to compile the module from Xig. You do however have to prepare the kernel source first.

First find out what kernel you are running.

$ uname -r
2.4.18-4

This shows the kernel running as 2.4.18-4

Make sure you have the kernel source installed for that kernel version.

$ rpm -q kernel-source-2.4.18-4
kernel-source-2.4.18-4

If the kernel source is not installed, download the source from your favorite Red Hat mirror site. You will need to be logged in as root to install the kernel source. Install the kernel source with:

$ rpm -ivh kernel-source-2.4.18-4.i386.rpm

If you are registered with The Red Hat Network you can also use up2date to install the kernel. This will download and then install the kernel-source for you.

$ up2date kernel-source-2.4.18-4

Prepare the kernel source

$ cd /usr/src/linux-2.4

$ make mrproper

$ make xconfig

Check and see what the architecture is of the kernel you have installed

$ rpm -q --qf '%{ARCH}\n' kernel-2.4.18-4
athlon

You can look in /usr/src/linux-2.4/configs to find the config you want to use. With a single processor athlon system you would use:
kernel-2.4.18-athlon.config

Click "Load Configuration from file" and enter the location of the kernel config.
/usr/src/linux-2.4/configs/kernel-2.4.18-athlon.config

Click "OK" to load the config and exit the dialog box.

Click "Save & Exit"

Open the toplevel Makefile in a text editor.
This would be /usr/src/linux-2.4/Makefile

Look at the first four lines in the Makefile.

VERSION = 2
PATCHLEVEL = 4
SUBLEVEL = 18
EXTRAVERSION = -4custom

Remove the word "custom" from the end of the EXTRAVERSION line.

Save the changes and exit.

$ make dep

Now just in case the makefile from Xig isn't aware of the /usr/src/linux-2.4 symlink we will create a /usr/src/linux symlink.

$ cd /usr/src
$ ln -s /usr/src/linux-2.4.18-4 linux

You will have to extract the source code for the Xig module into /usr/src. If it is a tar.gz file you can extract it with:

$ tar xzvf filename.tar.gz

Then just follow their instructions from here.

cd /usr/src/xig/xsvc
make clean
make
make install

Once installed, you can load the driver by typing:

modprobe xsvc

If you have any problems post the exact error message you get. I would not try and load the driver while you are in X. Logout to the console, install the xsvc module and then restart X. Or if they have more instructions follow them.

Jim H