Update/Compile my Kernel after changing param.h file

[whych]

bobcal,
It's not as drastic as that. As long as you have a separate /home partition,you won't lose anything by installing the new kernel.
All you want to backup is the contents of /boot (a bit of an overkill, but it's easier for a novice than to find all the relevant files). All you are doing is changing the kernel which live in /boot.
If something goes wrong, make sure your have a live cd handy to restore your old /boot.
There is more general documentation in the how-to's. Go to tldp.org and do a search for the kernel how to.
Good luck and enjoy - it gives you immense satisfaction when you've got it right.

[microchip8]

Here's how you do it - make sure to have the development stuff (gcc, make, qt-devel, etc) installed

1) change the values in param.h
2) in console, login as root and 'cd' to /usr/src/linux
3) type: 'make xconfig' and this will bring the kernel configuration GUI
4) in general settings, change the localversion variable from -default to -somethingelse (you choose what). If you don't do that, it'll overwrite the existing kernel when you do 'make install' at end of compilation. You don't want that
5) save the changes, close the GUI and type: 'make'
6) when it's done, type: 'make modules_install'
7) after that, type: 'make install'
8) type: 'make clean'
9) type: 'make prepare'
10) type: 'make modules_prepare'
11) reboot system and choose your new kernel with the -somethingelse string

All of the above without quotes

[bobcal2000]

Good News and bad news.

First the Good news: I bought a book, I read way to much about linux kernels, I compiled my first kernel, and I get to fix my first broken kernel. The bad news my kernel is now broke.

I installed all the Linux Kernel Development, Qt3 and pkg-config, then I followed your instructions to the letter (which were just a little different than the book), except one thing which I'm not sure did anything bad. "make xconfig" did not work(qconf couldn't connect to xserver), so I used "make menuconfig" to change the kernel localversion. During the compilation, several warning about variables went by, but it did finish with any hard errors. The rest of the commands worked very well.

I held my breath and rebooted: KDE 33.5 will not start, I believe because the nVidia driver will not load. I only know how to load the driver thought the KDE.

Help again!
Bobby

[microchip8]

if the kernel boots, it means it's compiled correctly. Your kde does not start because you probably use the proprietary NV drivers which need recompilation after *each* kernel upgrade so just recompile them. If you have installed them manually, just login on console as root and execute the driver with the -K option (to build the kernel module only). If you use the NV prop drivers from the repo then you can't "fix" it and the only way to get back the NV drivers working for your own compiled kernel is to (re)install them manually which is actually very easy to do

btw: to use the VESA driver which will allow you into GUI but without acceleration, type as root on console: sax2 -r -m 0 vesa

[whych]

If you can boot with the new kernel, then it is working.
The kde/x-window problem is because the nvidia driver you have is for the old kernel.
Since you compiled a new kernel, you have to remake and install the driver for your kernel.
There are instructions on how to do this in other threads as well as on the nvidia site's download page for you video card.
Well done in getting this far.

[whych]

Microchip:
Bump, we were both replying at about the same time!

[bobcal2000]

More good news!

I looked thought the posts for installing the NVidia driver manually, worked! My KDE is up and running on my new kernel. A few questions and one last problem.

1 - First the problem VMware v6.5.3 will not recompile into the kernel. I have done this a few times before, and it have always worked. Now it just asks for the root password and stops running, no errors. I have tried to reboot and I've tried several times.

2 - make xconfig still does not work, I get qconf cannot connect to xserver; make[1] ***xconfig error 1; make ***xconfig error. How to I fix this? If I open a KDE window it does works.

3 - What do the different color mean in the "ls" or "dir" command?

Bobby
openSUSE Very Dangerous Novice User
(I'm getting business cards made)

[microchip8]

1 - this is probably a VMWare issue and I can't help much on it since I don't use it, at work or at home. I use Virtual Box

2 - make xconfig requires the QT4 *development* packages

3 - different colors indicate different types of files, directories, etc

[whych]

To get a better idea, try plain ls and then ls -al and you will see what we mean.

[bobcal2000]

1 - Fixed VMware by reinstalling it.

2 - Still broke - Installes libqt4-development. I didn't see any just qt4 like qt3. Is this the correct one? Still does not work. Anything else you know of?

3 - is there a document with what each color means?


Thank You for all your help! Both of You!

Bobby