How-To Compile Latest Kernel for Wolvix

If anyone can think of a good reason for doing this (apart from "'cos it's there, son!") I'd be glad to hear it.

Note: in the following, commands that you type are in single quotes.

Step 1: Get the latest kernel source from kernel.org Note: At time of writing it's 2.6.23.14, and the following assumes this one.

Step 2: Copy it to /usr/src and extract it with 'tar jxvf linux-2.6.23.14.tar.bz2'

Step 3: cd to the resulting linux-2.6.23.14/

Step 4: You'll need a config file - a good place to start is the old wolvix one - so 'cp ../linux-2.6.21.5/.config .'

Step 5: 'make menuconfig' - this is where you can change the wolvix settings - compile for your specific architecture, disable all those modules you never use and which mean you have to type 'lsmod | less' rather than 'lsmod'. Click 'yes' to save the config.

Step 6: 'make' ....and wait for rather a long time while your kernel compiles (around 30-40 minutes depending on your hardware).

Step 7: 'make install' ...installs your kernel including copying it to /boot.

Step 8: check it's there (in /boot) and make an extra entry in /boot/grub/menu.lst to allow booting (keep the old one just in case):

title Wolvix-Hunter-1.1.0 Kernel 2.6.21.5
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hdc5 ro vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.splash
savedefault
boot

title Wolvix-Hunter-1.1.0 Kernel 2.6.23.14
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/linux-2.6.23.14 root=/dev/hdc5 ro vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.splash
savedefault
boot

Step 9: Back to /usr/src/linux-2.6.23.14 if you left it - 'make modules'

Step 10: 'make modules_install'

You are now good to reboot - best of luck.... mwahahahah.....

(well, it worked for me......)

Note: If you are using proprietary modules such as the Nvidia one, you'll need to recompile it for the new kernel - might as well get the latest one while you're at it. I used this one for my GeForce FX5600 (yeah, I know!!)

I've read that win4lin needs to have a patched kernel for it to work, so I suppose guides like this would help with that.

Bit too scary for me to try, but it's nice to know the info is here if I need it

Yes sorry, I don't remember getting this error but I suppose I must hav dealt with it and forgotten

Trouble is, wolvix doesn't use lilo but the package is still there and the kernel install script detects that fact and tries to install it.

The answer is, run 'removepkg lilo' and then run your kernel 'make install' again - should now run fine. (GRUB needs no intervention except the edit of menu.lst as I describe above)

When I run make config, I get the following output:

  HOSTCC  scripts/basic/fixdep
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:107:23: sys/types.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:108:22: sys/stat.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:109:22: sys/mman.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:110:20: unistd.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:111:19: fcntl.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:112:20: string.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:113:20: stdlib.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:114:19: stdio.h: No such file or directory
In file included from /usr/lib/gcc/i486-slackware-linux/3.4.6/include/syslimits.h:7,
                 from /usr/lib/gcc/i486-slackware-linux/3.4.6/include/limits.h:11,
                 from scripts/basic/fixdep.c:115:
/usr/lib/gcc/i486-slackware-linux/3.4.6/include/limits.h:122:61: limits.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:116:19: ctype.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:117:23: arpa/inet.h: No such file or directory
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `usage':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:131: warning: implicit declaration of function `fprintf'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:131: error: `stderr' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:131: error: (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:131: error: for each function it appears in.)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:132: warning: implicit declaration of function `exit'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `print_cmdline':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:140: warning: implicit declaration of function `printf'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: At top level:
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:143: error: `NULL' undeclared here (not in a function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `grow_config':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:156: warning: implicit declaration of function `realloc'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:156: warning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:158: warning: implicit declaration of function `perror'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `is_defined_config':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:174: warning: implicit declaration of function `memcmp'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `define_config':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:187: warning: implicit declaration of function `memcpy'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `use_config':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:206: error: `PATH_MAX' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:220: warning: implicit declaration of function `tolower'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:206: warning: unused variable `s'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: At top level:
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:225: error: syntax error before "size_t"
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:226: warning: function declaration isn't a prototype
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `parse_config_file':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:227: error: `map' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:227: error: `len' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:233: warning: implicit declaration of function `ntohl'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:244: warning: implicit declaration of function `isalnum'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `strrcmp':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:261: warning: implicit declaration of function `strlen'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `do_config_file':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:272: error: storage size of 'st' isn't known
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:276: warning: implicit declaration of function `open'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:276: error: `O_RDONLY' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:278: error: `stderr' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:282: warning: implicit declaration of function `fstat'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:284: warning: implicit declaration of function `close'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:287: warning: implicit declaration of function `mmap'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:287: error: `PROT_READ' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:287: error: `MAP_PRIVATE' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:287: warning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:296: warning: implicit declaration of function `munmap'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:272: warning: unused variable `st'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: At top level:
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:301: error: syntax error before "size_t"
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:302: warning: function declaration isn't a prototype
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `parse_dep_file':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:303: error: `map' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:304: error: `len' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:306: error: `PATH_MAX' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:308: warning: implicit declaration of function `strchr'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:310: error: `stderr' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:306: warning: unused variable `s'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `print_deps':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:343: error: storage size of 'st' isn't known
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:347: error: `O_RDONLY' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:349: error: `stderr' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:359: error: `PROT_READ' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:359: error: `MAP_PRIVATE' undeclared (first use in this function)
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:359: warning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:343: warning: unused variable `st'
scripts/basic/fixdep.c: In function `traps':
scripts/basic/fixdep.c:378: error: `stderr' undeclared (first use in this function)
make[1]: *** [scripts/basic/fixdep] Error 1
make: *** [scripts_basic] Error 2

Thanks for the guidance. I'll work on this project later this week.