Incredibly frustrated; will pay someone to make it work

Cluster

Hello, everyone. I have been trying to install a satisfactory version of Linux for a while now. I guess the best one was RedHat 7.3 -- it let me compile the kernel, detected my sound card, etc. Then, ignoring the adage "Don't fix it if it ain't broken", I upgraded to RedHat 8.0. That version came with a nicer GUI and great screen savers but my sound stopped working because the kernel apparently was not compiled to detect it. I know how to recompile the kernel -- I've done it for 7.3 with no problems. However, using the exact same kernel version and the exact same configuration file on 8.0 would not work -- the kernel would not boot with a fatal error about the inability to mount the root filesystem. (*shrug*)

I then decided to try Gentoo 1.2. I followed the directions to the letter and got to the end. The results are here: http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=13941. Then I decided to try Gentoo 1.4 rc1. Same thing -- a perfect installation, then a screenful of errors as it boots up. Right now I am on that 1.4rc1 after copying the kernel from the CD and booting with it. However, it does not detect my SoundBlaster 16 nor my USB hard drive with all my backups on it! I cannot do "modprobe <anything>" -- it gives me an error about a missing library directory. Even after I made a symlink to it, there's another error, undoubtedly because the modules are compiled for the kernel that's not presently running.

Basically, I want to have a kernel configuration that would allow a Linux kernel to be compiled for this machine. Since the kernel for 7.3 (vanilla 2.4.19) successfully compiled and booted, my hardware is not insane. It's a pretty new custom-built machine (July) with an AMD 1700+ XP and 512 MB DDR RAM. I don't know my motherboard, hard drive controllers, or any of that stuff...

I'd be willing to get any kind of info from this computer and whatnot, and will pay $20 (or so?) via mail if I can get a 2.4-series kernel to boot on my Gentoo 1.4rc1 machine. Please, let me know if you want to help. Thanks.

humpback · Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2002 2:13 pm Post subject:

If i understand right you have no major problems with the system, just with kernel modules.
I understand you have networking working and can emerge stuff.
If this is correct please past here the output of a lspci (have to be run as root) if you dont have lspci just emerge pciutils .
You also talk about a SoundBlaster 16 sound card. This is a isa card, so a pnpdump would also be nice (emerge isapnptools) .

(lets see if i am the lucky wynner of $20 US )

_________________
Gustavo Felisberto
Humpback @ #gentoo-pt
------------
It's most certainly GNU/Linux, not Linux. Read more at
http://www.gnu.org/gnu/why-gnu-linux.html .
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Cluster · Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2002 4:05 pm Post subject:

root@pmw pwhite # lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8367 [KT266]
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8367 [KT333 AGP]
00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: National Semiconductor Corporation DP83815 (MacPhyter) Ethernet Controller
00:0c.0 Multimedia audio controller: Ensoniq 5880 AudioPCI (rev 02)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233A ISA Bridge
00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586B PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:11.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (rev 23)
00:11.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (rev 23)
00:14.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (rev 50)
00:14.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (rev 50)
00:14.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 51)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage 128 PF/PRO AGP 4x TMDS
root@pmw pwhite #

My SoundBlaster is PCI, not ISA. Strangely, it's not in the list. The Ensoniq controller is my onboard audio.

ebrostig · Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2002 11:54 pm Post subject:

aja · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2002 12:04 am Post subject:

Cluster,

While you're in the right forum to find helpful people (I know I've been helped), you might want to look into a local LUG (there's a Houston one at http://www.hlug.org/). They often organize 'Install Parties' or 'Install Fests' where you can bring a recalcitrant computer and work with a more experienced person to bring a kernel up - they can be a lot of fun.

Tweaking a kernel config for older or obscure hardware can be an awesome and troubling experience (and sometimes difficult to help with remotely), but it is well worth the effort for what you get out the other end.

cwizman · n00b Joined: 28 Nov 2002 Posts: 29

First and foremost, find out exactly what kind of hardware you have. Make sure you know everything about that hardware. Next, find any kernel that boots up properly. Copy its .config file into your /usr/src/linux directory. Load that .config file from the other kernel and tweak the rest according to your hardware.

Cluster · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2002 1:12 am Post subject:

ebrostig, you apparently did not read the article to which I linked, explaining precisely why I cannot simply recompile the kernel and live happily ever after.

aja, I didn't even think about this option. I will most likely do this, if I cannot get this computer to work by Wednesday.

cwizman, that looks like a great way to get my computer working before Wednesday... does the Gentoo CD come with its kernel's configuration file, perchance? That configuration boots fine, so I want to start off from there.

Thanks for your support, guys!

rac · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2002 4:20 am Post subject:

The .config files used to build the install CD kernels are available here. I'm not exactly sure which is which any more, but the 1.2 install CD uses this one.
_________________
For every higher wall, there is a taller ladder

Malakin · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2002 5:29 am Post subject:

This doesn't help your overall situation but I'll make a quick suggestion - Onboard 5880 is the same thing as a Soundblaster 16 PCI, they both use the snd-ens1371 driver.

You might as well remove your sound card and use the onboard sound.

http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/

Cluster · Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:51 am Post subject: This forum is awesome

My problem is solved, mainly thanks to cwizman, who told me to use an existing kernel configuration. Although that seems painfully obvious, since the CD kernel booted perfectly, I would've never thought to use its configuration for my own use.

Also, without Malakin, I wouldn't have gotten my soundcard to work, since the ALSA matrix says "es1371" instead of "ens1371", so I wouldn't have guessed that.

And, of course, now I know where to go with my computer anytime I cannot grapple its troubles, thanks to aja.

Since cwizman was the one to get my kernel to work (which was the purpose of this thread), he wins. I'll try to contact you, cwizman...