need to know how to configure kernel in stage 3? >:(

zenon · Apprentice Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 263

I do the
"make menuconfig"
and get some blue kernel config proggie, so I exit it and don't save changes.

Then I do:
"make dep && make clean bzImage modules modules_install"

and it goes psycho for a bit and then asks me some questions (think i went y,n,y,y) what's going on? I don't know anything about compiling the kernel, that's why I went with stage 3 Athlon install...

What the heck's going on?
Did I mess somehting up? Or do I need to be some kind of kernel-tweaking-maniac just to try Gentoo?

Why can't these Gentoo ppl do a little networking with those RH guys :roll:

I was expecting RH 8 DejaVu after the 1st screen. alas....

ebrostig

zenon · Apprentice Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 263

okay, so is there any "crash course in becoming a kernel compiling guru" website? I have a burner so I think I'll need to do that IDE->SCSI thing beyond that what do I know?hmmm

compile out everything you don't need (XFS, iptables, that QoS thingie hmmm what else) things you MAY need make modules and things you know you'll need compile in...

There's no "kernel wathcer software" is there? I mean I just compile everything in and IT monitors what I've actually used and hacks the rest off (doing all this by making that config file I abandoned on:wink:)

zenon · Apprentice Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 263

haha, I just read the guy below who's been installing for DAYS... literally read the post. WOW I'm SO glad now that I went for the Stage 3

zenon · Apprentice Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 263

c'mon guys, the only thing I could find searching was this:
https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=27523&highlight=compiling+kernel

there were a kazillion hits but no problems were this simple. Where is this config file located? could I go on an FTP and copy the file from RH 8 to get the system running?

At this point, just surfing the net with Gentoo would make me happy enough to do backflips. :cry:

Even if there was a one-click operation to compile everything including the kitchen sink that'd get me running... I really want to get this Gentoo thing mastered I just need to get the wheels spinning B4 I start installing ALSA and do the music creation I plan on doing.

Shades3D · n00b Joined: 25 Dec 2002 Posts: 39

the .config is /usr/src/linux-(kernelversion)/.config (note the .). The file is created when you run through either the 'make menuconfig' stage, or if you skip it, the text based config stage when make dep is run. Its better to step through make menuconfig. If you're semi decent with hardware, stepping through menuconfig isn't too horribly hard. Here's a few things to remember:

SMP is for dual processor systems.
MTRR is good if you've got an nvidia card (dunno about ATI)
Any card drivers (network, sound, etc etc) can be set as modules, or built into the kernel. Its your choice, but if you do them as modules, you'll have to setup your system to find the modules on boot (add them to /etc/modules.autoload)

Just take a little time to look through menuconfig and see whats in there. If it doesn't sound familiar and isn't enabled, don't enable it. If its enabled but doesn't sound familiar, leave it be.

Like ebrostig said, unless we know specific hardware you have in your machine, we can't tell you what specific kernel options to use.
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zhenlin · Veteran Joined: 09 Nov 2002 Posts: 1361

Sounds like you won't like gentoo at all... With gentoo, you're going to have to install and configure everything by yourself! No more RPMS for you!

If you still have Windows lying around on that machine, get Belarc advisor and give us the output. I think it was http://www.belarc.com

zenon · Apprentice Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 263

Don't get me wrong it's not that I don't like configuring things, I was just hoping this Stage 3 would get me up and running like RH... Walk B4 you run so to say

Here's the output from that software, there will also be an ATI Xpert@play (3D Rage Pro PCI chipset) card installed, going for dual monitor (WinXP doesn't like these cards together, alone fine. But it won't boot with them both in)

And there's only ONE network card... don't know why stupid windows thiks there's two :roll:

http://www.mts.net/~daver/profile.htm

zenon · Apprentice Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 263

c'mon guys, a few hints at least?

If I just compile EVERYTING (no modules either) how bad could that be? still can't much worse than XP, huh?

rac · Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2003 9:40 am Post subject:

Have you seen http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO.html?
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zenon · Apprentice Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 263

no, I haven't seen that yet. Thanks for the link.

If I just compile everything will that hurt anything? It's not that I don't want to learn, believe me I do. Just a walk B4 you run thing, everyone seems to be compiling kernels like it's going outta style... and so will I soon enough, I just need system to tweak B4 I start tweaking if you can see where I'm coming from.

int1 · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 08 Nov 2002 Posts: 139

Zenon:

If you choose to compile your system from the ground up, you will gain some performance advantages over starting at say stage 3. This is one of the greatest reasons to use gentoo.

As for kernel compiling, if you make sure you get a few critical things in the kernel the first time, such as the filesystem driver you are using, network driver, etc, many of which will likely be on by default, then you can later recompile the kernel as often as needed for you to learn. You can save the old kernels and allow yourself to boot them in grub in case a new one fails. You can also save off each configuration you make so that you can start from the same point later.

So I'd say go for it! Take the chance and get the advantage!
int1