Recompiling kernel for vfat fs support doesn't work!

[opo]

Hi everyone, n00b question...that's what I am by now (SIC!)

So, I've installed gentoo 2.4.25-r1 (let's say partly because I've only a system console, no desktop environment, no X windows, no net .....etc, bacause I have no idea how to make it, I still have to read a lot and not much time, and my 3C920 Embedded Ethernet it's not making it easier to get to the net....but that's another story.

The topic NOW, is that I want to see and write a Windows FAT32 partition, I really need it, but when I try to mount that partition I receive a msg saying that vfat fs is not supported by the kernel.

Ok, I said, let's do make menuconfig and select the correct fs option.

FIRST PROBLEM: I went to /usr/src/ and found 2 kernel dirs /linux and /2.4.25-gentoo-r1

FIRST QUESTION: which one to make menuconfig into? why 2 kernel dirs (one for initial installation and the other for adding options to my existing one?)

First I decided for /2.4.25-gentoo-r1, I've put my options for dos vfat (ALL) not as modules but integrated with kernel, then saved my changes and then

make dep && make bzImage modules modules_install

Indeed it took not very much time, so I thought: "good it's using my existing kernel and it has seen that there wasn't so much to recompile..."

then (following the handbook):

cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/kernel-2.4.25-gentoo-r1
cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.4.25-gentoo-r1
cp .config /boot/config-2.4.25-gentoo-r1

There wasn't anything else to change as I called the kernel the same way as before, so thet grub.conf was still calling the correct kernel (I thought).

Rebooted, but still the problem of no vfat supported!

Is anyone out there....?

[jayk]

Hi,

The /usr/src/linux directory is just a link to the real path that is /usr/src/gento-2.4.25-gentoo-r1. The two directories are the same. That is because it is usual that the kernel sources are in /usr/src/linux.

When you recompile your kernel, you should type

Code: Select all

make mrproper

before compile it again because the already compiled data won't be compiled again. But be sure to save your .config file before doing this because it will be erased.

JayK

[Maedhros]

When you copied the new kernel to /boot, did you remember to mount it first (assuming it's a different partition)?

[opo]

shouldn't the cp command return an errormsg if it /boot wasn't mounted?

Thank U for help!

[Deathwing00]

Moved from Installing Gentoo.

[huw]

shouldn't the cp command return an errormsg if it /boot wasn't mounted?

No because you almost certainly have a directory called /boot which is where you mount the boot partition.

[meyerm]

shouldn't the cp command return an errormsg if it /boot wasn't mounted?

No, until you mount sth. into /boot it is just another directory on your partition. Therefore the kernel is copied to your root partition into the directory /boot and not to your boot partition (assuming you have a dedicated boot partition).

Please make a

Code: Select all

ls -l /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/fs/vfat/

[opo]

Thank U everyone!
You've been all very kind and RIGHT!

I've followed every single advice and now it works! I read and write into my fat partition.

I understood the mystery(!) of the two linux dirs (one was only a link as Jayk said), I understood why cp worked without errormsg (thank U Dethwing00 and huw), I mounted /boot before copying kernel image as Maedhros suggested.

Now I only(!) have a couple of dozens more troubles to overcome but at least I know there is someone out there U will try to help me, and that makes it more comfortable to face....