INSTALLING LINUX AMILO A AND COMPILING KERNEL

[ Index | Knoppix | Kernel | Kernel 2.4 | Kernel 2.6 | Others ]

LINUX DISTRO

On my Fusjitsu laptop Amilo A, I tried to install GNU/Linux debian v3r0 (aka woody) I had some troubles with X, then I tested DemoLinux v3 and finally switched to KNOPPIX , use my custom kernel

Ideas, troubles etc : See forum : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amilo

(RE)PARTITIONING

# fdisk -l -u /dev/hda

Disk /dev/hda: 20.0 GB, 20003880960 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2432 cylinders, total 39070080 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes


# part1 / boot=y / Sh.C.S=0.5.1 / sys=07h / End HCS= 254/24.30/64 # orig
# starts = 80325 nbs=38973690 Mb=19030

# cfdisk # qtparted
The disk was partionned that way : 30M Ununsed part (for windows reinstall) + 19Gb Single Ntfs part (with WIN XP Home)

You can decide to Wipe out the XP (you paid for it), or shrik the partition to a few GB (50%) then create at least one Linux Part and swap.

I'll suggest to choose ext3 as filesystem because it can be read from other OS like windows.
I was wondering where swap part shall be placed on the disk for best performances ? I choose at the end, I am not sure the rule : 2*sizeof(RAM) is allways valid, but it should at least one time (see swsusp)

The Windows XP filesystem is NTFS, and is read only on linux (can be writeable tough) but can be converted to VFAT. Windows 2000 provided a tool to do the ntfs2vfat conversion, but it seems they removed it. Anyway you can still use commercial sofware : PowerQuest/Partition Magic 8

http://linuxmafia.com/~rick/linux-info/ntfs
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/
http://www.gnu.org/software/parted/
So I splitted the part to 10Gb for Linux / the 30Mb one is lost

The disk was partionned that way : 30M Ununsed part (for windows reinstall) 19Gb Single Ntfs part http://www.gnu.org/software/parted/
http://linuxmafia.com/~rick/linux-info/ntfs
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/
http://noflushd.sourceforge.net/

KNOPPIX / KERNEL 2.4.20

If you never heard about it, Test it you wont regret it.
Knoppix 3.2 Privacy Edition with KDE 3.1.1

By Michel Bouissou michel(a)bouissou.net 2003-03-31
                         Last updated on 2003-04-01

Derived from the Knoppix 3.2 ISO image KNOPPIX_V3.2-2003-03-30-EN.iso

# uname -a
Linux nrv 2.4.20-xfs #1 SMP Mit Mar 26 15:37:36 CET 2003 \
 i686 mobile AMD Athlon (tm) 1400+     AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux

# cat /etc/debian_version
testing/unstable
Here are needed modules (knoppix 2.4.20) :
#lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by    Not tainted
radeon                108164   0 (unused)
autofs4                 8724   1 (autoclean)
af_packet              13448   0 (autoclean)
nls_cp437               4380   1 (autoclean)
nls_iso8859-1           2876   1 (autoclean)
ntfs                   50784   0 (autoclean)
trident                29076   0
ac97_codec              9992   0 [trident]
soundcore               3364   3 [trident]
pcigame                 1384   0 [trident]
gameport                1276   0 [pcigame]
8139too                17128   0
mii                     2128   0 [8139too]
serial                 51876   0 (autoclean)
usb-ohci               18120   0 (unused)
usbcore                57088   1 [usb-ohci]
ds                      6472   2
yenta_socket            8640   2
pcmcia_core            37568   0 [ds yenta_socket]
apm                     9612   2
rtc                     6908   0 (autoclean)
cloop                   5232   1
Knoppix (Debian based and compatible as Testing/Unstable). can be used as a Boot CD or Installed to the HD.
Knoppix is known to be like a demo disk to show how Gnu/linux looks like, but Once booted you get a fully operational system so fairly usable.
The Next step is to copy the system if you want to use it from you harddrive.
This can be easly done
Just use it as debian (with apt and debian sources.list).
I was using debian since 2.1 but I am not sure I will install any debian system without knoppix CD (or DVD) anymore.
You'll get nothing better installing and upgrading from debian stable cd sets.
Some rumours say that knoppix will merge in debian http://knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html
http://bouissou.net/
http://www.knoppix.org
http://www.knoppixfr.org

That CD generously donated by TipTop of http://www.culte.org/

Debian is allways compared to Mandrake, poeple agrea to say that debian is more modularized and closer to linux hacking so more complicate while Mandrake is fast and easy to install and use. I would add that knoppix is easier than Mandrake to install a bit tricker to administrate but it worth to be tested (even if you are not sure to install it)

CUSTOM KERNEL

Here the debian way to build a new kernel
# apt-get kernel-source kernel-package libncurses5-dev
cd /usr/src/
tar xvfj kernel-source*.tar.bz2
ln -fs kernel-source* linux
cd /usr/src/linux || exit
make menuconfig
REV=${HOSTNAME}.$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M)
make-kpkg kernel_image --revision=${REV}
dkpg -i ../*.deb
Anyway installing kernel may cause troubles, if you install same version that you are using.
Once booted execute 'depmod' and optionally edit /etc/modules

Download my the .config files Generate a default .config with ~ make defconfig ~, then replace .config with mine

Here some links :
Download sources : http://www.kernel.org
Linux Traffic : http://kt.zork.net/
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/rgooch/linux/docs/lkml/
Some collection of patches : http://www.sonarnerd.net/projects/linux/

2.4 KERNEL

I use a patched kernel (w/ acpi and dri) if you want to use it on debian (or knoppix etc) see http://rzr.online.fr/linux.htm
There is one thing i don't understand : keyboard is lock during booting process only kdm wake it up ?
root@ttyp6[root]# uname -a
Linux nrv 2.4.22-amiloa #16 mar nov 11 16:50:51 CET 2003 i686 GNU/Linux

root@ttyp6[root]# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by    Tainted: P
ipx                    16804   1  (autoclean)
nfsd                   72464   8  (autoclean)
lockd                  48432   1  (autoclean) [nfsd]
sunrpc                 66880   1  (autoclean) [nfsd lockd]
autofs4                 8788   1  (autoclean)
snd-seq-oss            25792   0  (unused)
snd-seq-midi-event      3328   0  [snd-seq-oss]
snd-seq                34448   2  [snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi-event]
snd-seq-device          4016   0  [snd-seq-oss snd-seq]
snd-pcm-oss            37956   2
snd-mixer-oss          12856   1  [snd-pcm-oss]
ds                      6924   2
yenta_socket           10592   2
pcmcia_core            38240   0  [ds yenta_socket]
ppp_async               6432   0  (autoclean)
radeon                 98396  14
agpgart                14300   3
usbnet                 12062   0  (unused)
vfat                   10188   2
fat                    31192   0  [vfat]
ide-scsi                9808   0
smbfs                  36848   0  (unused)
8139too                14408   1
mii                     2400   0  [8139too]
crc32                   2848   0  [usbnet 8139too]
ohci1394               25296   0  (unused)
ieee1394               44676   0  [ohci1394]
usb-ohci               19112   0  (unused)
sg                     26524   0  (unused)
scsi_mod               56328   2  [ide-scsi sg]
ppp_generic            15196   0  [ppp_async]
slhc                    5040   0  [ppp_generic]
ipt_LOG                 3384   0  (unused)
ipt_state                568   0  (unused)
ip_conntrack           16900   1  [ipt_state]
ipt_TOS                 1048   0  (unused)
ipt_TCPMSS              2360   0  (unused)
ip_tables              11072   4  [ipt_LOG ipt_state ipt_TOS ipt_TCPMSS]
ac                      1696   0  (unused)
fan                     1472   0  (unused)
battery                 5600   0  (unused)
thermal                 6180   0  (unused)
processor               8248   0  [thermal]
button                  2380   0  (unused)
powernow-k7             4353   0  (unused)
lp                      6176   1
parport_pc             23048   1
parport                24712   1  [lp parport_pc]
snd-ali5451            12740   3
snd-pcm                57860   0  [snd-pcm-oss snd-ali5451]
snd-timer              13084   0  [snd-seq snd-pcm]
snd-page-alloc          5748   0  [snd-pcm]
snd-ac97-codec         39928   0  [snd-ali5451]
snd                    28516   0  [snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-seq-device snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-ali5451 snd-pcm snd-timer snd-ac97-codec]
soundcore               3652   5  [snd]
i2c-core               12772   0  (unused)
mousedev                4020   0  (unused)
hid                    19972   0  (unused)
usbcore                60556   0  [usbnet usb-ohci hid]
keybdev                 1892   0  (unused)
input                   3232   0  [mousedev hid keybdev]
rtc                     6216   0  (autoclean)
serial                 48836   0  (autoclean)
isa-pnp                30824   0  (autoclean) [serial]
Kernel 2.4.22 is fine (acpi included)
root@0[linux-2.4.22]# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by    Not tainted
appletalk              21828   1  (autoclean)
ipx                    18308   1  (autoclean)
parport_pc             27592   1  (autoclean)
lp                      7300   0  (autoclean)
parport                24936   1  (autoclean) [parport_pc lp]
nfsd                   73072   8  (autoclean)
lockd                  50896   1  (autoclean) [nfsd]
sunrpc                 66976   1  (autoclean) [nfsd lockd]
vfat                   10540   1  (autoclean)
fat                    31832   0  (autoclean) [vfat]
md                     45312   0  (autoclean) (unused)
binfmt_aout             4388   0
battery                 8128   0  (unused)
thermal                11620   0  (unused)
processor              17080   0  [thermal]
fan                     2624   0  (unused)
button                  4012   0  (unused)
ac                      3040   0  (unused)
radeon                 79956   0  (unused)
autofs4                 9780   1
af_packet              13320   1
nls_cp437               4380   1
nls_iso8859-1           2876   2
ntfs                   55104   1
trident                28596   2
ac97_codec             13300   0  [trident]
soundcore               3652   3  [trident]
pcigame                 1672   0  [trident]
gameport                1484   0  [pcigame]
8139too                15848   1
crc32                   2848   0  [8139too]
mii                     2400   0  [8139too]
serial                 47908   0
ds                      6868   2
yenta_socket           10752   2
pcmcia_core            41696   0  [ds yenta_socket]
rtc                     6792   0  (autoclean)

2.6 KERNEL

kernel-2.6.0-test4 2003-10-01 : compiled fine serial '8250' , lan, sound, psmouse, X works
And even 3d (dri) when adding patch, see news
rzr@3[linux-2.6.0-test4]$ lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
snd_trident            42532  0
snd_ac97_codec         53892  1 snd_trident
snd_pcm               106148  1 snd_trident
snd_timer              26116  1 snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc         12548  2 snd_trident,snd_pcm
snd_util_mem            5120  1 snd_trident
snd_mpu401_uart         7680  1 snd_trident
snd_rawmidi            25760  1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device          8712  2 snd_trident,snd_rawmidi
snd                    54244  8 snd_trident,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_util_mem,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device
psmouse                13832  0
parport_pc             18660  1
lp                      9664  0
parport                28128  2 parport_pc,lp
uhci_hcd               28944  0
ohci_hcd               17536  0
ehci_hcd               23812  0
usbcore               105180  5 uhci_hcd,ohci_hcd,ehci_hcd
nfsd                   70632  8
exportfs                6400  1 nfsd
lockd                  64112  2 nfsd
sunrpc                129224  2 nfsd,lockd
vfat                   15104  1
fat                    46784  1 vfat
binfmt_aout             7308  0
battery                12044  0
thermal                19472  0
processor              21412  1 thermal
fan                     5516  0
button                  8216  0
ac                      6924  0
radeon                117420  0
ntfs                   89292  1
trident                37716  2
ac97_codec             18956  1 trident
soundcore               8768  4 snd,trident
gameport                4864  2 snd_trident,trident
8139too                22912  0
crc32                   4608  1 8139too
mii                     5376  1 8139too
rtc                    12084  0

kernel 2.6.0-test2 On 2003-08-01 I compiled it. Everything went fine, but I did not manage to set modules for touchpad (fixed in 2.6.0-test4)). #Make sure to compile atkdb & Console term.

# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
psmouse                13832  0
snd_ac97_codec         53892  0
snd_pcm               106148  0
snd_timer              26116  1 snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc         12548  1 snd_pcm
snd_util_mem            5120  0
snd_mpu401_uart         7680  0
snd_rawmidi            25760  1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device          8712  1 snd_rawmidi
snd                    54244  7 snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_util_mem,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device
parport_pc             18660  1
lp                      9664  0
parport                28128  2 parport_pc,lp
uhci_hcd               28944  0
ohci_hcd               17536  0
ehci_hcd               23812  0
usbcore               105180  5 uhci_hcd,ohci_hcd,ehci_hcd
nfsd                   70632  8
exportfs                6400  1 nfsd
lockd                  64112  2 nfsd
sunrpc                129224  2 nfsd,lockd
vfat                   15104  1
fat                    46784  1 vfat
binfmt_aout             7308  0
battery                12044  0
thermal                19472  0
processor              21412  1 thermal
fan                     5516  0
button                  8216  0
ac                      6924  0
radeon                117420  0
ntfs                   89292  1
trident                37460  3
ac97_codec             18956  1 trident
soundcore               8768  5 snd,trident
8139too                22912  0
crc32                   4608  1 8139too
mii                     5376  1 8139too
rtc                    12084  0
http://www.kernel.org/diff/diffview.cgi?file=/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/patch-2.6.0-test5.bz2

kernel 2.6.0

root@3[root]# uname -a
Linux nrv 2.6.0 #1 SMP Fri Dec 19 02:10:56 CET 2003 i686 GNU/Linux
root@3[root]# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
nfsd                   95344  8
exportfs                5504  1 nfsd
lockd                  60848  2 nfsd
sunrpc                121032  2 nfsd,lockd
autofs                 14720  1
snd_seq_oss            32960  0
snd_seq_midi_event      6592  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                53392  4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          6984  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_pcm_oss            48612  0
snd_mixer_oss          17152  2 snd_pcm_oss
pcmcia_core            59552  0
af_packet              17608  0
ppp_async               9920  0
ipv6                  236416  19
ppp_generic            27408  1 ppp_async
slhc                    6912  1 ppp_generic
ipt_MASQUERADE          3328  1
iptable_nat            20772  2 ipt_MASQUERADE
ip_conntrack           27692  2 ipt_MASQUERADE,iptable_nat
ip_tables              15808  2 ipt_MASQUERADE,iptable_nat
parport_pc             37804  1
lp                      9376  2
parport                37352  2 parport_pc,lp
nls_iso8859_1           4224  2
nls_cp437               5824  2
dm_mod                 34528  0
md                     41344  0
sg                     29400  0
ide_scsi               12740  0
scsi_mod               67108  2 sg,ide_scsi
ac                      4172  0
fan                     3340  0
battery                 8204  0
thermal                11728  0
processor              12492  1 thermal
button                  5016  0
radeon                115244  0
agpgart                27052  0
snd_ali5451            20996  1
snd_ac97_codec         52100  1 snd_ali5451
snd_pcm                87008  2 snd_pcm_oss,snd_ali5451
snd_page_alloc          9540  1 snd_pcm
snd_timer              21700  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd                    44900  10 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_ali5451,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               7424  2 snd
ohci1394               31944  0
ieee1394              210796  1 ohci1394
rtc                    11016  0

root@3[root]# cat /etc/modules
# file:///etc/modules
#psmouse
keybdev
mousedev
input

# usb
usb-ohci
ohci1394

### Sound
snd-ali5451
snd

###
agpgart
radeon

#powernow-k7
## ACPI
button
thermal
battery
processor
fan
ac
#ipt_TCPMSS
#ipt_TOS
#ipt_state
#ipt_LOG
#ppp_generic
#slhc

#ieee1394
#8139too
#mii
#crc32
#ipt_REJECT
#iptable_mangle
#iptable_filter
#ip_nat_ftp
#iptable_nat
#ip_conntrack_ftp
#ip_conntrack
#ip_tables



# disk
ide-scsi
scsi_mod
sg
vfat
fat

serial

slmdm
slamrmo
#####

# dmesg
Badness in local_bh_enable at kernel/softirq.c:121

# modprobe 8139too
8139too Fast Ethernet driver 0.9.26
eth0: RealTek RTL8139 at 0xcf9ce800, 00:02:3f:af:db:4b, IRQ 11
eth0:  Identified 8139 chip type 'RTL-8100B/8139D'
eth0: link up, 10Mbps, half-duplex, lpa 0x0000

dri dont work

OTHER DISTRO

Just Use Debian/knoppix :)

Tryed to install Linux Debian woody 3.0r0
Instalation went fine ... unless those Warning Message :

Probally hardware bug : clock timer configuration lost
probally a VIA686a
probable hardware bug : restoring chip configuration
Configuring binutils : Kernel link failure info arch/i286/vmlinux.lds (I suppose it is not specific to my host)

Everything is fine ... let's configure X ...

Debian Woody : I installed the default kernel on a floppy, And booted without problem

But I built a kernel, installed it on a floppy and it crashed on boot :

# 2.4.20 :
	CPU 0: Machine Check Exception: 0000000000000007
	kernel panic
This also happend with emovix (mini linux distrib for multimedia)
isapnp: Scanning for PnP cards...
	CPU 0: Machine Check Exception: 0000000000000007
	Bank 3: b400000000001 at 00000001fc0003b3
	Kernel panic: Unable to continue
# google parsemce.c
Disable Machine Check Exception : pass some parms to lilo / boot prompt (keep shift key down during boot process) : LILO: linux nomce MCE error happend also on kernel 2.6.0-test1

I didnt dig deeper, now I am fine with the other distro.

I also tried once to boot the Red Hat 10 cd, until the keyboard get stuck.

Alain S. reported that Mandrake 9.1 worked at least as good as knoppix.

It gets stuck on DHCP detection : add nopcmcia on bootprompt
X started and Mouse is detected...
This is when I dropped all those obsolete distros for recent knoppix

I tried Red Hat 10 : the keyboard doesnt work once the kernel is booted (special options may avoid that ? )

The Mandrake 9 Install boot was successful and I got that < / > keys working again, I didn't go further looking at the dmesg log : but I've been reported that Mandrake 9.1 is ok.

<4>Linux version 2.4.21-0.13mdkBOOT (quintela@bi.mandrakesoft.com) 
 (gcc version 3.2.2 (Mandrake Linux 9.1 3.2.2-3mdk)) #1 Fri Mar 7 03:53:15 CET 2003
...
<3>Warning: ATI Radeon IGP Northbridge is not yet fully tested.
...
<6>Serial driver version 5.05c (2001-07-08) with HUB-6 MANY_PORTS MULTIPORT SHARE_IRQ SERIAL_PCI enabled
<6>ttyS00 at 0x03f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A
<6>PCI: Found IRQ 11 for device 00:03.0
<6>Redundant entry in serial pci_table.  Please send the output of
<4>lspci -vv, this message (10b9,5457,1734,100a)
<4>and the manufacturer and name of serial board or modem board
<4>to serial-pci-info(a)lists.sourceforge.net.
<4>register_serial(): autoconfig failed
...

Other distro tested are Tom bootsisk,
DemoLinux 3.0 (kernel 2.2.18) is a cd live linux distro (based on debian).

When using geexbox-generator-0.90-4 : keyboard was not propelly detected. or I suppose loading module usb-ohci locks it.

Emovix http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Installation-HOWTO/index.html
http://www.tldp.org/LDP/gs/gs.html

MISC

Benchmark
lilo : login 62 sec
login : KDE 23sec
openoffice: 20-50 sec,
Optimisations : http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-boot.html
http://slashdot.org/articles/03/09/18/224207.shtml
#dmesg
spurious 8259A interrupt: IRQ14
Short summary: It's a hardware problem (usually). Transient Line-noise/crosstalk persuades the PIC that something happened; this can result in a 'dummy' interrupt being raised, which happens to be IRQ7 with intel's 8259 design.The problem could possibly also be caused by (or instead be caused by) a device driver not properly masking its interrupts before servicing, this would be the suspect if the IRQ7's were happening in bursts, or more often than 'several' per day. (Source and additional information) Since the message itself is harmless, it's enough to adjust the default loglevel outplut of klogd (the -c opion) in the syslogd bootscript. See man klogd for details. You can also try recompiling the kernel and unset CONFIG_LOCAL_APIC. http://test.linuxfromscratch.org/faq/#spurious-8259A-interrupt
Q1. What is it? A1. The 8259A/82C59A-2 is a programmable interrupt controller (PIC). It is designed to allow prioritizing and handling of hardware interrupt requests from peripheral devices, mainly in a PC environment. http://groups.google.com/groups?q=spurious+interrupt+8259&hl=de&scoring=d&selm=3C174EDD.9090306%40hotmail.com&rnum=10
 SET DISPLAY SPURIOUS INTERRUPT ALERTS = OFF.

http://RzR.online.FR
Last modified: Wed Jul 27 20:31:42 CEST 2005