2.6.29.1 kernel

Ok, I have decided to go for this kernel, as the standard for Woof.

The "standard" configuration is conservative, with 'ticks' enabled, and uniprocessor. It also has ext4 support builtin (not a module). It is compiled in Jaunty-Puppy.

There are only two patches, to change the default loglevel from 7 to 3, and Unionfs 2.5.1.

3rd party modules
I compiled some 3rd-party modules:

Wireless:
ndiswrapper-1.54

Filesystem:
ntfs-3g-2009.4.4 (not a module, uses fuse.ko)

Modem:
intel-536EP-2.56.76.0_2009_02_08
pctel-0.9.7-9-rht-10
martian-20080625
ungrab-winmodem-20080126
slmodem-2.9.11-20080417-patched2

I tried, couldn't get these modem drivers to compile:
ess, agrsm, Intel 537EP, ltmodem, hsfmodem
...hopefully some of these will be updated soon. I have been in contact with the ESS maintainer in the past, he at least is likely to respond to a plea.

Patched source
I have created a kernel source SFS file, but it is in Squashfs 4.0 format. Also a patched source .tar.gz tarball. Also module sources. Uploaded to here:
http://puppylinux.com/sources/kernel-2.6.29.1/

SCSI drives
I have taken a new approach for true-SCSI drives. Instead of compiling special kernels with SCSI support builtin -- three of them I think I did before -- this time I am staying with the "standard" kernel. Instead, Woof has a live-CD build option to place SCSI modules in the 'initrd.gz' file.

When I upload the 'upup-463-SCSI.iso' (alpha5, expected in a day or two), anyone with SCSI hardware is invited to test it. It will only work for PCI-based computers, in which the SCSI drive is connected via a PCI card or motherboard PCI interface.

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Comments

Multimedia Puppy
Username: happypuppy
Any plans for a Puppy with a real-time multimedia kernel as the ones used in Ubuntu Studio and Musix?

or a Puppy with a semi-RT kernel
Username: happypuppy
"...or at least a kernel configured for semi-realtime operation,like Windows XP. Just enable these kernel config options for that: CONFIG_HZ=1000 (and uncomment 250Hz) CONFIG_PREEMPT (and uncomment PREEMPT_VOLUNTARY) A true real-time kernel requires an *RT patch*: http://rt.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page and enabling these options: CONFIG_PREEMPT CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT CONFIG_HZ=1000 Also one should comment out / disable all debugging options.

drivers
Username: MU
"I can see in your config: # CONFIG_PCI_MSI is not set Vesions 9.1 of the Ati catalyst driver required: CONFIG_PCI_MSI=y Or it refused to compile in 2.6.27.5. http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=36592&start=210 So for 2.6.28.5 we activated this option. I don't know, if this still is required for the newer drivers 9.4 or newer Kernels. Mark

options
Username: MU
"also consider: CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_CODEPAGE=850 CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_IOCHARSET="utf8" you currently use: CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_CODEPAGE=437 CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_IOCHARSET="iso8859-1" http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=36592&start=195 Mark

Kernel 2.6.29.1
Username: B
éèm"I am happy with this decision as it means that probably my 2 sata HDD's in my Medion MD8818 will be supported. It is actualy in upup-015, but not any more in jaunty. Maybe consider smp support also. More and more new PC's/laptops have dual processors.

Drivers and PCI_MSI
Username: happypuppy
"CONFIG_PCI_MSI is not set I think nVidia drivers (and other non-driver stuff) require this option as well.

Essential
Username: Leon
"Mark wrote: [i]also consider: CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_CODEPAGE=850 CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_IOCHARSET="utf8" you currently use: CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_CODEPAGE=437 CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_IOCHARSET="iso8859-1" http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=36592&start=195[/i] Yes, that would make a real progress. wow's solution finally allowed file operations with files that have non-US locale characters in filenames.

AUFS
Username: Guy2
"Why aren't you using AUFS? It now supports 2.6.29 too.

Zen Woof
Username: happypuppy
"How about a Zenwalk-based Woof? Zenwalk is Slackware based,but much better,lighter and with a superior package repository. Slackware is becoming more bloated with each release (loads of unneeded dependencies) :( The Zenwalk guys are doing a much better job - they even have precompiled realtime kernels for download: http://packages.zenwalk.org/?p=kernel-rt-2.6.26.8.rt16-i486-62.1.tgz&zversion=snapshot Nice :)

Firmware
Username: helander
"The last part in the kernel_patches.txt (about firmware install) was a bit cryptic (for me at least). I would appreciate some elaboration on the steps that should be performed. Kind Regards /Lars

Firmware install
Username: BarryK
"You can ignore that last bit, it was for the case where the kernel is configured with external firmware "blobs". However I have configured with the blobs builtin to the kernel binary.

Kernel build
Username: helander
"Thanks for the firmware info. I am planning to build a kernel with the RT patches applied. I have built a 2.6.29 kernel with RT and uinionfs that works fine, but for another distro (TinyCore) but for various reasons I would like to use Puppy instead. I have not yet integrated any kernel into Puppy/Woof yet, so I would like to get access to some up-to-date instructions on how to build the initrd etc. Is that somehow "automated" within Woof? Kind Regards Lars

Woof
Username: BarryK
"Yes, Woof does it all.

Kernel Pet package
Username: helander
"I studied the woof build files and found out that the kernel should be packaged as a pet package prior to the woof build. What is the preferred way to build the kernel pet package; look at the structure of an existing kernel pet package and create a package having the same structure but with my own kernel image (and I guess the corresponding modules as well) or do you have some script available that I can adjust to my "needs" that will build a proper kernel pet package? Kind Regards Lars

Re: kernel PET pkg
Username: BarryK
"Yes, you will have to create a directory that mimics the same layout as the other kernel PET packages. Let's say it's 'linux_kernel-2.6.29.1-myversion' -- also give it the same base name "linux_kernel". Then convert to PET: # dir2tgz linux_kernel-2.6.29.1-myversion # tgz2pet linux_kernel-2.6.29.1-myversion.tar.gz

2.6.29.2 stable kernel update
Username: coolpup
"The 2.6.29.2 stable kernel update is out; it contains about 100 patches. "There are a lot of fixes in this release touching all over the tree. At least a few have possible security impact (e.g. af_rose, agp, capability fs_mask, splice/ocfs2). As usual, you're encouraged to upgrade." http://lwn.net/Articles/330400/rss

Tags: woof