2.6.39-3 kernel recompiled

I have recompiled the kernel. See post about previous compile:
http://bkhome.org/archive/blog2/201107/linux-26393-compiled.html

Some very small configure changes, but this time I put in my usb-storage patch. All patches and sources are uploaded:
http://bkhome.org/sources/kernel-2.6.39-3-patched2/

I have modified script /sbin/wait4usb in the initramfs in Woof to work with a kernel with builtin usb drivers and with or without the usb-storage patch. The current uploaded version of Woof will work also, as wait4usb just has fixed sleeps -- the new version has a test that may give more exact waiting for all usb drives to be ready (utilising the usb-storage patch).

Here is the kernel PET (23MB):
http://distro.ibiblio.org/quirky/pet_packages-wary5/linux_kernel-2.6.39-3-patched2-w5.pet

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Comments

Recompiling 2.6.39-3 yet again
Username: BarryK
Recompiling it right now. Various changes: 1. Pentium Pro (i686) CPU. 2. serial_cs.ko 3. Fix timberdale dependency problem. "Pentium Pro" is actually CONFIG_I686, the minimum that supports PAE. The .config file I am using had "Character drivers -> Serial drivers -> PCMCIA serial support" turned off. This is needed, provides serial_cs.ko (needed for PCMCIA modems). For timberdale, there was an option that I had to disable, PATA_ARASAN_CF.

snd-opl3sa2
Username: gjuhasz
"YAMAHA OPL3-SA Sound Controller needs the following modules: snd-opl3sa2 (missing) snd_opl3_lib snd_opl3_synth The latter two are selectable in the Boot Manager's Module add-list. All previous puppies had them built-in.

re missing sound driver
Username: BarryK
"gjuhassz, Yikes, I just realised that all of the drivers for isa cards are missing. This is the price that I am paying for using someone else's .config file as a starting point. Well, I am knocking it into shape. I will recompile the kernel soon, with those drivers. It is possible that the .config file was refined favoring newer hardware. PCs with Pentium Pro or later CPUs would all be PCI bus wouldn't they? Well, the Pentium Pro came out in 1995, so I guess there would still have been a lot of PCs with isa sockets at that time.

No ISA bus support
Username: BarryK
"No, I have reconsidered. The .config file has "Bus options -> ISA bus support" disabled, which disables all ISA sound cards, in fact all ISA cards. This is reasonable. This is a PAE kernel, designed to run on fairly modern hardware. I think it reasonable to draw the line that excludes ISA bus, and expects USB and PCI.

ISA?
Username: BarryK
"Any hardware gurus with thoughts on this?

ISA
Username: pemasu
"Yes, I left them out since I have concentrated on newer desktops and laptops. I even tested vgaswithceroo in one kernel but it is not mature yet. That was my decision to left them out. Nobody with that old machine wont try PAE kernel since it eats about 18-20 Mb ram and ISA using machine cant have it much.

ISA sound card support
Username: pemasu
"gjuhasz snd-opl3sa2 (missing) is due to missing ISA card support. I am sorry to cause harm. My .config was meant to newer hardware which needs newer kernel for needed wireless support and other device support. Some wireless drivers are not possible to compile to older kernels. I also drawed a line not to support ISA cards. I didnt know that my .config would be used as template for Barrys compiles. I am sorry Anyway these test has benefit a lot. For Wary there is need for ISA support as gjuhasz has shown. In 18 build nobody has asked about missing support for ISA. It shows that people knew what to expect. Wary users are used to that old comps have support. I really am sorry.

PAE on 256 MB PII
Username: gjuhasz
"No sound is the only (but roadblocking) issue on this old laptop. The rest of functions (video, peripherals) work well, but there is no significant performance difference between Wary 5.1.2.3 and 5.1.2 No sound problem with the rest of Warys, Slacko and Lupu-525. In Quirky and in earlier slackpups, I do not get X. I doubt whether disabling ISA bus support improves any performance parameter when running 5.1.2.3 on other machines.

No sound problem
Username: gjuhasz
"Thanks, pemasu. If I wrote "No sound problem with the rest of Warys, Slacko and Lupu-525" I wanted to say "There were no sound-related problems" using the above mentioned newer Puppies. Of course, older ones were OK, too. Maybe I am not alone with this: I always had to select my sound modules in the Boot Manager's Module add-list because this chip has never been auto-detected (related to ISA?).

ISA is out
Username: BarryK
"Ok, I will leave out ISA support from the kernel. pemasu, nothing to be sorry about, your choice was a good one. The PAE kernel is specifically to handle Pentium Pro CPUs and above, and RAM over 4GB. Highly unlikely that there will be any PCs in that category and with the ISA bus. For older PCs, there are many that will not support the PAE kernel, some Pentium CPU variants and early AMDs. They can continue to use Wary or any other pup built with non-PAE kernel. Also, I can't compile most of the 3rd-party dialup modem drivers with the 2.6.39 kernel, another reason not to bother with trying to support older hardware.

ISA slots didn't die out that long ago
Username: disciple
"Although there probably are not a lot of ISA [i]cards[/i] in use, they were still manufacturing PC's in at least 2000 with ISA slots. > Nobody with that old machine wont try PAE kernel since it eats about 18-20 Mb ram and ISA using machine cant have it much. Ouch. I do have a few PCs with ISA slots that can take at least 1GB of ram, in which case that wouldn't be a problem, but I suppose as long as there is a non-PAE kernel available that will always be better.

Tags: woof