2.6 Kernel - Pulling My Hair Out (and I don't need to loose any)

[robpom]

I have had nothing but problems on several boxes and with several distributions since switching to any version of the 2.6 kernel. Among the issues I have had are:

Audigy Sound Card - works when it feels like it. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it won't . Deleting it and readding it usually fixes this, but sometimes it doesn't.

USB 2.0 - Red Hat does fine during installation. After first boot, it decides it's not necessary to have USB any longer and removes the controller.

Mounting and accessing FAT partitions - no longer seems possible in Fedora Core 2 - maybe I am doing something wrong - but it works fine in Core 1.

What am I missing if I don't update to 2.6? What fun and excitement can I expect from 2.7?

Sorry to be ranting a little - but I am a newbie to Linux. Been using it off and on for a while but I am trying to learn more about it since our company is trying to switch more and more customers over to it(I work at a major OEM). Its hard to tell customers to update to a new kernel when it breaks things. Yes, I know Windows Updates break things too, but its hard to convince people to swtich from an OS that they are familiiar with to one they are not that has many of the same problems.

[Dark Ninja]

It may not be the kernel (in fact, unless you made major changes to your settings, my guess is, it isn't the kernel at all). My guess would be that the distro you are using is...mmm...funky. (I'm not really sure of the right word here.) For example, Slackware did not get along well with my system. I'm sure it could handle everything if I was willing to spend more time -- but I wasn't. Gentoo, on the other hand, handled everything perfectly. (I was using the same kernel. I tried Slackware out, looking for a distro that gave me control. I learned about Gentoo from this forum, actually.) So, it was still my fault -- but it definitely wasn't the kernel I was using.

Just something you may want to look into.

[robpom]

Thanks for the reply. I am still investigating. However on these issues, Fedora Core 1 worked correctly and Fedora Core 2 didn't.

Suse worked - until I updated the Kernel.

You may be right on the distribution being the issue, but the only thing in common seems to be the updated kernel.

[Icarus]

I had an issue with the sound on my laptop when I went from 2.6.4 to 2.6.6 where the ALSA sound 'claimed' to work but no sound came out...I used the old obsolete OSS drivers and it worked.

Try tailing the /var/log/messages and plug the USB in, see if it gets detected...if not, you may be missing USB support in the kernel (don't think this is the case though since you say it did work before a reboot so I'll guess re-plugging it should generate output in dmesg or the log)

Could vfat support of been removed from the FC2 kernel?? That would be a very odd move if it was...try
mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt/windows
(use the proper device and mount point)
any errors from that?

I don't like messing with development kernels too often (the odd numbered ones) and prefer to wait for the stable release (the even numbered ones) even if the development ones would cause me no harm...I'm not a kernel upgrade feind :)

[JohnT]

Originally posted by robpom
Thanks for the reply. I am still investigating. However on these issues, Fedora Core 1 worked correctly and Fedora Core 2 didn't.

Suse worked - until I updated the Kernel.

You may be right on the distribution being the issue, but the only thing in common seems to be the updated kernel. There are so many articles available on Fedora I'm surprised you haven't seen the difficulties that have arisen from FC1 to FC2.....and according to the roadmap if you want something that is bleeding edge only.....upgrade your Fedora. There are too many variables involved in the distro to be able to nail it down to kernel only.

[robpom]

John T

Yes - I have seen the many articles. Its just you always go in thinking "I will be different" Its just frustrating that I had the sound problems with SuSe and then the others with Red Hat. Neither problem occurred until I upgraded to the 2.6 kernel.

I am going back to Core 1 or maybe Enterprise instead.

[JohnT]

Originally posted by robpom
John T

Yes - I have seen the many articles. Its just you always go in thinking "I will be different" Its just frustrating that I had the sound problems with SuSe and then the others with Red Hat. Neither problem occurred until I upgraded to the 2.6 kernel.

I am going back to Core 1 or maybe Enterprise instead. When you get to the end of your search......Slackware will be here waiting.:D

[fatTrav]

FC1 is better than FC2 in my opinion. Good ole reliable FC1 with kernel 2.4.26. I had lots of problems, sound being one, with FC2.

Mandrake 10 worked great with 2.6.7 on my test box. Maybe give that one a try? It is less up-to-date as FC2 and not nearly as buggy.

Giving Slackware 10 a try, bittorrenting (oh how I loathe bittorrent) the .isos as I write this. Can't wait to start slacking (on my text box at least)

[frimann]

I read this recently and thought it might help with mute sound on suse.

http://portal.suse.com/sdb/en/2004/05/thallma_91_sndsilence.html

[robpom]

Slapping myself on the wrist - duh - why not look at the SuSE site. Sometimes its easy to overlook the obvious....

Thanks - I will try this.

[frimann]

Glad to help