make install_modules error :: MDK 10

[gampy]

Hello Folks,

I've been trying since 3 days now to recompile my kernel under Mandrake 10 (2.6.3-7mdk). My system is a dual (2) Pentium 2 /350 (Intel 440 BX chipset). My video card is an older (2X agp) ATI Rage 128. I'm using CFLAGS option: -march=pentium2. Everything goes along fine until I try to install the drivers. At which time I get the following error.

if [ -r System.map ]; then /sbin/depmod -ae -F System.map 2.6.3-7mdkcustom; fi
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.3-7mdkcustom/kernel/3rdparty/mod_marvel/mga_core.ko needs unknown symbol matroxfb_register_driver
WARNING: /lib/modules/2.6.3-7mdkcustom/kernel/3rdparty/mod_marvel/mga_core.ko needs unknown symbol matroxfb_unregister_driver
make: *** [_modinst_post] Error 1

I really want to recompile my kernel to have my home-based server optimized for my chipset & cpu. I am presently using the Mandrake vanilla smp kernel. Can one of you fine, fellow propeller heads guide me in the right direction to resolve this issue? BTW, I don't have any Matrox display support included in my .config file. I only have ATI Rage 128 & Radeon support included. I'm going for as much performance and decreased kernel size as possible.

Thank-you,

[gampy]

Hello again, Gang

Well, it seems that the answer to successful compilation was to remove 'Marvel Card Support' under the 3rd party drivers support section. I then saved my .config file, redid 'make modules' and then 'make modules_install' completed successfully.

I've just finished booting my server with the newly compiled kernel. I am well pleased. I've gained a performace improvement of at least 25 percent. All applications are more responsive and the system even booted faster. Application load times have dramatically been improved. It was really important to me to compile into my kernel the new 2.6 preemptive support and tailor it for the system's particular chipset / cpu.

It took a long time to get this compilation to succeed, but it was worth the effort. I've successfully recompiled kernels quite a number of times in the past, but this was the first time I've encountered such an elusive little "snafu". ..oh well. .."all's well that ends well."

[bwkaz]

FYI, you no longer need to do "make modules" in kernel 2.6. The build system changed from 2.4.

Now, all you have to do is:

make config (or menuconfig, or xconfig, or gconfig, or whatever)
make
make modules_install

The "make" will build the old "bzImage", and "modules" targets, all in one command. "dep" no longer does anything, I don't think (though I could be wrong on that).