Installing RC5 in RH7

[Floppyman]

Hi all,

I downloaded dnet-linux-x86-elf.tar.gz for my dualie from the distributed website (first is this the right client?). I doubleclick on the .gz file and I can see what's in it. But when I click on dnet file...I get an error "No action taken" (in GNOME) What does this mean? Do I have to do anything special to install it? Thanks in advance.

[Statica]

The way to work with tarballs and gzips ..
tar -xzf dnet-linux-x86-elf.tar.gz

Make sure you read the README files or all instructional text files when in doubt

Running the client in this case^* is to use your console [from within GNOME] and run
./dnetc
Command line switches available are:
--help
-config

etc etc...

*: I do not run this at all, all I did do however was go through the readme.

In other instances with tarballs etc, you may have to run MAKE.

Cheers

[Floppyman]

Hey ex,

Thanks for the help. I think I understand how tar works but how do I get rid of the gz extension? How I unzip a gzip? just using unzip filename doens't seem to work? Could you tell me how I could unzip this and then proceed from there..I'm a newbie. Thx.

[Floppyman]

Regard the other message I got it working Just one more question. How do I configure linux so that the client starts up automatically when it is loading so I don't have to launch it manually? Thanks again.

[Statica]

Hey floppydude .. i missed that .gz extension glad u got it to work
Ok to get it to start automatically
edit /etc/rc.local and add this line to it
/the/correct/path/dnetc -quiet

get the correct path... cheers

[Floppyman]

yup got it...thanks. Could also please explain to me what "Make" is and how do run it/what is it good for? I might try to reinstall a kernel here soon and "make" pops up often. Also do you know where I could download a 2.4 test kernel? Thanks again.

[Statica]

Hi Floppyman:
As you know by now, the essence of Linux is Power to the User. In spirit, most of the code that you run on your computer is customizable, and is usually customized FOR YOUR SYSTEM. To give you a rough comparison, compare the system a Micro$oft installer gives you, it is the same system that operates a comp be it a PIII or a P-100, now how could the two systems be configured along the same lines. Sure there is a selective subset of drivers that are loaded up on a per system basis but if you were to take a closer look at the windoze, it loads a whole lot more than is necessary. The result is an unnecessary bogging down of the system, while accomplishing nothing worthwhile. Contrast that to the simple scenario of the Linux model. When you download code, it usually comes to u in the raw farm, not in binary. make-ing the system basically allows you to customize the code to suit your needs. There are quite a few make options for different purposes, all of which may be documented in the readme. or the howto. For example make config on a kernel deployment would allow you dramatic possibilities over using a stock kernel ie. [as you shall see on your kernel rebuilding exercise], you can really do some magical things.

On the other hand mission critical applications and servers like apache etc are not to be trusted by using binaries such as DEB and RPM, you will find out as you go on that some binary releases are just plain pathetic. In such cases a hand crafted compilatoin is th way to go.

Firstly, make sure you read the howtos on kernel configuration
( http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO.html ), compiling and deployment before you begin. It will also list appropriate makeables. Kernels are available from various mirrors, however for a central repository I always use http://www.kernel.org
Make sure you check out logs to see whats gone wrong and whats coming up .. notes from kernel traffic (URL not remembered now) are invaluable, but all that is depending on how much research you want to get into.

[Floppyman]

Thanks for the info. I'm kinda confused as to how to exactly edit the rc.local file. Do I edit it in gnomepad? If so what is the exact syntax I would have to put in it and where do I put it? Thanks again.

[Statica]

yeah any text editor will do ..

just add the line in bold verbatim

[Floppyman]

Thanks again.

I downloaded the latest beta kernel but I can't get 'make config' to work. (I'm logged on as root btw) I put it in /usr/src and extracted all the files. In the gnome console I type in: cd /usr/src/linux which bring me to the linux directory in src (which has all the files in it). I then type in either $BASH 'make config' or /bin/bash 'make config' and both times it says it can't find it. I'm using the 2.4.test12 beta kernel..do you install these differently? Am I doing something wrong? The faq says 'make config' should work in /usr/src/linux....I'm stumped. Thanks in Advance.

[Statica]

/usr/src/linux is usually a symbolic link. For example if your current kernel is 2.2.17 you should find the following entries in your /usr/src:
linux-2.2.17
and linux
if you are aware of any UNIX, you'll know that UNIX is what a "Shortcut" roughly does for a windoze system, it points to a specific directory.

Suppose you downloaded kernel 2.4.0.
First what you have to do is make the directory /usr/src/2.4.0, then you have to change change the symlink '/usr/src/linux' to point to '/usr/src/2.4.0'. You can either right click on /usr/src/linux on your Gnome file manager / KFM etc, or you can learn to use ln by typing 'man ln' on the console.
Once you have created the new linux symlink to point to 2.4.0, go about the business of decompressing and untarring the kernel source that you downloaded [btw did you download the right kernel?]
Then enter /usr/src/linux and do the makeables and compilation. If you are on GUI, its always nice to run 'make xconfig'
If you didnt correctly change the symlinks etc, look in /usr/src, you might have either created a new directory without thinking it or mixed up your existing kernel sources with the new ones that you downloaded. Or perhaps it wasnt allowed.
Follow the howto's to the letter floppyman. Its pretty easy when you do. Just be careful on which directories you decide to use. Be aware of the difference between a directory and a symlink when looking at it.

[Floppyman]

Well I'm using REdhat and the only directory in usr/src is REDHAT right now. Should I look for the kernel in there? Once I've found the kernel files what do I do then? Thanks again. I will go ahead and makedir /usr/src/2.4.test12 and then I will move the file in there. I will then change symbolic link to /usr/src/2.4.test12 from /usr/src/linux and see what happens. The thing is I don't have a linux directory in src only a Redhat one. Then I should try make xconfig right?

[Edited by Floppyman on 12-28-2000 at 12:42 PM]

[Statica]

Ok so you obviously havent installed the kernel sources when you put in RedHat. No worries. So what you do is make yourself a directory: /usr/src/linux-2.4test12
Then make yourself a symlink /usr/src/linux that points to /usr/src/linux-2.4.test12
Unzip/untar the downloaded file into /usr/src/linux .. then go to /usr/src/linux and type : make xconfig
and go from there..

[Floppyman]

Hi ex,

Still no luck. I created a directory called 2.4.test12 in /usr/src no problem. I moved the kernel file in there. I then unzipped and extracted all the files. This made a directory in /2.4.test12 called linux. Inside that are a bunch of other folders and basically everything. I then made a symbolic link to that linux folder. Basically I did ln -s /usr/src/2.4.test12/linux /usr/src/linux. I then went to the console and wne to /usr/src/linux. I type in either $BASH 'make xconfig' or /bin/bash 'make xconfig' and I still get an error and it doesn't start. What am I doing wrong? Thanks again.

[Statica]

did you type:
$BASH 'make xconfig'

or

/bin/bash 'make xconfig'


?


[Edited by Ex-Static-Cling on 12-29-2000 at 07:39 AM]

[Floppyman]

yeah I type either of those in from the linux directory usr/src/linux...which really is a symbolic link to usr/src/2.4.test12/linux (which has all the files/folders in it, and nothing happens it says it can't find xconfig...does it have something to do with the test kernel I"m using...do I use a different directory? Thanks again.