Subj : Kernel upgrade query - want 48-bit LBA
To   : comp.os.linux
From : Wally
Date : Sat Oct 23 2004 09:56 am

Hi.

I've reached a point where I need to upgrade my kernel so that I can see all
of my new 160 gig hard disk. The BIOS has already been upgraded, and is
reporting the disk size correctly. I've never done a kernel upgrade, so I'd
be grateful for some guidance.

OS is Mandrake 8.1. The machine is used for firewall/NAT and is a LAN file
server. I run Apache locally for developing stuff in PHP. I have no plans at
present to run a server which is visible to the internet. I would like the
upgrade to be as minimum-impact as possible - I'm only really interested in
accessing all of the new hard disk.

Current kernel version is 2.4.8. I gather that 48-bit LBA was implemented in
kernel version 2.4.16, and have downloaded 2.4.27 and 2.6.9 from kernel.org.
I read that, to upgrade to 2.6.9, one has to upgrade a bunch of other
stuff - gcc and, I guess, various support libraries for the compiler. I'd
rather avoid this if possible - will the gcc that comes with Mandrake 8.1
compile kernel 2.4.27 okay? Are there likely to be other impacts by moving
from 2.4.8 to 2.4.27?

I'm not too clear on the process, and would appreciate clarification. Here's
my understanding thus far...

Install the compiler.
- Should be able to manage this.

Unpack the downloaded kernel source.
- How do I unpack the kernel source? It's a bz2 file.

Compile the source.
- I've read that I need to make a symbolic link so that the compiler can
find the source in the path that it expects to see. I should be able to find
the commands to run.

Do something to make it 'active' and reboot the server.
- Lost here.


I'm off to look for a howto to get a better understanding of the process in
general, but would be most grateful for assistance with my questions
regarding versions of Mandrake, compiler, and kernel.


-- 
Wally
www.artbywally.com
www.wally.myby.co.uk

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