Hey guys, I have installed Freebsd 5.3 Release, and I can't compile my custom kernel. I even tried compile the Generic kernel to see if I had some error in my custom kernel, and that didn't compile either. The Freebsd FAQ pages states one solution would be to "re-fetch the source tree". How is that done? Thanks in advanced for you help.
Hi !
What exactly did you tryed ? It never happend to me to fail compiling the kernel... how did you tryed to compile it ?
I usualy compile it like this:
- cd /usr/src/sys/i386/conf/
- cp GENERIC newKernel
- vi newKernel (and edit to fit my options)
- config newKernel
- cd ../compile/newKernel/
- make depend
- make
- make install clean
Try this steps. It's the most easyest way to compile the kernel. If it's not working, post here the errors you get and we'll figure it out 
Good luck !
Bye !
Thanks Sergui-IT. I tried those steps and it failed on step 7 in your previous list, "make". The error was "End of file not found". Can you tell me how to re-fetch the source tree, and what exactly does that mean? Thanks alot.
Hi !
Have you tried to compile a new version of the kernel ? Or the kernel that came with your install CD ? Anyway, the problem seems to be in one of the files... try to reinstall the sources from your install CD. If you are new and you don't want to do something complicate simply try the sysinstall command (as root). It's a very easy-to-use interface for installing packages. The same you used when you installed FreeBSD. You'll have the install menu and select from the packages the kernel sources to install.
Another option, fetching the source tree, it's a little more complicated and... not so good. At least, I don't like it 
This is how I'm doing this:
- Create a "supfile" that contains something like this :
*default host=cvsup.ro.FreeBSD.org
*default base=/usr
*default prefix=/usr/ncvs
*default compress
*default release=cvs tag=.
*default delete use-rel-suffix
src-sys
- Create the /usr/ncvs directory
- Go into the directory where your supfle is and try : cvsup -g -L 2 supfile. This will download (fetch) the last kernel source tree to your computer and will put it in /usr/ncvs. After that, you have to do the normal compilation (config newKernel, make depend, make, make install clean) with your new fetched kernel source.
You should also take a look at this links:
Chapter 9. Configuring the FreeBSD Kernel | FreeBSD Documentation Portal (for more details on kernel build)
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/cvsup.html (for using cvsup)
Well... I hope this helps... sorry for my bad english, it's not my native language
Good luck !
Bye-Bye!
Thanks alot Sergui-IT. I re-installed from the installation CD and everything seems to be working now. Thanks again.
Hey, I'm also having a problem with my custom kernel.
After the #cd ../compile/mykernel (some say newkernel) the make depend commando fails. It tells me that it's missing a header file, I think it was called miibus or something. And the installation aborts. Any ideas?
I'm also using the FreeBSD 5.3 release, I tried to reinstall all the packages already.
Hi !
Well... I do have an ideea
miibus is required for some network cards to work. On the original GENERIC file you can find something like this:
# PCI Ethernet NICs that use the common MII bus controller code.
# NOTE: Be sure to keep the 'device miibus' line in order to use these NICs!
device miibus # MII bus support
Probably when you "customized" your kernel for compilation, you deleted the "device miibus" line, but you leaved support for some network card that requires miibus. Try to insert the "device miibus" line in your file. It will probably work without any problems...
Good luck !
Hi !
Have you tried to compile a new version of the kernel ? Or the kernel that came with your install CD ? Anyway, the problem seems to be in one of the files... try to reinstall the sources from your install CD. If you are new and you don't want to do something complicate simply try the sysinstall command (as root). It's a very easy-to-use interface for installing packages. The same you used when you installed FreeBSD. You'll have the install menu and select from the packages the kernel sources to install.
Another option, fetching the source tree, it's a little more complicated and... not so good. At least, I don't like it This is how I'm doing this:
- Create a "supfile" that contains something like this :
Code:
*default host=cvsup.ro.FreeBSD.org *default base=/usr *default prefix=/usr/ncvs *default compress *default release=cvs tag=. *default delete use-rel-suffix src-sys
- Create the /usr/ncvs directory
- Go into the directory where your supfle is and try : cvsup -g -L 2 supfile. This will download (fetch) the last kernel source tree to your computer and will put it in /usr/ncvs. After that, you have to do the normal compilation (config newKernel, make depend, make, make install clean) with your new fetched kernel source.
You should also take a look at this links:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.IS...rnelconfig.html (for more details on kernel build)
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.IS...book/cvsup.html (for using cvsup)
Well... I hope this helps... sorry for my bad english, it's not my native language
Good luck !
Bye-Bye!
Reply With Quote
*default host=cvsup.ro.FreeBSD.org
*default base=/usr
*default prefix=/usr/ncvs
*default compress
*default release=cvs tag=.
*default delete use-rel-suffix
src-sys
I think you misadvice by asking the user to fetch the latest branch of development of FreeBSD who is not useable for production or for normal user.
I think what you wanted to do is to let him fetch the release version of FreeBSD or at least the stable release.
To achieve this just replace the following line :
(wrong line)
*default release=cvs tag=.
(good line)
*default release=cvs tag=RELENG_5_3 (if you would like by example for 5.4 you would put RELENG_5_4 and so one) if you want the latest releng of 5 you would put only 5 if you put . you will fetch the latest development release (last night workable build source)
usually people put as default prefix is in /usr/src instead of /usr/ncvs
cvs is as my opinion the best way to do update and keep your system accurate. If you follow and know what you are doing cvs is really a good tools. It's easy to use but have some pitfall like the default release tag.
you can update your ports with cvs too,
to install cvs just go in /usr/ports/net/cvsup-without-gui and make install && make clean
you will get cvsup working (take some time to compile need lot of dependancy)
after that in /usr/local/share/examples you will have some example config file, i suggest you to use the default example file like stable-supfile and ports-supfile as beginning config file.
you will only need to change the server to connect to fetch your source tree and the default release tag, you can put other options but just keep it simple for now after good reading on http://www.freebsd.org/handbook you will be enought confident to add some options at your convenience.
same thing for the ports supfile you only have to change the default server
after you could read about how to automate the whole system to auto upgrade using crontab (you will have to manually update the source system OS but for the ports it's easy to manage and can be fully automate).
to update yoru system you could go read teh handbook searching for makeworld
you can update the whole system by recompiling the fresh download source tree with cvs using makeworld.
usually it's 5 steps easy to follow
compile the source tree
compile the kernel
install the fresh compiled kernel
(reboot to load the new kernel)
install the fresh compiled source tree
merge your config file with the new from the source (to avoid delete all your config file you edited before the update) this way you can keep your config file up to date without having to reconfigure your whole setting.
it's all explain very well in the handbook.
I suggest you to read the whole handbook before asking, your question was fully detailed in the handbook and the handbook is maintain as it is really easy to read and understand same for newbie. I started reading the handbook few years ago and i continu to read it when i have problem it solves 90% of my problem. I ask only for particular project setting but never to maintain or administer my system 
Feel free to ask if you are not certain how do do, i know how sometime we can feel unconfident when we are doing new thing and we are not sure if we follow exactly the doc or if we misunderstood something that put us in the wrong way.
ShadowLight
shadowlight@syrs.com
www.linu-z.net
For the Kernel problem,
I invite you to read the handbook on http://www.freebsd.org/handbook
search for kernel
read the doc about how to compile your kernel, i suggest you to start with the generic just to understand how it works after you could easily edit the generic and compile it. if something goes wrong you know it's because of your change.
to fix your corruption problem i suggest you to do :
cd /usr/src
make clean
cd /usr/src/i386/sys/conf/
edit your kernel
mkdir /root/kernel
mv yourkernel /root/kernel/
ln -s /root/kernel/yourkernel /usr/src/i386/sys/conf/
(this will create a link to your kernel file this way you just have to edit the file in your root directory to get it edit in the src directory. The compile system will follow the symlink and all will be fine) (tricks to make administration easier).
after taht just compile your kernel.
i think it could be a good idea too to do a make clean in your /usr/src/i386/sys/conf/ just to be sure the clean will not affect only the os source but the kernel source too.
The make clean just clean up the compile process (it doesn't touch the source file) it just delete the last compile binary or what we name build source. You will just start again from scratch as if you never did a make buildkernel before
One more thing : when you begin do not try to delete anything from generic kernel file, you don't know what is necessary, just add don't delete stuff. You will get your life better. Deleting stuff doesn't get you any better performance anyway (or not anything that you can see or not enought for all the problem you will get trying to delete stuff). The generic is kinda already a minimal kernel for normal operation.
ShadowLight
Unix Administrator Syrius-Network
shadowlight@syrs.com
www.linu-z.net