Arch Linux

Zinfidel

Member

From: New Mexico

Registered: 2007-10-08

Posts: 11

Pacman Repository Kernel Modules and Custom Kernel

I'd like to start off by saying I am no means a Linux guru, but I would claim to be an intermediate-level user.

I have Arch installed on a laptop.  When I first had Arch installed a few months back, I didn't have an internet connection, one thing led to another, and I found the most reliable way for me to customize my kernel was through the deprecated method (sym link /usr/src/linux using a pkgbuild).  I developed an excellent kernel config for my laptop, and would like to keep it.

I'd like to work on my kernel using ABS now, and one thing that irked me was that when compiling the kernel manually, the pacman kernel modules (the rt2x00 drivers specifically, in my case) would not work unless I was using the stock kernel.

My question is: by using the ABS method, will I be able to customize my kernel and still use the pacman kernel modules?  Or do I just need to use ABS to compile the kernel modules myself if I use a kernel other than the stock.  I'm no so worried about using a kernel that is newer/older than the stock kernel, it's the options I want to change.  My .config is actually for a newer kernel, but make oldconfig takes care of it nicely.

I hope this isn't an information overload, I've got lots of little problems that all sort of culminate to this.

tomk

Forum Fellow

From: Ireland

Registered: 2004-07-21

Posts: 9,839

Re: Pacman Repository Kernel Modules and Custom Kernel

If you build your own kernel, you need to build your own modules too, whether you use ABS or any other method. If you decide to go with ABS, just modify the existing module PKGBUILDs as required for compatibility with your own kernel.

Zinfidel

Member

From: New Mexico

Registered: 2007-10-08

Posts: 11

Re: Pacman Repository Kernel Modules and Custom Kernel

Thanks for the response tomk.

I suspected this was the route to take, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't over complicating things.

Zinfidel

Member

From: New Mexico

Registered: 2007-10-08

Posts: 11

Re: Pacman Repository Kernel Modules and Custom Kernel

Alright, another question pertaining to ABS and the kernel.

When I used to compile the kernel manually with the PKGBUILD and kernel26.install files, if I made minute changes to the kernel .config, compile times would be small.  It seemed that it would only re-compile the portions of the kernel that were changed, or something to that effect.

With the new all-encompassing PKGBUILD, it recompiles the whole thing everytime, even if the only change is copying a boot logo to the source.  Is there a way to restore the old behavior in this new PKGBUILD?