testing a patched driver

DePingus · 2008-09-14 17:31:06

So I have this wonderful arch laptop all setup and running better than any system I've ever owned. I'm loving it. And of course I don't want to screw it up. So here's my dilema...

I want to use a patched version of my wireless driver (iwl3945). But since I don't know if its going to work until I actually try it out, I don't want to completely overwrite my current driver. I want to know if I have the steps down right...

-download the driver source and patch
-patch the source
-make (but NOT install) the patched driver
-rmmod iwl3945
-cd into the patched driver's directory [not sure about this part]
-modprobe the patched driver [or this part]
-test [up until here I haven't overwritten my current drivers right?]

-if it everything works...make install the patched driver. Done!
or is there a better way to install it (like making a package)?

-if things dont work when I test
-rmmod the patched driver
-delete the patched driver directory
-modprobe iwl3945
-no harm no foul

f I do a make install and later on I wish to revert to my old drivers, can I just "pacman -Sy iwl3945-unicode" and overwrite the patched driver? Erasing any harm I may have cause?

The driver I downloaded has a "make uninstall" but I don't trust that 100% after patching (or even before).

Thanks for the info!

rson451 · 2008-09-14 17:42:53

Why not just use abs and make your own package for the driver. If all goes wrong you just uninstall your package and reinstall the stock.

DePingus · 2008-09-15 22:34:40

Thanks for pointing me towards ABS. Unfortunately I couldn't get the patched driver to make. Luckily I did find the older ipwraw drivers in the AUR and those are working for now. I just have the extra steps of 'rmmod iwl3945' and 'modprobe ipwraw' when I want to use it, but thats ok. Thanks again!

Arch Linux

#1 2008-09-14 17:31:06

testing a patched driver

#2 2008-09-14 17:42:53

Re: testing a patched driver

#3 2008-09-15 22:34:40

Re: testing a patched driver

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