Kernel 2.5.75

Persuaded by an IRC conversation with mulix, I set out to install the Linux kernel 2.5.75 on my system. The first problem I encountered was that the some of the kernel's modules would not compile. To solve it, I removed them from the configuration, but they were still enabled by default, so it wasn't my fault.

Then, after I had the kernel compiled, I tried to boot it only to find a blank screen, and some hard-disk activity. It turned out I had to enable some configuration options that enable the console and stuff. (check Dave Jones' Post Halloween Document for details). Then, the keyboard did not work, and some guy on #kernelnewbie helped me with some extra options to enable it as well.

Afterwards, I was able to boot it, and use the network and the sound card. But, then when invoking the full boot process, I encountered a problem that the system won't start. I traced the problem to /etc/rc.sysinit, and by adding a lot of echo messages, fixed it for the kernel. Then my system was operational, albeit some of the startup modules did not load and had to be loaded explicitly by me.

So, X worked, the sound card worked, and the network worked, but I could not get the Nvidia kernel drivers to compile with the new kernel. So I switched back to kernel 2.4.x. I can still boot 2.5.75 if I like, but I don't see much reason to.

Subversion Hosting

I discovered that I could save more space on stalker.iguide.co.il by deleting the subversion .a libraries, and stripping the .so ones.

I plan to link to my online subversion homepage repository there, from my homepage soon. That way people would be able to check out the source code of it.

Studies

I took the exam of "Intro to Software Systems" today. It went pretty well and wasn't very hard. I also handed in the assignment for this subject. Other than that, I only have the Micro-computers exam, and the last exercise in it to hand.