Can't Load Modules after Compile of linux.2.4.0-test9

[Ralph Grothe]

Hello Linuxers,

after having built a kernel from the 2.4.0-test9 preview sources the kernel boots fine, but I can load no modules. :-(

I have followed the same procedure as ever though.

I.e.

1. cd /tmp && tar zxvf /misc/cd/linux.2.4.0-test9.tar.gz
2. rm /usr/src/linux
3. mv /tmp/linux.2.4.0-test9/linux /usr/src/linux.2.4.0-test9
3. ln -fs /usr/src/linux.2.4.0-test9 /usr/src/linux
4. cd /usr/src/linux && make menuconfig
5. going through the config
6. (make dep && make clean && make bzImage && make modules && make modules_install) 2>&1 \| tee /var/tmp/vmlinuz-2.4.0-t9.build01.log
7. cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-lvm
8. cp System.map /boot/map-lvm
9. vi /etc/lilo.conf
10. adding new image entry with image pointing to new kernel and map to new map-lvm
11. lilo
12. shutdown -r 0
13. at LILO: selecting new kernel (lvm)

I haven't made an initrd though because my boot disk is the 1st IDE, thus I don't need the SCSI driver at boot time.

But when I issue "lsmod" there are no modules loaded.
It goes without saying that I have only the loopback IF now because I selected ne2k as module. :-(

Even a "modprobe -a \*" only prints many "can't locate module ..."

Has anyone managed to build a 2.4 Kernel with LVM support who can tell me what I may have missed?

When I had a look at the /lib/modules filesystem I realized that all driver modules are there but the directory structure differs from that of linux.2.2.14 :-(
Why have the kernel developers changed this?
Maybe this is the reason?

[Albert E. Whale, CISSP]

Ralph,

I would check the README file (/usr/src/linux) for all of the Prequisite packacges required for the 2.4.X Kernel Series.

If indeed the Kernel Team has changed the Module Structure, I am sure that they have changed the support Requirements needed to run the OS as well.

Hope that Helps!

[Jerome Fenal_1 · Accepted solution]

You need modutils 2.3.x. Last version is modutils-2.3.21.
You can find it on kernel.org (http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/kernel/modutils/v2.3/) or at your distro download site if they have a RPM repository for new software (as Cooker for Mandrake).
Moreover, as there has been problems with modutils recently, you should upgrade to the last one to avoid security problems.

Regards,

Jerome

[Peter Bilitch_1]

As it happens, the kernel team have put the same README file with the sources as is supplied with the 2.2.x sources. So you won't find any useful information there about the new directory structure under /lib/modules/...

You are correct about the directory changes being the cause of your problem, and the modutils upgrade is the required package to solve this. However, in addition to the modutils upgrade (and any packages that are required to upgrade to modutils 2.3.21) it is also advisable to upgrade to the latest version of bash (if this is your shell).

[Ralph Grothe]

Hello Albert, Jerome, and Peter,

I have to apologize for my late response, but I was absent from office (and www) due to vacation and a Solaris training.

Many thanks for your suggestions which I will be giving a hands on as soon as time permits.

I would like to give you a feedback on success/failure later when I will have installed the recommended modutils.

Regards
Ralph