[cooker-amd64] 2.6 custom kernel, now compiled and working here, but issues..

[Duncan]

As the title says, for those like me that go reading the next message
without looking at the title <g>..

I now have a 2.6 custom (naturally, since I've not found an amd64
Mdk kernel package out yet) kernel up and running, and will post this
using it, which is significant in itself since that means X as well is
stable enough to use, on the 2.6 kernel. However, some issues to report,
and questions to ask..

The source was from the Mdk kernel srpm: kernel-2.6.2-0.rc1.1mdk. 

1)  Question: Kernel package differences

What are the current differences between the regular 2.6.x mdk kernel, the
mdk-tmb version, and the vanilla Linus/AM version? Now that I started with
the std mdk one and know SOME 2.6 kernel works, I'll try the others and
probably eventually settle on the LT/AM kernel, unless there are patches
in the others I want/need. (I've not yet attempted anything other than
official vanilla kernel upgrade patches, on the kernel, 2.4 OR 2.6, so am
not yet considering applying individual kernel patches.)  Extra credit for
anyone that can explain the various other kernels, such as the mm tree,
and others, and what particular patches and goals they emphasize, as well.

2)  Question:  Compile process warnings, specifically cast

With the 2.6 kernel compile process far quieter than 2.4, any warnings
stick out far more.  In particular, I noticed several cast pointer/init
warnings, which could be VERY significant for AMD64. Are all these
warnings critical bugs waiting to cause a kernel panic, or are there cases
where they can be safely ignored without issue? Should I be sure and
report those warnings as a bug?  If so, where?  File them in MDK-bugzilla?
Send them to the official kernel folks (or module/subsystem maintainer)? 
Just post them here and ask how serious they are?  Mail them to GB? <g>

2a)  Question:  Compile process warning error dump?

Does there happen to be a convenient dump of such warnings
from a compile, that I can scrape them out of, or do I need to redirect
the compile output to a file or screen-scrape manually?  (That one feels
newbie-ish, but hey.. <g>)

3) Bug: Bootsplash

I attempted to configure bootsplash, but had to disable that, as it caused
compile errors.  Known issue?  More detail needed? Where to file?

3a)  Question:  Bootsplash

Where is this used?  Does bootsplash cover up boot messages?  (If so,
better to have it off anyway, here.)

4) Question:  Graphics/Logos

Where do the CONFIG_LOGOx settings get used? Only in the bootsplash I
couldn't activate?  Any way to view the logos and see what they look like
so I can more intelligently say which I want included, if any?   Is the
only use of these to cover up the booting info? (If so, I'll disable this
and forget about it, as I LIKE seeing those messages!)

5) Bug:  ReiserFS

I'm using reiserfs (3, not 4, yet..).  Attempting to compile without
additional attributes enabled produced an error.  As above, known issue? 
Where do I file? 

6) Bug:  Initrd (InitRamFS??)

Make install created an initrd (initramfs, now, I guess??), and configured
it into lilo.conf, even tho I had reiserfs and etc compiled into the
kernel itself and didn't NEED such a complication. However, worse than
that, with the initramfs/initrd configured in lilo.conf, the kernel
wouldn't boot.  When I removed that line and reran lilo, the kernel booted
fine, without the unneeded initrd/initramfs. What's up with that? If it's
not going to boot with it, but boots without it just fine, it's a bug to
have it used.  (Note again that I'm using reiserfs, not Mdk's
default ext3, and this could be reiserfs specific.)  Again, is this MDK or
Linux/kernel? Where to file the bug?

7) Issue:  Mouse

I read the previous about mousedev, and ensured it was configured, so the
mouse works, but buttons 4/5, the scrolling functionality, does not. 
Hints?  Bug?  Config issue on my end?

8) Issue:  AMD8111/i810 built-in audio PCM

My AMD8111/i810 audio mixer works, as the sliders and mutes for line-in
and headphones (which for some reason work as master on this board, master
does nothing)  function, but PCM doesn't.  I did notice an error when
attempting to init ALSA during boot, that I'll have to look into, but
anyone else already had this issue and done my research for me?

9) Bug: UDev package

This isn't specifically kernel /package/ related, but close enough, since
udev itself is kernel 2.6 related. The Mdk Udev package requires kernel
2.6.0, apparently specifically. Thus, not only can it not be installed
pre-2.6 kernel (as can module-init-tools and sysfsutils), but it won't
install with 2.6.2-rc1, either, at least not without forcing it.  I'm not
caught up on the cooker list, as I'd let it go for some time since amd64
wasn't synced, but now that it's syncing (and hopefully not sinking <g>),
I'm trying to catch up again.  Anyway, because I'm not there yet, I don't
know if this is a known issue with that package, perhaps already fixed in
a new one not yet on ported to amd64, or not.

(GRR!!  I keep trying to scroll and issue #7 is frustrating me!  You don't
realize how dependent you've gotten on a feature like that until it
disappears!  <g>)

10) Question:  CONFIG_PREEMPT

I've read that this isn't considered stable, just yet.  How unstable is it
supposed to be?  (I have it compiled in, and no probs yet, but I'm not
running under serious load, yet, either.)

Anyway.. it's cool to be running 2.6, now, tho if I can't fix issues 7 and
8 I'll not be running it full time.  Good job, Mdk, kernel, and related
utilities folks, developers, packagers, and previous brave
cookerite testers! You've made the upgrade not half as hard as I was
afraid it might be!

-- 
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." --
Benjamin Franklin