Copying kernels WAS SuSE 9.0: The Good and the Bad

Top Page
Attachments:
Message as email
+ (text/plain)
Delete this message
Reply to this message
Author: Austin Godber
Date:  
Subject: Copying kernels WAS SuSE 9.0: The Good and the Bad
wrote:
> I am not sure what you are suggesting. It is my intention, to install debian
> and then upgrade to the SuSE kernel.
>
> I have not been succesful at compiling a kernel for x86 since like 2.4.10 when
> I just begining to play. There are way to many options for me to not screw it
> up for my laptop. (this is not to say that I have not been succesful on the
> sparc platform, which I have) With the SuSE kernel I know that it works, but
> I hate most everything else.


Usually a distribution will include their .config file. This file shows what
options were selected when compiling. It is also likely that the distibution
has also applied some patches to the kernel (say ACPI for example). You should
see if there is a README that goes along with the kernel. For SuSe ... just try
and find out what the kernel package name is (using "rpm -qa | grep kernel" or
something) then list the contents (rpm -ql kernelpackage) and see if there is an
obvious README.

Really it would seem strange to move the kernel to debian, but I suppose it
would work. I just wonder whether it would be easier than figuring out what you
need to get your laptop working. Basically, every distro's kernel is roughly
the same deal, and can be recreated by anyone intersted in doing so, you just
need to know the config and which patches were applied (there may be some
private vendor patches by some of the big guys).

It is also possible that whatever isn't working in debian is not working because
of some configuration issue and not the kernel at all. Consider a scenario
where SuSe has some added ability to configure something that in debian you must
do by hand. Thus the kernel isn't the problem at all.

Good luck.

Austin

PS - hey, what model is your laptop?