4 This document is designed to provide a list of the minimum levels of
5 software necessary to run the 2.4 kernels, as well as provide brief
6 instructions regarding any other "Gotchas" users may encounter when
7 trying life on the Bleeding Edge. If upgrading from a pre-2.2.x
8 kernel, please consult the Changes file included with 2.2.x kernels for
9 additional information; most of that information will not be repeated
10 here. Basically, this document assumes that your system is already
11 functional and running at least 2.2.x kernels.
13 This document is originally based on my "Changes" file for 2.0.x kernels
14 and therefore owes credit to the same people as that file (Jared Mauch,
15 Axel Boldt, Alessandro Sigala, and countless other users all over the
18 The latest revision of this document, in various formats, can always
19 be found at <http://cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/kaboom/linux/Changes-2.4/>.
21 Feel free to translate this document. If you do so, please send me a
22 URL to your translation for inclusion in future revisions of this
25 Smotrite file <http://oblom.rnc.ru/linux/kernel/Changes.ru>, yavlyaushisya
26 russkim perevodom dannogo documenta.
28 Visite <http://www2.adi.uam.es/~ender/tecnico/> para obtener la traducción
29 al español de este documento en varios formatos.
31 Eine deutsche Version dieser Datei finden Sie unter
32 <http://www.stefan-winter.de/Changes-2.4.0.txt>.
34 Last updated: October 25, 2000
36 Chris Ricker (kaboom@gatech.edu or chris.ricker@genetics.utah.edu).
38 Current Minimal Requirements
39 ============================
41 Upgrade to at *least* these software revisions before thinking you've
42 encountered a bug! If you're unsure what version you're currently
43 running, the suggested command should tell you.
45 Again, keep in mind that this list assumes you are already
46 functionally running a Linux 2.2 kernel. Also, not all tools are
47 necessary on all systems; obviously, if you don't have any PCMCIA (PC
48 Card) hardware, for example, you probably needn't concern yourself
51 o Gnu C 2.91.66 # gcc --version
52 o Gnu make 3.77 # make --version
53 o binutils 2.9.1.0.25 # ld -v
54 o util-linux 2.10o # kbdrate -v
55 o modutils 2.3.18 # insmod -V
56 o e2fsprogs 1.19 # tune2fs --version
57 o pcmcia-cs 3.1.21 # cardmgr -V
58 o PPP 2.4.0 # pppd --version
59 o isdn4k-utils 3.1beta7 # isdnctrl 2>&1|grep version
67 The gcc version requirements may vary depending on the type of CPU in your
68 computer. The next paragraph applies to users of x86 CPUs, but not
69 necessarily to users of other CPUs. Users of other CPUs should obtain
70 information about their gcc version requirements from another source.
72 The recommended compiler for the kernel is egcs 1.1.2 (gcc 2.91.66), and it
73 should be used when you need absolute stability. You may use gcc 2.95.2
74 instead if you wish, although it may cause problems. Later versions of gcc
75 have not received much testing for Linux kernel compilation, and there are
76 almost certainly bugs (mainly, but not exclusively, in the kernel) that
77 will need to be fixed in order to use these compilers. In any case, using
78 pgcc instead of egcs or plain gcc is just asking for trouble.
80 Note that gcc 2.7.2.3 is no longer a supported kernel compiler. The kernel
81 no longer works around bugs in gcc 2.7.2.3 and, in fact, will refuse to
84 In addition, please pay attention to compiler optimization. Anything
85 greater than -O2 may not be wise. Similarly, if you choose to use gcc-2.95
86 or derivatives, be sure not to use -fstrict-aliasing (which, depending on
87 your version of gcc 2.95, may necessitate using -fno-strict-aliasing).
92 You will need Gnu make 3.77 or later to build the kernel.
97 Linux on IA-32 has recently switched from using as86 to using gas for
98 assembling the 16-bit boot code, removing the need for as86 to compile
99 your kernel. This change does, however, mean that you need a recent
102 If you can, upgrade to the latest 2.9.5 binutils release. Older
103 releases such as 2.8, 2.8.xx, and the FSF's 2.9.1 should be avoided if
104 at all possible. The later releases of 2.9.1.0.x (anything where x >= 22)
105 can and do compile the kernel properly, but there are many benefits
106 to upgrading to 2.9.5 if you're up to it.
111 Architectural changes
112 ---------------------
114 DevFS is now in the kernel. See Documentation/filesystems/devfs/* in
115 the kernel source tree for all the gory details.
117 System V shared memory is now implemented via a virtual filesystem.
118 You do not have to mount it to use it as long as you can live with the
119 default maxima for shared memory and segments. If you wish to change
120 these variables, you have to mount it with the options nr_blocks
121 and / or nr_inodes. POSIX shared memory is also now implemented via a
122 virtual filesystem. If you want to use it, you'll need to mount the
123 filesystem. The recommended mount location is /dev/shm, and adding the
124 following line to /etc/fstab should take care of things:
126 none /dev/shm shm defaults 0 0
128 Remember to create the directory that you intend to mount shm on if
131 The Logical Volume Manager (LVM) is now in the kernel. If you want to
132 use this, you'll need to install the necessary LVM toolset.
134 32-bit UID support is now in place. Have fun!
136 Linux documentation for functions is transitioning to inline
137 documentation via specially-formatted comments near their
138 definitions in the source. These comments can be combined with the
139 SGML templates in the Documentation/DocBook directory to make DocBook
140 files, which can then be converted by DocBook stylesheets to PostScript,
141 HTML, PDF files, and several other formats. In order to convert from
142 DocBook format to a format of your choice, you'll need to install Jade as
143 well as the desired DocBook stylesheets.
148 New versions of util-linux provide *fdisk support for larger disks,
149 support new options to mount, recognize more supported partition
150 types, have a fdformat which works with 2.4 kernels, and similar goodies.
151 You'll probably want to upgrade.
156 If the unthinkable happens and your kernel oopses, you'll need a 2.3
157 version of ksymoops to decode the report; see REPORTING-BUGS in the
158 root of the Linux source for more information.
163 Upgrade to recent modutils to fix various outstanding bugs which are
164 seen more frequently under 2.3.x, and to enable auto-loading of USB
165 modules. In addition, the layout of modules under
166 /lib/modules/`uname -r`/ has been made more sane. This change also
167 requires that you upgrade to a recent modutils.
172 These changes to the /lib/modules file tree layout also require that
173 mkinitrd be upgraded.
178 The latest version of e2fsprogs fixes several bugs in fsck and
179 debugfs. Obviously, it's a good idea to upgrade.
184 PCMCIA (PC Card) support is now partially implemented in the main
185 kernel source. Pay attention when you recompile your kernel ;-).
186 Also, be sure to upgrade to the latest pcmcia-cs release.
191 A driver has been added to allow updating of Intel P6 microcode,
192 accessible as both a devfs regular file and as a normal (misc)
193 character device. If you are not using devfs you may need to:
196 mknod /dev/cpu/microcode c 10 184
197 chmod 0644 /dev/cpu/microcode
199 as root before you can use this. You'll probably also want to
200 get the user-space microcode_ctl utility to use with this.
208 The IP firewalling and NAT code has been replaced again. The new
209 netfilter software (including ipfwadm and ipchains backwards-
210 compatible modules) is currently distributed separately.
212 If you have advanced network configuration needs, you should probably
213 consider using the network tools from ip-route2.
218 The PPP driver has been restructured to support multilink and to
219 enable it to operate over diverse media layers. If you use PPP,
220 upgrade pppd to at least 2.4.0b1.
222 If you are not using devfs, you must have the device file /dev/ppp
223 which can be made by:
225 mknod /dev/ppp c 108 0
229 If you build ppp support as modules, you will need the following in
230 your /etc/modules.conf file:
232 alias char-major-108 ppp_generic
233 alias /dev/ppp ppp_generic
234 alias tty-ldisc-3 ppp_async
235 alias tty-ldisc-14 ppp_synctty
236 alias ppp-compress-21 bsd_comp
237 alias ppp-compress-24 ppp_deflate
238 alias ppp-compress-26 ppp_deflate
240 If you use devfsd and build ppp support as modules, you will need
241 the following in your /etc/devfsd.conf file:
248 Due to changes in the length of the phone number field, isdn4k-utils
249 needs to be recompiled or (preferably) upgraded.
251 Getting updated software
252 ========================
257 egcs 1.1.2 (gcc 2.91.66)
259 o <ftp://ftp.valinux.com/pub/support/hjl/gcc/egcs-1.1.2/egcs-1.1.2-glibc.x86.tar.bz2>
260 o <ftp://ftp.valinux.com/pub/support/hjl/gcc/egcs-1.1.2/egcs-1.1.2-libc5.x86.tar.bz2>
261 o <ftp://ftp.valinux.com/pub/support/hjl/gcc/egcs-1.1.2/egcs-1.1.2-alpha.tar.bz2>
268 o <ftp://ftp.valinux.com/pub/support/hjl/binutils/2.9.1/binutils-2.9.1.0.25.tar.gz>
272 o <ftp://ftp.valinux.com/pub/support/hjl/binutils/binutils-2.10.0.24.tar.bz2>
279 o <ftp://ftp.win.tue.nl/pub/linux-local/utils/util-linux/util-linux-2.10o.tar.gz>
283 o <ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/kernel/ksymoops/v2.3>
287 o <ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/kernel/modutils/v2.3/modutils-2.3.18.tar.bz2>
291 o <ftp://rawhide.redhat.com/pub/rawhide/SRPMS/SRPMS/mkinitrd-2.5-1.src.rpm>
295 o <ftp://download.sourceforge.net/pub/sourceforge/e2fsprogs/e2fsprogs-1.19.tar.gz>
296 o <ftp://download.sourceforge.net/pub/sourceforge/e2fsprogs/e2fsprogs-1.19.src.rpm>
300 o <http://linux.msede.com/lvm/>
304 o <ftp://pcmcia-cs.sourceforge.net/pub/pcmcia-cs/pcmcia-cs-3.1.21.tar.gz>
308 o <ftp://ftp.jclark.com/pub/jade/jade-1.2.1.tar.gz>
312 o <http://nwalsh.com/docbook/dsssl/>
316 o <http://www.urbanmyth.org/microcode/>
323 o <ftp://linuxcare.com.au/pub/ppp/ppp-2.4.0.tar.gz>
327 o <ftp://ftp.isdn4linux.de/pub/isdn4linux/utils/testing/isdn4k-utils.v3.1beta7.tar.gz>
331 o <http://netfilter.filewatcher.org/iptables-1.1.1.tar.bz2>
332 o <http://www.samba.org/netfilter/iptables-1.1.1.tar.bz2>
333 o <http://netfilter.kernelnotes.org/iptables-1.1.1.tar.bz2>
337 o <ftp://ftp.inr.ac.ru/ip-routing/iproute2-2.2.4-now-ss991023.tar.gz>
339 Suggestions and corrections
340 ===========================
342 Please feel free to submit changes, corrections, gripes, flames,
343 money, etc. to me <chris.ricker@genetics.utah.edu>. Happy Linuxing!