Hi there- great guide, but could probably do with a clearer description of what to do with regard to 3rd party kernel modules when adding a new kernel version. I.e. that they need to be re-emerged. Perhaps a new sub-section for how to automatically manage this with sys-kernel/module-rebuild? Note: I've only just discovered this tool, but it seems it's not 100% effective... i.e. inferring things, I assume that there is a new db to which extra module ebuilds should add an entry, but that not all yet do so. The tool appears able to also interrogate the output of lsmod, but that neither strategies are yet perfect (until all module ebuilds are updated), and that certain items (e.g. lirc) may still need to be manually re-emerged. This may also be worth mentioning ;-) Thanks!
(In reply to comment #0) > Hi there- > great guide, but could probably do with a clearer description of what to do > with regard to 3rd party kernel modules when adding a new kernel version. Even better is to mention the "module-rebuild" utility available in Portage. Run it once after emerging (# module-rebuild populate), and it automatically keeps track of modules that must be rebuilt after installing a new kernel or recompiling the current one. So whenever you run recompile your kernel, just run "module-rebuild rebuild" after compilation & installation, and it will recompile things like nvidia drivers, alsa drivers, and so on.
(In reply to comment #1) Basically, module-rebuild should be completely working. If you have a bug with it, report it to its maintainers.
(In reply to comment #2) > (In reply to comment #1) > Basically, module-rebuild should be completely working. If you have a bug with > it, report it to its maintainers. > No- there's no bug. Let me clarify: 1. module-rebuild should be described in the install guide. 2. the description should include the needed steps- e.g. have a working kernel with all neeed modules loaded, populate it's database, review it, tweak it if needed (e.g. it seems I have to manually add lirc), then issue module-rebuild rebuild after compiling a new kernel. I'm not a module-rebuild expert, so I may have missed something in the list of steps required.
(In reply to comment #3) > 1. module-rebuild should be described in the install guide. > 2. the description should include the needed steps- e.g. have a working kernel > with all neeed modules loaded, populate it's database, review it, tweak it if > needed (e.g. it seems I have to manually add lirc), then issue module-rebuild > rebuild after compiling a new kernel. > > I'm not a module-rebuild expert, so I may have missed something in the list of > steps required. > Right, that's a little out of order. First things first: emerge module-rebuild. Configure new (or reconfigure existing) kernel. Compile and install said kernel. Run "module-rebuild populate" (if it hasn't already noticed the activity in the results of "module-rebuild list"). This adds in the new modules you just compiled. Then run "module-rebuild rebuild" after populating the database. Should work. Wouldn't be hard to mention this in the handbooks; just need to find a spot. Also, it might be even better to include in the "kernel configuration guide" (bug #94955).
> Wouldn't be hard to mention this in the handbooks; just > need to find a spot. > > Also, it might be even better to include in the "kernel configuration guide" > (bug #94955). > IMHO, I think It'd be good to mention it in the guide, and have reference to the 'kernel configuration guide' for all the details. I'm guessing that to avoid duplicate information and all the costs of double updates, maybe when the kernel config guide is 'stable', then the handbook should perhaps just talk about genkernel + modules-rebuild (i.e. what a new user needs to use to get their new kernel working in their system) and reference the full config guide for those who want to understand/have more control. In my experience, Google takes you stright to the installation guide, and as the guide isn't exactly full of links to the rest of the gentoo docs, I tend to assume that's all there is on a topic. I usually start experimenting long before I open another tab and start searching on alternate keywords or browsing the documentation lists. Also, http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/kernel-upgrade.xml - mentions module-rebuild (that's where I first read about it.) Finally, while I have someone's attention, here's my #1 annoyance with the Gentoo docs: package names look similar to links, but aren't. But I think they should be. Would it be possibly to have them generated to be links to the ebuild information page? One step further: have a 'gentoo-doc-url' field in the ebuild, so that the ebuild info page also had a link to the appropriate gentoo doc(s). So user sees a package mentioned in one of the guides, clicks on it, sees ebuild information, and if there's a link(s), can click on them to get to detailed documentation. Isn't this just a case of updating some xslt? ;-) Thanks- Julian
(In reply to comment #5) One step further: have a 'gentoo-doc-url' field in > the ebuild, so that the ebuild info page also had a link to the appropriate > gentoo doc(s). So user sees a package mentioned in one of the guides, clicks > on it, sees ebuild information, and if there's a link(s), can click on them to > get to detailed documentation. Isn't this just a case of updating some xslt? All that is really a separate issue/bug. I'll see about coming up with something for the handbook though that is a little clearer regarding module-rebuild.
(In reply to comment #6) > All that is really a separate issue/bug. I'll see about coming up with > something for the handbook though that is a little clearer regarding > module-rebuild. Actually, there really isn't a good spot AFAICT. Nowhere in the handbooks does it talk about *re*compiling the kernel; just the initial compilation, which doesn't require module-rebuild. It makes more sense for the reference to module-rebuild to just be in kernel-upgrade.xml. Maybe the docs guys have some better ideas, though.
(In reply to comment #7) > Actually, there really isn't a good spot AFAICT. Nowhere in the handbooks does > it talk about *re*compiling the kernel; just the initial compilation, which > doesn't require module-rebuild. It makes more sense for the reference to > module-rebuild to just be in kernel-upgrade.xml. > > Maybe the docs guys have some better ideas, though. kernel-upgrade.xml is the right place. If module-rebuild needs to be explained, that's where it should happen.
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 118060 ***
