[svlug] the continuing saga of the supercheap eMachines box;-)

[Alex Martelli]

On 7/17/06, Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:
   ...
> Quoting Alex Martelli (aleaxit at gmail.com):
>
> > Apparently the naming convention has changed (in etch and/or in AMD46
> > builds):
> >
> > ii  linux-image-2.6-amd64-k8         2.6.15-8              Linux
> > kernel 2.6 image on AMD64 K8 machines
> > ii  linux-image-2.6.15-1-amd64-k8    2.6.15-8              Linux
> > kernel 2.6.15 image on AMD64 K8 machin
> >
> > i.e. linux-image instead of kernel-image (even though the semantics
> > stay roughly the same).
>
> Yes.  You'll find that the kernel-image-* variants _are_ still present
> as "transitional packages", which would be purged over time if
> installed.  (I'm just now catching up on that news.)

No doubt a useful transition helper for old-time users, but since I'm
starting off with etch today I should probably stick with the new
convention anyway.

> > alex at box:~$ uname -a
> > Linux box 2.6.15-1-amd64-k8 #2 Mon Mar 20 11:13:14 UTC 2006 x86_64
> > GNU/Linux
> >
> > and it still requires me to keep the USB onchip disabled, or else it
> > hangs at "Detecting hardware:" during the boot sequence.
>
> Hmm.  Not sure what to suggest -- though, if it were my system, I might
> install package "kernel-package", which provides developer tools for
> building Debianised kernels from source code, notably make-kpkg, and
> try my luck with building a custom kernel.
>
> I have details on Debian's kernel-building toolchain inside
> document "Information" on http://linuxmafia.com/kb/Debian/ .
> (_That_ URL I'm sure of.  ;->  )

Yeah, that's what I'll try as the last resort if the need/urge to use
USB keyboard and mouse becomes a big deal -- "compile a tweaked
kernel" is apparently still the Linux panacea in much the same way as
"reboot the box" is for Windows or "fix privileges" for MacOSX (of
course, kernel compilation is so much faster today that it lacks the
charismatic, sin-purging virtues it used to have a dozen years ago,
but still...:-).  But, not before checking exactly what's going on at
that "Detecting hardware" step... one thing that would be useful for
the purpose: how do I save the dmesg from boot-time when I know the
boot process is going to hang midway through, so I can later stare at
every detail at leisure?  The only suggestion about that that came at
the installfest was to boot from a "serial console" (any box with
RS232 and a terminal emulator to save the session), but the box (just
like, funny enough, EVERY other box I have around!-) doesn't _have_
any RS232 ports (even cheap feature-laden boxen are starting to
selectively drop legacy features -- that one does have floppy, PS/2
ports, and parallel port, but no old-style serial port!)... I assume
there should be some helpful boot parameter to make sure the
dmesg-equivalent does get saved somewhere, for later perusal, despite
the later expected hang, kernel panic, or whatever?


Thanks,

Alex