On Thu, 21 Aug 1997, Timm Gleason wrote: > We build many, many Linux boxes (on order of 15 to 20 a month). We > just received some new disk sets for Debian 1.3.1. We have been using > 1.2 and kernel 2.0.30. The new disk set comes with the disk images > having 2.0.29. Now not wanting to go backward, especially due to the > major modifications done to the kernel we are using, I cannot build a > boot disk and drivers disk that will do a good install.
up until a month or two ago, i was building about 5 debian boxes per month. I just used the boot disks to do the basic install, and then used dpkg to install my custom compiled kernel (made using kernel-package's make-kpkg command). the procedure went something like this: 1. boot install floppy. install base system, reboot, run dselect, etc. 2. ftp kernel-image-XXX_XXX.deb from another machine on my network. 3. if kernel image is same version as on the install boot/rescue disk then "rm -rf /lib/modules/X.X.X" 4. dpkg -i kernel-image-XXX_XXX.deb if my custom kernel is a different version to the one on the boot floppy (usually is), then i do the following as well: 5. make a /vmlinuz.old symlink pointing to the old kernel. 6. edit lilo.conf. 7. run "lilo -t && lilo". do this and you shouldn't need to mess about with making your own boot/rescue and drivers disks. imo, everyone should compile their own kernel - the boot/rescue floppy is good to install a system with, but a linux box really should have a kernel compiled especially for it....with only the drivers that it needs compiled in (or as modules), no more and no less. > The kernel, drivers and base all install fine, however, I cannot > specify which modules I wish to use. The installation of them fails. I > receive an error message as follows: > > "modprobe: error reading ELF header: no such file or directory" your modules.tgz may have the old (and now incompatible) *_MODULES text files in the /lib/modules/X.X.X directory. try: find /lib/modules -name "*_MODULES" if they are there, then delete them by typing: find /lib/modules -name "*_MODULES" | xargs rm if this solves the problem, then create a new modules.tgz based on this. craig -- craig sanders networking consultant Available for casual or contract temporary autonomous zone system administration tasks. -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .