Hi, On 08/08/13 18:06, Gary Dale wrote: > On 08/08/13 06:28 AM, Jerome BENOIT wrote: >> Hello Gary, >> >> On 08/08/13 11:39, Gary Dale wrote: >>> The various ide modules (ide-generic, ide-cdrom, etc.) seem to be missing >>> in the Wheezy kernel. However they still compile a 486 kernel so I'm >>> assuming there is some intent to continue to support older hardware. >>> >>> In my case, I have an old laptop that I could run Squeeze on by including >>> ide-generic in the /etc/initramfstool/modules file. However the same thing >>> doesn't work in Wheezy because there is no ide-generic module. >>> >>> Googling around, I found one post that suggested it's been superseded by >>> libata but I can't find that either. >>> >>> Is 486-era hardware still supported in the newer kernels or is this a lost >>> cause? >>> >> >> I guess that it is still supported by the kernel, but not by the kernel deb >> package as distributed by debian. >> You may build your own kernel, and the following link is a good place to >> start: >> >> http://kernel-handbook.alioth.debian.org >> >> hth, >> Jerome > > Thanks. This would be a truly bizarre situation - creating a 486 kernel > package for people but omitting the basic hardware drivers for hardware of > the that vintage. > > The basic difference between the 486 and 686 kernels is support for PAE. > Pentium processors lack PAE but would generally need the IDE drivers. > > In my case, I'm talking about Pentium-MMX @ 200MHz, which is far less > powerful than a Raspberry Pi but still useful. However the CD-ROM and disk > drives of that time need IDE drivers. > > It wasn't long after that PAE was added (in the Pentium Pro and later). Why > would anyone make a 486 kernel and not include the drivers? I could > understand, but not agree with, dropping 486 support as some distros have > done. But to simply not compile the drivers seems silly. > > It is a very good idea to build specific kernels: building a kernel deb package is easy within Debian.
For the choice of driver of the distro default, you may ask to the package maintainer. Jerome -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/5203c460.4050...@rezozer.net
