help compiling new kernel

[flyinglow]

I'm trying to compile a smaller faster kernel to replace the prepackaged one i'm currently using.

Currently running recent stable version of debian lenny (net install)

linux kernel 2.6.26
kde 3.5.10

when i try to run menuconfig as root, i get this:

sonofcluster****:/home/flyinglow# cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.3/
sonofcluster****:/usr/src/linux-2.6.3# make menuconfig
make[1]: `scripts/fixdep' is up to date.
HOSTCC scripts/kconfig/mconf.o
scripts/kconfig/mconf.c:91: error: static declaration of ‘current_menu’ follows non-static declaration
scripts/kconfig/lkc.h:63: error: previous declaration of ‘current_menu’ was here
make[1]: *** [scripts/kconfig/mconf.o] Error 1
make: *** [menuconfig] Error 2
sonofcluster****:/usr/src/linux-2.6.3#

xconfig exits in a similar way. Any ideas what i've missed?

I don't have much programming experience, but i have gotten things to compile and run in the past. Just don't know what to do with this error message.

thanks for any help, Zack

[mingdao]

Hey Zack,

I'm not familiar with that error, but I've built quite a few kernels over the years.

My recommendation is to build your kernel somewhere under your ~/ directory.

You might find use of my kernel rebuild guide - can't post a link, so maybe you
can Google "2.6-kernel-build.txt". It was the first hit for me - it is on my website
named slackwarebox.

It was written for Slackware, but I don't see why it wouldn't work on Debian. You
might have GrUB rather than LiLO; if so, you can Google how to edit grub.conf
or whatever file.

[Lakshmipathi]

Don't use /usr/src for compiling kernel.Get the book O'Reilly's "Linux Kernel In A Nutshell - A Desktop Quick Reference" by Greg Kroah-Hartman.
For complete user guide.

may be try "make defconfig"

[flyinglow]

I tried moving out of /usr/src, still get the same error message. i've tried defconfig, xconfig, menuconfig. same result from all of them.

If i knew what the error message meant, i might have a chance of fixing the problem...

[Lakshmipathi]

Check this link:
scripts/kconfig/mconf.c:91: error: static declaration of 'current_menu' follows non-static declaration - Olaf Hering - org.kernel.vger.linux-kernel - MarkMail


What's your kernel version and compiler version?
Download a latest kernel tar file ,that should work.

[mingdao]

You have this in your first post:

sonofcluster****:/home/flyinglow# cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.3/
sonofcluster****:/usr/src/linux-2.6.3# make menuconfig
make[1]: `scripts/fixdep' is up to date.
HOSTCC scripts/kconfig/mconf.o
scripts/kconfig/mconf.c:91: error: static declaration of ‘current_menu’ follows non-static declaration
scripts/kconfig/lkc.h:63: error: previous declaration of ‘current_menu’ was here
make[1]: *** [scripts/kconfig/mconf.o] Error 1
make: *** [menuconfig] Error 2
sonofcluster****:/usr/src/linux-2.6.3#

Now since you state you're presently running 2.6.26, I have my doubts
as to whether or not you're trying to build 2.6.3. Instead, I'm going to
guess you're building 2.6.30.

You can check those two files listed. I'm not certain of this, either, but I
think scripts/kconfig/mconf.c:91 is scripts/kconfig/mconf.c line 91, and
scripts/kconfig/lkc.h:63 is scripts/kconfig/lkc.h line 63. Checking those files
might give you some hint, also.

If you follow my guide, there should be no reason to have a problem. It
can be done by copy/paste on a Slackware system, and it seems to be
generic enough to do so on Debian. Maybe, maybe not ... haven't touched
a Debian kernel since 2003.

[mingdao]

What is the output of:
"gcc --version"
"ld -V"
without the quotes.