when installing multiple kernels in the /boot dir, say 4 - 6 kernels;
how does one go about keep it all tidy and working.
Not the lilo and kernel naming part, thats clear to me.

Specifically is it necessary to keep/have multiple links for the new
kernels and System.maps and, must there always be a link named vmlinux
and another one named System.map.

The the slackbook also googling are clear when its just one or two
kernels. But when you start talking three or more its not clear to me.

The /boot dir has links for vmlinuz, System.map and config; the book
just says to mv them to xxx.old and nothing about setting new links.
Others will say to make new links for the new kernel and new System.map.

So, what else is a compiling crazed newbie to do but to ask for help.

Currently using slackware 10.1, kernel 2.4.29 and 2.4.31

Thanks in advance,

marcusm

On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 21:13:44 -0400, "marcusm <\"marcusm7\"@" <"comcast.netWork> wrote:

> when installing multiple kernels in the /boot dir, say 4 - 6 kernels;
> how does one go about keep it all tidy and working.
> Not the lilo and kernel naming part, thats clear to me.
>
> Specifically is it necessary to keep/have multiple links for the new
> kernels and System.maps and, must there always be a link named vmlinux
> and another one named System.map.
No, rip 'em out adjust bootloader for full name.
>
> The the slackbook also googling are clear when its just one or two
> kernels. But when you start talking three or more its not clear to me.
>
grant@peetoo:~$ ls /boot/
README.initrd@ System.map-ide-2.4.30 bzImage-2.6.12-rc4-mm1a config-2.6.12-rc5a
System.map-2.4.30-hf2 boot.0300 bzImage-2.6.12-rc5a config-2.6.12-rc6a
System.map-2.4.30-hf3 boot.0300.orig bzImage-2.6.12-rc6a config-ide-2.4.30
System.map-2.4.30-peetoo boot_message.txt config-2.4.30-hf2 diag1.img
System.map-2.4.31-rc1 bzImage-2.4.30-hf2 config-2.4.30-hf3 lost+found/
System.map-2.6.11.11a bzImage-2.4.30-hf3 config-2.4.30-peetoo map
System.map-2.6.11.11a.old bzImage-2.4.30-peetoo config-2.4.31-rc1 vmlinuz-ide-2.4.30
System.map-2.6.12-rc4-mm1a bzImage-2.4.31-rc1 config-2.6.11.11a
System.map-2.6.12-rc5a bzImage-2.6.11.11a config-2.6.11.11a.old
System.map-2.6.12-rc6a bzImage-2.6.11.11a.old config-2.6.12-rc4-mm1a
grant@peetoo:~$

Not a problem, time for a cleanup in there though
http://scatter.mine.nu/test/boxen/peetoo/ updated yesterday

--Grant.

Grant Coady wrote:
> On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 21:13:44 -0400, "marcusm <\"marcusm7\"@" <"comcast.netWork> wrote:
>
>>Specifically is it necessary to keep/have multiple links for the new
>>kernels and System.maps and, must there always be a link named vmlinux
>>and another one named System.map.
>
> No, rip 'em out adjust bootloader for full name.
>
>>The the slackbook also googling are clear when its just one or two
>>kernels. But when you start talking three or more its not clear to me.
>>
>
> grant@peetoo:~$ ls /boot/
> README.initrd@ System.map-ide-2.4.30 bzImage-2.6.12-rc4-mm1a config-2.6.12-rc5a
> System.map-2.4.30-hf2 boot.0300 bzImage-2.6.12-rc5a config-2.6.12-rc6a
> System.map-2.4.30-hf3 boot.0300.orig bzImage-2.6.12-rc6a config-ide-2.4.30
> System.map-2.4.30-peetoo boot_message.txt config-2.4.30-hf2 diag1.img
> System.map-2.4.31-rc1 bzImage-2.4.30-hf2 config-2.4.30-hf3 lost+found/
> System.map-2.6.11.11a bzImage-2.4.30-hf3 config-2.4.30-peetoo map
> System.map-2.6.11.11a.old bzImage-2.4.30-peetoo config-2.4.31-rc1 vmlinuz-ide-2.4.30
> System.map-2.6.12-rc4-mm1a bzImage-2.4.31-rc1 config-2.6.11.11a
> System.map-2.6.12-rc5a bzImage-2.6.11.11a config-2.6.11.11a.old
> System.map-2.6.12-rc6a bzImage-2.6.11.11a.old config-2.6.12-rc4-mm1a
> grant@peetoo:~$
>
> Not a problem, time for a cleanup in there though
> http://scatter.mine.nu/test/boxen/peetoo/ updated yesterday
>
> --Grant.

Thats terrific!

Thanks Grant.

marcusm

"marcusm <\"marcusm7\"@" <"comcast.netWork> wrote:
> Specifically is it necessary to keep/have multiple links for the new
> kernels and System.maps and, must there always be a link named vmlinux

No, the names of the kernel(s) are only needed in the lilo.conf (or the
correspong grub config) file. It might be smart, though, to make the lilo
config look for "vmlinux" and make THAT a symbolic link, then you don't
have to change that file every new release.

> and another one named System.map.

It is better to have that one, yes. Not all programs need it, but often they
will look for that file first when looking for kernel symbols.
Note that the kernel itself doesn't need it anymore, so it IS ok to create
the link after rebooting to that kernel, code like this:
KERNEL=`uname -r`
cd /boot && ln -sf System.map-$KERNEL System.map
(out of a script we run from the rc.local).
If you're using Pat's standard naming, you'll need another * in there (his
maps are named "System.map-ide-2.4.??" cq "System.map-generic-2.6.??").

> The the slackbook also googling are clear when its just one or two
> kernels. But when you start talking three or more its not clear to me.

Here you got one for three kernels:
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 19 2005-05-17 14:19 System.map -> System.map-2.6.11.3
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 623270 2005-01-05 12:05 System.map-2.4.28
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 624921 2005-04-13 16:02 System.map-2.4.29
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 885575 2005-03-14 16:11 System.map-2.6.11.3
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 512 2004-07-02 14:36 boot.0300
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 2005-05-17 14:19 config -> config-2.6.11.3
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 37645 2005-01-05 12:06 config-2.4.28
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 38806 2005-04-13 16:02 config-2.4.29
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41765 2005-03-16 16:10 config-2.6.11.3
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5032 2004-05-21 09:19 diag1.img
-rw------- 1 root root 60416 2005-05-07 18:46 map
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 2005-05-01 14:28 vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-2.4.29
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1233099 2005-01-05 12:06 vmlinuz-2.4.28
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1236680 2005-04-13 16:02 vmlinuz-2.4.29
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1699612 2005-03-14 16:13 vmlinuz-2.6.11.3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 2005-05-01 10:57 vmlinuz.new -> vmlinuz-2.6.11.3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 2005-05-01 18:45 vmlinuz.old -> vmlinuz-2.4.28
The three links, vmlinux and vmlinux.* are in the lilo.conf, the symbolic
links for map and config files are RE-created after every reboot.
As is the one for "/usr/src/linux", by the way, to be able to rebuild drivers
for "the current kernel" with that path.

PS: this is the significant part of the lilo.conf:
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda1
label = Linux
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
image = /boot/vmlinuz.new
root = /dev/hda1
label = Newkernel
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
image = /boot/vmlinuz.old
root = /dev/hda1
label = Backup
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
#
# DOS/Windows bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/hda2
label = Mswin
table = /dev/hda
# DOS/Windows bootable partition config ends
--
************************************************** ******************
** Eef Hartman, Delft University of Technology, dept. EWI/TW **
** e-mail: E.J.M.Hartman@math.tudelft.nl, fax: +31-15-278 7295 **
** snail-mail: P.O. Box 5031, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands **
************************************************** ******************