[gentoo-user] kernel 2.6.25-r6 oddities; is this kernel really ready for stable?

[Kevin O'Gorman]

I run gentoo x86 stable, so that I usually avoid this sort of thing.

This kernel, however, looks balky to me, because it's reporting
warnings and other oddities during compilation.  I don't like warnings
at any time, and with the kernel's make wrappers cleaning up the
output they tend to stand out.

Here's what I get:
-- various type/attribute warnings
-- reports of deprecated elements
-- a report of "section mismatches", and instructions to use "make
CONFIG_DEBUG_SECTION_MISMATCH=y" to find details.

All that being said, the compilation completes, and I can boot it.  I
don't know the cause, but I have been unable to get vmware-server
running on it, and I'm going back to the previous kernel for that
reason.

My .config is attached, as is the complete output of the above make command.

The details are

kernel/power/pm.c:203: warning: 'pm_register' is deprecated (declared
at kernel/power/pm.c:62)
kernel/power/pm.c:203: warning: 'pm_register' is deprecated (declared
at kernel/power/pm.c:62)
kernel/power/pm.c:204: warning: 'pm_send_all' is deprecated (declared
at kernel/power/pm.c:178)
kernel/power/pm.c:204: warning: 'pm_send_all' is deprecated (declared
at kernel/power/pm.c:178)
fs/cifs/dir.c: In function 'cifs_ci_compare':
fs/cifs/dir.c:583: warning: passing argument 1 of '__constant_memcpy'
discards qualifiers from pointer target type
fs/cifs/dir.c:583: warning: passing argument 1 of '__memcpy' discards
qualifiers from pointer target type
fs/partitions/check.c: In function 'add_partition':
fs/partitions/check.c:381: warning: ignoring return value of
'device_add', declared with attribute warn_unused_result
drivers/pci/search.c: In function 'pci_find_slot':
drivers/pci/search.c:135: warning: 'pci_find_device' is deprecated
(declared at include/linux/pci.h:506)
drivers/pci/search.c: At top level:
drivers/pci/search.c:478: warning: 'pci_find_device' is deprecated
(declared at drivers/pci/search.c:283)
drivers/pci/search.c:478: warning: 'pci_find_device' is deprecated
(declared at drivers/pci/search.c:283)
drivers/pci/search.c:479: warning: 'pci_find_slot' is deprecated
(declared at drivers/pci/search.c:132)
drivers/pci/search.c:479: warning: 'pci_find_slot' is deprecated
(declared at drivers/pci/search.c:132)

and the following (seen only with the make parameter quoted above):
WARNING: arch/x86/kernel/built-in.o(.cpuinit.text+0x29b9): Section
mismatch in reference from the function setup_trampoline() to the
variable .init.data:trampoline_end
The function __cpuinit setup_trampoline() references
a variable __initdata trampoline_end.
If trampoline_end is only used by setup_trampoline then
annotate trampoline_end with a matching annotation.

WARNING: arch/x86/kernel/built-in.o(.cpuinit.text+0x29be): Section
mismatch in reference from the function setup_trampoline() to the
variable .init.data:trampoline_data
The function __cpuinit setup_trampoline() references
a variable __initdata trampoline_data.
If trampoline_data is only used by setup_trampoline then
annotate trampoline_data with a matching annotation.

WARNING: drivers/serial/built-in.o(.data+0x2c8): Section mismatch in
reference from
 the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function .devexit.text:pci_ite887x_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_ite887x_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: drivers/serial/built-in.o(.data+0x2e4): Section mismatch in
reference from
 the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function .devexit.text:pci_plx9050_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_plx9050_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: drivers/serial/built-in.o(.data+0x300): Section mismatch in
reference from
 the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function .devexit.text:pci_plx9050_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_plx9050_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: drivers/serial/built-in.o(.data+0x338): Section mismatch in
reference from
 the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function .devexit.text:pci_plx9050_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_plx9050_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: drivers/serial/built-in.o(.data+0x38c): Section mismatch in
reference from the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:sbs_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit sbs_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: drivers/serial/built-in.o(.data+0x3a8): Section mismatch in
reference from the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:sbs_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit sbs_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: drivers/serial/built-in.o(.data+0x3c4): Section mismatch in
reference from the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:sbs_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit sbs_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: drivers/serial/built-in.o(.data+0x3e0): Section mismatch in
reference from the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:sbs_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit sbs_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.cpuinit.text+0x2c5d): Section mismatch in
reference from the function setup_trampoline() to the variable
.init.data:trampoline_end
The function __cpuinit setup_trampoline() references
a variable __initdata trampoline_end.
If trampoline_end is only used by setup_trampoline then
annotate trampoline_end with a matching annotation.

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.cpuinit.text+0x2c62): Section mismatch in
reference from the function setup_trampoline() to the variable
.init.data:trampoline_data
The function __cpuinit setup_trampoline() references
a variable __initdata trampoline_data.
If trampoline_data is only used by setup_trampoline then
annotate trampoline_data with a matching annotation.

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12c88): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:pci_ite887x_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_ite887x_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12ca4): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:pci_plx9050_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_plx9050_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12cc0): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:pci_plx9050_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_plx9050_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12cf8): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:pci_plx9050_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_plx9050_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12d14): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:pci_plx9050_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_plx9050_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12d30): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:pci_plx9050_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit pci_plx9050_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12d4c): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:sbs_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit sbs_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12d68): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:sbs_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit sbs_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12d84): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:sbs_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit sbs_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,

WARNING: vmlinux.o(.data+0x12da0): Section mismatch in reference from
the variable pci_serial_quirks to the function
.devexit.text:sbs_exit()
The variable pci_serial_quirks references
the function __devexit sbs_exit()
If the reference is valid then annotate the
variable with __exit* (see linux/init.h) or name the variable:
*driver, *_template, *_timer, *_sht, *_ops, *_probe, *_probe_one, *_console,




-- 
Kevin O'Gorman, PhD