Re: [gentoo-user] Kernel Configuration

[Mick]

On Friday 27 August 2010 21:11:57 Aaron Bauman wrote:
> All,
>   I recently asked about some issues about getting my kernel to boot.  I
> would rather not use the ubuntu kernel as previously suggested unless it is
> completely safe.  I am currently booting successfully off of Ubuntu running
> kernel version 2.6.32-21-generic.  The errors I kept getting when booting
> the gentoo kernel was an RPC failure for NET:.  Not really sure what that
> could be.  The following is my lspci output.
>
> 00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 Host Bridge
> Alternate
> 00:01.0 PCI bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems Device 9602
> 00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge
> (PCIE port 1)
> 00:06.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge
> (PCIE port 2)
> 00:07.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge
> (PCIE port 3)
> 00:11.0 SATA controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 SATA Controller
> [AHCI mode]
> 00:12.0 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB OHCI0
> Controller
> 00:12.2 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB EHCI
> Controller 00:13.0 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB
> OHCI0 Controller
> 00:13.2 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB EHCI
> Controller 00:14.0 SMBus: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev
> 41) 00:14.2 Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
> (rev 40) 00:14.3 ISA bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 LPC host
> controller (rev 40)
> 00:14.4 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge (rev 40)
> 00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K10 [Opteron, Athlon64,
> Sempron] HyperTransport Configuration
> 00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K10 [Opteron, Athlon64,
> Sempron] Address Map
> 00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K10 [Opteron, Athlon64,
> Sempron] DRAM Controller
> 00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K10 [Opteron, Athlon64,
> Sempron] Miscellaneous Control
> 00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K10 [Opteron, Athlon64,
> Sempron] Link Control
> 01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc M880G [Mobility
> Radeon HD 4200]
> 01:05.1 Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc RS880 Audio Device [Radeon HD
> 4200]
> 02:00.0 System peripheral: JMicron Technology Corp. SD/MMC Host Controller
> (rev 20)
> 02:00.2 SD Host controller: JMicron Technology Corp. Standard SD Host
> Controller (rev 20)
> 02:00.3 System peripheral: JMicron Technology Corp. MS Host Controller (rev
> 20)
> 02:00.4 System peripheral: JMicron Technology Corp. xD Host Controller (rev
> 20)
> 03:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless
> Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)
> 04:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
> RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 05)

Hi Aaron,

Along with posting back your detailed error, please also post the output of 
this:

cat /usr/src/linux/.config | grep RPC

Alternatively, run:

cd /usr/src/linux
make menuconfig

then enter "/" and type the string that you want to seach for in the kernel 
options - in this case "RPC".  Read the list that you are offered and see if 
you have enabled something in there which is not appropriate.

If you are unsure whether you need a particular kernel option or not and the 
kernel help is not detailed enough, you can google for it to find out what it 
does in more detail, or search and read relevant documentation in 
/usr/src/linux/Documentation/

BTW, you do not seem to be using the latest stable gentoo kernel sources - is 
there a reason for this?

PS.  The Ubuntu kernel is safe enough, or Canonical would have patched it 
sooner or later.  It may be a bit bloated though, just like the Gentoo 
genkernel is, so either of these are a good start with a working kernel for 
your slimming down exercise.

Hope this helps.
-- 
Regards,
Mick