Baslinux mailing list

[baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org]

> "I don't yet know how to patch kernel source - do you?
> I think 'patch' appends the corrections to a file somehow."

> I have patched other code in the past, I guess it's the same for kernel 
> source. If it is the same its just one or two commands, but I can't 
> remember what they are. I don't know much about linux, I thought 
> patching was a standard part of compiling. Now you have worried me!

I am sure it is in some HOWTO.  I think I tried patching 2.2.26 code to 
update it to 2.2.27 but nothing seemed to have changed.

> "Do you have a parallel port transfer cable?  Parallel port zip drive? Both 
> work in DOS with under 640K memory.
>
> A nullmodem cable would let you use the laptop as a real terminal
> to run programs on some other computer with serial port."
>
> If I need to I have the bits to make a parrallel or serial transfer cable, 
> but don't really want to spend the time doing it. I also have an adaptor to 
> plug the laptop drive into my desktop machine. Again, I would prefer not to.

Serial transfer cable can be made from serial mice cables but nullmodem 
has more wires.  Should also work for transfers.

> In windows networking is possible over null modem, I would guess it can be 
> done in linux too.

Look it up in the BL archives. You edit inittab (edit it back if you will 
use your serial port for a mouse or modem afterwards).

> "> I have been attempting to compile on one of my faster machines then 
> transfer the compiled kernel to the laptop with a floppy disk. I mentioned slackware 
> earlier, but have been using a ubuntu virtual machine, as from what I have read that 
> should work too.
>
> So what happened when you tried?"

> It failed due to issues compiling a 2.4 kernel from a 2.6 kernel. I 
> tried again under slackware 11, and the kernel is running now on the 
> laptop. It seems to work, but the X crash is still here as I didn't 
> apply the patch yet. I wanted to learn how to compile a kernel without 
> patches first. Also.... FIRST EVER SUCSESSFUL KERNEL COMPILE, WOO HOO!!

Which version kernel did you compile with Slackware 11 - 2.6?  I was 
unable to compile a BL-usable 2.6 kernel yet.  It would be great if you 
could make a minimal one and also modules for it, based on BL's config.

> "Does it have a PCMCIA slot to which you could add CF memory card (in a CF 
> adaptor)?"
> Yes, but I want to fix this problem before I start mucking arround with 
> pcmcia.

BL3 comes all set up with pcmcia, but also with X.

There should be some way to edit rc so as not to load X at startup.  Look 
into doing that in the loop version (the 2-floppy is tricky to modify).
Steven, can you help with this?

> "Does svgalib cause the same problems as X?  BL1 came with a jpegviewer 
> based on svgalib, and I compiled libvga for kernel 2.4."

> I don't know. Haven't tried it.

If you can add 16MB or more of CF memory this should not be necessary. 
svgalib, as I said, works badly or not at all on LCD screens.  It crashes 
some laptops and displays only as plain VGA on others.  But if your laptop 
only does 640x480 that should not be a big problem (other than poor 
colors).

Isn't BL fun?  It was my first linux and is still what I use most of the 
time unless I need a recent graphical browser, or recent hardware.  BL 
tends to work better than newer linuxes on some hardware because it is 
less automated.  For instance with sound or mice.

Sindi