>
> I've just (for the first time) tried to compile the kernel
> (2.0.34) on this hamm box. I was a bit nervous, being rather new
> to this linux thing, but all went quite well once I realised
> that I had to move the old /lib/modules/2.0.34 directory before
> building & installing the new kernel.
>
> The only problem I have now is that an error message comes
> up near the end of the boot sequence:
>
> Cannot load char-major-10
The `major' refers to a device file. Device files have a major and a
minor number that identifies them, and they are not really files, but
rather entry points to talk to kernel drivers. If you do
$ ls -l | grep 10,
(comma included), you get
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 3 Dec 9 1996 atibm
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 3 Dec 9 1996 atimouse
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 2 Dec 9 1996 inportbm
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 4 Dec 9 1996 jmouse
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 0 Dec 9 1996 logibm
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 0 Dec 9 1996 logimouse
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 2 Dec 9 1996 msmouse
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 1 Dec 9 1996 psaux
crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 10, 1 Dec 9 1996 psmouse
^ ^
| |__ minor numbers
|_______ all major number 10
These are mice, bus and ps2 type. You probably compiled some mouse
drivers of mice you don't own into the kernel. They do no real
harm, except that they occupy a few kb on your disk. For aesthetics you
may want to find them and compile a kernel without them. While you are
at it, install the debian package `kernel-package', and read the README
file from /usr/doc/kernel-package/. This package will make compiling
and installing kernels a joy :)
HTH,
Eric Meijer
--
E.L. Meijer ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) | tel. office +31 40 2472189
Eindhoven Univ. of Technology | tel. lab. +31 40 2475032
Lab. for Catalysis and Inorg. Chem. (TAK) | tel. fax +31 40 2455054
