PPC: 6.4 - Kernel update
Support knowledgebase (olh_ppc_64_kernel_update)
Applies to
SuSE Linux: Version 6.4
This article refers to an older version of SuSE Linux.
Therefore some of the informations given in this article may
be outdated or the article may contain stale links.
Kernel: Version 2.2.14
SuSE Linux PowerPC: Version 6.4
Request:
The kernel from the 6.4 ppc installation contains some bugs.
You can solve these with a kernel update.
This article explains the needed steps.
Procedure:
If you have a RS/6000, a PReP machine or a PowerMac, and Linux is already installed, all you need is the kernel package. It is in rpm formated and contains all needed modules.
CHRP based machines, e.g. RS/6000
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/kernel/2.2.16/k_chrp.rpm
PowerMac
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/kernel/2.2.16/k_pmac.rpm
PReP based machine, z.B. Motorola and older RS/6000
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/kernel/2.2.16/k_prep.rpm
PReP SMP machines
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/kernel/2.2.16/k_preps.rpm
Kernel for recent PowerMacs
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/kernel/2.2.16/k_benh.rpm
New input devices:
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/6.4/a1/devs.rpm
Update the already installed k_type.rpm with this command:
su -c "rpm -Uvh /path/to/new_kernel.rpm /path/to/devs.rpm"
Read the short change log below.
Make sure that you can boot the new kernel file:
- On a RS/6000 machine the file /boot/vmlinux will be booted, the config file /etc/quik.conf or /etc/lilo.conf must be configured for it.
- On a PReP machine the file /boot/zImage.prep will be booted. Use "dd" to write it into the boot partition of the type "41 PReP boot partition"
fdisk -l /dev/sda
...
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 4 4080 41 PPC PReP Boot
...
dd if=/boot/zImage.prep of=/dev/sda1
Adapt the arguments for your needs!
- A newer PowerMac which will be booted with yaboot. You must make sure that the image= line in yaboot.conf points to /boot/vmlinux.
image = ultra0:12,/boot/vmlinux # Root Partition is /dev/hda12 here
- On an older PowerMac, which will be booted with BootX, the kernel image must copied manually or downloaded from the FTP server to MacOS.
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/kernel/2.2.16/vmlinux.pmac.gz
If you copy the kernel from Linux to the MacOS side:
- open a root shell with the command " su - "
- mount the MacOS partition with " hmount /dev/macospartitionN "
- copy the file /boot/vmlinux onto the Mac partition:
hcopy /boot/vmlinux :
- unmount the MacOS partition with " humount /dev/macospartitionN "
- Boot into MacOS and copy the file to the correct place, e.g. your System folder. Make sure that you boot that new kernel, it must be active in the BootX window. You can find more information about BootX in chapter 4.
Attention: There is currently no way to check whether or not your MacOS partition is in HFS+. If it is in HFS+ and you copy files with the hfsutils onto that partition you will lose data! Use either a removeable media like a Zip or a separate partition like mentioned in the manual.
New Features in the SuSE kernel 2.2.16:
- Newer USB drivers. These drivers support more hardware and are much more stable. You can find more information about the Linux USB project at http://www.linux-usb.org/
- New mouse button emulation for PowerMacs. The keys which emulate the mouse keys can be configured at runtime. More information about the new emulation can be found in this article:
poeml_mouse_buttons_emulation.html
- starting with 2.2.16 a new input layer is merged into the kernel. This allows you to use all mice with one device node
/dev/input/mice
The older devices /dev/adbmouse and /dev/usbmouse are obsolete.
Please change these settings in your configuration:
Change all links and references to /dev/adbmouse or /dev/usbmouse to /dev/input/mice, e.g. /dev/mouse.
The protocol is ps2 for GPM (change GPM_PARAMS in rc.config) and "imps2" for X11.
- The Thinkpad 850 is supported with the 2.2.16 kernel, as well as some other PReP machines with SCSI errors. k_prep.rpm and zImage.prep is needed to boot these machines.
See also:
PPC: Mouse button emulation
USB with kernel version 2.2.16 and newer
Keywords: PPC, POWERPC, KERNEL, APPLE, RS6000, MEMORY, IBOOK
Categories:
Power PC
SDB-olh_ppc_64_kernel_update, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany
- Version: 20. Okt 2000
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 03. Aug 2001 by olh (sdb_gen 1.40.0)