[mythtv-users] Messed up Linux kernel

[William Munson]

dvjunk at netscape.net wrote:
> OK, I'm sure this isn't the best place to post this, but I'm not sure 
> where to turn, so please point me in the right direction.
> I've been working on my MythTV setup for quite a while now, slowly 
> learning, but I'm still and idiot, and making plenty of mistakes. This 
> whole linux thing has been a steeper learning curve than I had hoped!
> I have a system running Ubuntu 7.10 with Muthbuntu installed on top. I 
> wanted to get the remote for my KWorld ATSC 110 card working, and it 
> looks like there is a patch 
> (http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/User:Vprada#Kernel_Modification) 
> which should do that. (I also thought that I could achieve some 
> improvement in performance by tweaking the kernel for my processor 
> (P4) as long as I was re-compiling.
> I read the Master Kernel Thread 
> (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=311158), and thought "that 
> doesn't sound too bad" so I gave it a try. I used /KernelCheck /and 
> got the kernel compiled (without the patch - one step at a time). By 
> default it compiled 2.6.23.9 (I thought there might have been an 
> option to chose the original kernel, 2.6.22.14, but I never saw it.) 
> After booting the new kernel it worked except the nvidia proprietary 
> drivers did not load (need those for HD mpeg2 hardware decoding.) I 
> tried re-loading the drivers, but they never loaded. It seems like 
> there is not a linux-restricted-modules package for 2.6.23.9 (????) I 
> don't understand the relationship between kernel versions and 
> restricted-modules.
> I re-booted 2.6.22.14-generic, and couldn't get the Nvidia drivers 
> working on that either.
> So next I thought I should just compile the old kernel 2.6.22.14 
> (because I don't think there is anything in 2.6.23.9 that I need.) I 
> followed the steps in the Master Kernel Thread to compile the kernel, 
> and after several attempts (I made several mistakes which probably 
> screwed up some stuff) I have a running custom 2.6.22.14 kernel.
> So now I have 3 kernels in grub (besides the recovery versions) 
> 2.6.22.14-generic, 2.6.22.14 and 2.6.23.9. I can boot to any of them, 
> but the nvidia drivers don't load. If I try running Synaptic (from any 
> of the kernels) I get the message:
> E: The package linux-image-2.6.23.9 needs to be reinstalled, but I 
> can't find an archive for it.
> E: Internal error opening cache (1). Please report.
>
> Please let me know:
> Where to look for answers to my problems.
> How badly am I screwed???
> Am I in way over my head and I shouldn't even be trying this because I 
> don't know what I'm doing???
> Is there an easy way to fix things??
> Do I need to format and re-install??
> Should I give up linux and go back to being a Windows junkie (gee... I 
> hate that option.)
>
> I see there is a new Nvidia driver 169.07 that seems to help with 
> video, so I would like to use that driver if possible.
>
> Thanks,
> Don
If you want to use precompiled modules you will need to use the 
precompiled kernel from the same source. If you really want to compile 
your own kernel, then simply compile all  your own modules once the 
kernel is installed. Its not that hard and there are plenty of howto's 
on the subject.