"with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

[ericesque]

okay, so my goal is to install the latest verison of ndiswrapper. I went to the wiki for instructions on installing. I'm new to linux, but am advanced in regards to computing--so bear with me when it comes to understanding certain things.

This is the link/how-to I'm working with:

http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/m...p/Installation

I understand the bulk of the directions given. They're layed out fairly well. What isn't explained very well is actually the first section: Prerequisites.

The first line mentions I need the source for my kernel. I tried installing the source from Adept. However, what I tried didn't seem to work. Can anyone spell this process out for me a bit? I notice there is source for a number of versions. Is there a quick console command to check my version?

my only other hangup is the line:
"Make sure you have started compiling the kernel sources, so needed header files are present"

I'm not sure how to compile the kernel sources. It sounds complex. I also see that the header files are available in Adept. I don't know if I need to install those as well or if that is included in the source.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[kubicle]

Re: "with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

The latest Ubuntu patched kernel source package is 'linux-source-2.6.12'
You can use 'uname -r' to get your current kernel version (if you need matching kernel-headers)

If you need to learn about compiling, there are good kernel compiling howtos available.
Search 'kernel compile howto', for example

[ericesque]

Re: "with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

I should have mentioned that I have 64-bit Breezy installed...

in addition, I've read that the 64-bit version is more buggy than the 32-bit. If I'm not concerned with 64-bit support, should I just be using the 32-bit version?

[ericesque]

Re: "with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

alright, I'm trying to work through this...

BTW, I switched to 32bit-- 5.10 for good measure.

I don't know if you have actually followed the link that I provided in my first post or not. If you look at the directions, does it make sense to have to recompile the kernel? I did search about how to do so and it seems over my head at this point.

here's the progress I've made:

The latest Ubuntu patched kernel source package is 'linux-source-2.6.12'
You can use 'uname -r' to get your current kernel version (if you need matching kernel-headers)


I still don't know where to get the source. From Adept? I looked through that list and didn't see anything about the source.

In the howto I'm following it mentioned that what you needed was the header files (I'm assuming so you can use the 'make' command because that's where I got an error following the howto last time) so I used your suggested 'uname -r' command to get my version. I hopped into Adept and found the linux header files of the same version. I clicked 'install' and 'commit changes' Do I actually have to recompile the kernel now? Maybe this is a more basic linux thing than I thought, but like I said, reading through the kernel compiling howto's I felt in over my head.

so I did try the make command after Adepting (making up my own verbs now) the header files. again I got the error "bash :make: command not found"

Anyway, if you could shed a little more light as to where to get the source and whether or not I should be having to recompile, that'd be great. As always, I appreciate your patience..

[kubicle]

Re: "with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

I don't know if you have  actually followed the link that I provided in my first post or not. 

I did, but perhaps I should've read it as well...call it laziness, call it stupidity

1. For compiling errors you should install 'build-essential' package (it includes common tools for compiling)

2. About the source, it should be available in Adept, but anyway you probably won't need the source, and you probably don't have to compile your kernel (at least not before you've tried everything else)

Check this link, there are some instructions and examples that were written specifically for ubuntu http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/m...dex.php/Ubuntu, they might be of help

[ericesque]

Re: "with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

thanks for the quick replies Kubicle. You are an asset to this community.

I've made much progress with my 32-bit Breezy install. Audio is working, mp3 support...check, got a few programs installed that I wanted...

However, this ndiswrapper still plagues me. I was able to get the source installed by opening up the security repo. Installed that and the 'build-essentials' package you recommended. The directions ask you to 'make distclean' then 'make' then 'make install'. The 'make distclean' ran with no error. however, when I get to the 'make command' I do get some errors. It appears that I'm still missing header files that are necessary... I don't know what else I could need. I have the source installed and also installed the header files via apt-get.

Here is the output from the 'make command. Maybe you can make more sense of the errors than I can.

eric@ericKubuntu:~/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.7$ sudo make
make -C driver
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/eric/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.7/driver'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.12-9-386/build SUBDIRS=/home/eric/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.7/driver \
DRIVER_VERSION=1.7
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.12-9-386/scripts/gcc-version.sh: line 11: gcc-3.4: command not found
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.12-9-386/scripts/gcc-version.sh: line 12: gcc-3.4: command not found
make[2]: gcc-3.4: Command not found
make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.12-9-386'
LD /home/eric/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.7/driver/built-in.o
CC [M] /home/eric/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.7/driver/hal.o
/bin/sh: gcc-3.4: command not found
make[3]: *** [/home/eric/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.7/driver/hal.o] Error 127
make[2]: *** [_module_/home/eric/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.7/driver] Error 2
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.12-9-386'
make[1]: *** [default] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/eric/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.7/driver'
make: *** [all] Error 2

Again, thanks for your help.

[rasputin]

Re: "with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

Hi
It seems to me that you don't have gcc-3.4 installed or gcc in /etc/alternatives don't links to gcc-3.4.
Make uses gcc, and gcc links to either gcc-3.3, gcc-3.4 or gcc-4.0.

rasputin

[ericesque]

Re: "with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

hey, thanks Rasputin. I was going to search around for information about gcc. you saved me some time

So I got ndiswrapper all installed. (Finally)

AND now it looks as if I'll have to uninstall it.

The first driver I tried (although documented to work with 32-bit systems) throws up an error about not being 32-bit and ndiswrapper cannot load it. Though I did get further in this attempt than any other. So I uninstalled that driver and tried a few others. However, every time I try to load a new driver, it gives me the same error as with the first driver... problem being, it claims that it IS the first driver (the error references the driver by name) So my next guess-and-check procedure will be to uninstall everything related to ndiswrapper, reinstall it all and hope for better luck.

Just figured I'd update everyone and thank you all again for your help in getting me this far. I am learning a lot... hopefully my mishaps will help someone else as well.

[ericesque]

Re: "with source" and "compiling the kernel sources"

ha HA! got it!!
I have wireless access!

apparently I screwed up one of the first steps--that I thought I'd gotten right. Something about linking files via the following command.

sudo ln -s usr/src/linux-2.6.12 /lib/modules/2.6.12-9-386/build

the ndiswrapper official installation wiki makes mention of a number of things when you're supposed to enter this command... I think it confuses more than clarifies anything. Perhaps they should give a literal example rather than putting <version> and VERSION--Unless those directions are clear to someone who knows their way around linux. Oh well.

Just to help forum searchers: broadcom 7510GX Breezy Badger 5.10 32bit bcmwl5.inf

Again, thank you Kubicle and Rasputin for getting me on the right track. I probably should document my experience at some point.