Fwd: Re: linux-image-386 kernel for x86 routers

[Stefan Bader]

This reply only went to kernel-team...

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: linux-image-386 kernel for x86 routers
Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 13:52:13 +0200
From: Stefan Bader <stefan.bader at canonical.com>
To: Gerold Jens Wucherpfennig <gjwucherpfennig at gmx.net>
CC: kernel-team at lists.ubuntu.com

On 24.05.2011 21:43, Gerold Jens Wucherpfennig wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I wanted to upgrade my Alix router to the latest Ubuntu Server version.
>
> On my ALIX router (http://pcengines.ch/alix.htm) I had installed a
> Ubuntu Server 10.04 LTS. The AMD Geode CPU of the router doesn't
> work with generic Linux kernels, but instead needs the Ubuntu kernel:
> linux-image-386 (the kernel for Intel 386 compatible CPUs).
>
> The problem is that in Ubuntu 10.10 and 11.04 linux-image-386 doesn't
> exist any more... My request is: Can someone set up a PPA for
> Ubuntu 11.04 and maybe even reconsider to ship a
> 386 kernel in the main repository for Ubuntu Oneiric.
>
> Regards,
> Gerold
>
>
I am not sure whether a 386 kernel would help that much. At the UDS for Maverick
it was decided to compile the whole of user-space with m686[1].
This was done to allow better optimization for the majority of current hardware.
Unfortunately that means some older hardware stopped being supported with Lucid.

So a 386 kernel in main is unlikely to happen. You still could compile your own
kernels[2] if user-space is not causing issues (or run your own PPA) by getting
the generic source and adapt the config (fakeroot debian/rules editconfig).

One other thing, not sure this may help or not, but the i386 server
installations are using the generic-pae kernel afaik. And maybe that is what
breaks the Geode. Have you tried the generic i386 kernel (without -pae)?

-Stefan

[1] https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/foundations-m-686-compile
[2] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/BuildYourOwnKernel