# all newly compiled kernels borked

## szczerb

I recently did `emerge -e system && emerge -e world && revdep-rebuild` "new" gcc (I mean 4.3.2-r3 which got stable sort of recently). And now every kernel I build (the version doesn't matter) has broken framebuffer. I'm using ordinary vesafb on a riva tnt 16MB. On all those kernels I get mostly blank screen, except two blue quite small blocks during early boot (before services) and three green ones during going through the runlevels and reboot.

Was there some emerge message I missed, or just something that needs to be done before kernels are usable?

I need to add bluetooth support to the kernel and I'm a bit afraid to use those with broken fb. Other things could be broken too.

----------

## DONAHUE

Guessing that 

```
emerge -e gentoo-sources
```

 as part of world resulted in loss of your old config in favor of defconfig losing some settings for you.

if you have an older config file saved; running diff or meld on it versus the current config file might be illuminating.

----------

## szczerb

Nope, it's definitely still my config (just checked). Anyway a newly installed *-sources package doesn't have a .config file.

Any other ideas?

----------

## d2_racing

Maybe you should try this :

```

# cd /usr/src/linux

# cp .config /root

# make proper

# make clean

# cp /root/.config .

# make oldconfig

# make && make modules_install

```

----------

## DONAHUE

what does the kernel line in grub.conf look like?

----------

## szczerb

That's the whole config:

```
default 1

timeout 5

splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title Gentoo Linux 2.6.27-r10 bluetooth

root (hd0,0)

kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.27-gentoo-r10-bt  root=/dev/hda3 vga=0x318 video=vesafb:mtrr:3,ywrap,1024x768-32@85

title Gentoo Linux 2.6.27-r10

root (hd0,0)

kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.27-gentoo-r10 root=/dev/hda3 vga=0x318 video=vesafb:mtrr:3,ywrap,1024x768-32@85

title Gentoo Linux 2.6.28-r5

root (hd0,0)

kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.28-gentoo-r5 root=/dev/hda3 vga=0x318 video=vesafb:mtrr:3,ywrap,1024x768-32@8
```

As you see it's copy'n'paste and as simple as can get - still only the middle one is fine.

I will now try what d2_racing suggested.

----------

## szczerb

No... `make clean` didn't really help. Although there is a difference. Now the blocks during reboot are purple and in different places. And BTW make said it didn't have rules to make proper.

----------

## CooSee

not " make proper "   :Exclamation: 

```
make mrproper
```

which " sys-kernel/linux-headers " are you using  :Question: 

re-emerge it please  :Exclamation: 

and let me get this right, you installed new " gcc " during " -e system $ -e world " or have you installed the new " gcc " before  :Question: 

CooSee ' Ya

----------

## Hu

If you remove the vesafb support from the kernel, does it work?  Removing that support will degrade you to an 80x25 console, but it might at least boot.

----------

## szczerb

Will do again with mrproper.

I've got 2.6.27-r2 headers.

I had gcc emerged. Then switched to it using eselect and then sytem and world and revdep.

Hu, the machine boots just fine. And X works fine. So I just switch to a VT (blank screen), login blindly as root and do `reboot` or `poweroff` and it works just fine. The thing is, that I'm afraid that although other parts of kernel seem to be working, some may be borked as well and I don't want to find out by, for example, loosing data. And if I boot without the vga and video parameters I see (huge) stuff on VTs but it's not using any fb then, right? I hope I didn't start by missinforming.

----------

## szczerb

No, that didn't help either. Even made it worse. Now it doesn't boot at all. It gets to the blue boxes stage and then hangs with a blank screen.

BTW My CRT says that it's in in 720x400 mode.

EDIT: No wait, it booted eventually...and seems fine as previously, except the fb.

----------

## pappy_mcfae

Post one of the offending .configs so I can take a look. There might be a problem there. I haven't read of issues with gcc-4.3.2-r3, but that doesn't mean there aren't issues. 

Blessed be!

Pappy

----------

## szczerb

Here it is:

http://szczerb.pastebin.com/f404474e9

thanks for taking the time to go through that Pappy (our kernel guru    :Very Happy: )

(I was actually coming about to asking you to take a look)

----------

## RedSquirrel

The mode setting (1024x768-32@85) is not a valid option for vesafb. However, if the middle entry in your grub.conf works, removing the mode setting probably won't fix your issue.  :Neutral: 

----------

## szczerb

Oh yeah, I forgot to get rid of it after switching from uvesa (or something) to vesa a while back. And it doesn't seem to make a difference.

----------

## pappy_mcfae

I see nothing in that .config that would cause your issue. Nothing. The only suggestion I'd offer is try not compiling in the fonts and see if that helps. Since your machine is so close to mine, I'm going to compile the kernel from your .config (adding only AHCI), and see if it works on my machine. I'll be back with that info in about an hour or so.

Blessed be!

Pappy

----------

## pappy_mcfae

I tried it out, and it worked for me. The only issue I had was the slow BIOS EHCI handoff "feature" that I usually cure with a patch that stops that bit of voodoo. I had a frame buffer. I had an X session, albeit a bit slower than mine (CPU scheduling...), but things worked. I even left the ATA/ATAPI/MFM/RLL drivers on.

I am thinking there might be something to your thought about a bug in that version of gcc. I'm using straight-up 4.3.2 myself, and as I said, things compiled and worked as expected.

Blessed be!

Pappy

----------

## szczerb

So, should I go somewhere and file a bug? In our bugzilla or somewhere upstream?

And would it be safe to build a kernel with the old (4.1.2) gcc while the system is already rebuilt with the new one?

----------

## pappy_mcfae

 *szczerb wrote:*   

> So, should I go somewhere and file a bug? In our bugzilla or somewhere upstream?

 At least look to see if there is a bug already. If there isn't, then yes, write one.

 *Quote:*   

> And would it be safe to build a kernel with the old (4.1.2) gcc while the system is already rebuilt with the new one?

 

As far as I know, this shouldn't be a problem. Although, for practical purposes, perhaps emerge gcc-4.3.2 and compile the kernel with that. To my mind, that would eliminate the problems, and keep your gcc's close enough that any minor differences shouldn't matter as far as system operation are concerned.

Blessed be!

Pappy

----------

