I am compiling the latest kernel cloned from Linus's git repository for a challenge. Here are the steps I followed,
1. Installed cross compilation tools
sudo apt-get install git build-essential kernel-package fakeroot libncurses5-dev
2. cloned the latest git repository
$ git clone https://github.com/torvalds/linux.git
3. Copied the current build configuration to the root of the source tree and updated the configuration file.
yes '' | make oldconfig
4. make clean
5. Made the linux image and header .deb files
make -j `getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN` deb-pkg LOCALVERSION=-custom
After a few minutes of compilation, it shows the error
dpkg-genchanges: warning: package linux-firmware-image-4.2.0-rc3-custom listed in files list but not in control info
dpkg-genchanges: warning: package linux-headers-4.2.0-rc3-custom listed in files list but not in control info
dpkg-genchanges: warning: package linux-headers-4.3.0-rc1-eudyptula listed in files list but not in control info
dpkg-genchanges: warning: package linux-image-4.2.0-rc3-custom-dbg listed in files list but not in control info
dpkg-genchanges: warning: package linux-image-4.3.0-rc1-eudyptula listed in files list but not in control info
dpkg-genchanges: warning: package linux-image-4.2.0-rc3-custom listed in files list but not in control info
dpkg-genchanges: warning: package linux-image-4.3.0-rc1-eudyptula-dbg listed in files list but not in control info
dpkg-genchanges: warning: package linux-firmware-image-4.3.0-rc1-eudyptula listed in files list but not in control info
dpkg-genchanges: error: package linux-image-4.2.0-rc3-custom-dbg has section kernel in control file but debug in files list
scripts/package/Makefile:91: recipe for target 'deb-pkg' failed
make[1]: *** [deb-pkg] Error 255
Makefile:1226: recipe for target 'deb-pkg' failed
make: *** [deb-pkg] Error 2
I think the error has occurred in the making of .deb package. I really don't understand the error message
linux-image-4.2.0-rc3-custom-dbg has section kernel in control file but debug in files list
What does it really means?. Please help!
Best Answer
First, the
yes '' | make oldconfig
step is more easily done by way ofmake olddefconfig
.Having said that,
What happens is that the kernel's
Makefile
generates a number of files inside adebian/
directory which are not completely following the spec. Combined with a gradual stricter enforcement of this spec in the build tools over the years, means that a hack which used to work in the past (generating.deb
packages which aren't listed indebian/control
, or which are listed but whose details differ) don't work anymore these days.Personally, I recommend against the
make deb-pkg
method of building a Debian package of a vanilla kernel. If you want to do that, a method which works better IME is to use thekernel-package
package which is part of Debian proper:This should get you a package (with the
.config
file you created) that you can install on your Debian system.