Discussion:
akmod vs. kmod
Richi Plana
2008-06-15 16:48:50 UTC
Permalink
Hi,

I've noticed that in livna, there are two kernel modules available for
nvidia: akmod-nvidia and kmod-nvidia. Are they exclusive of each other
(iow, only one should be installed on a system)? My understanding is
that akmods are compiled whenever any new kernel is installed. Is that
correct? Are there instructions on how to use akmods? (ie. when to
update kernels and when to reboot)

This is a livna-specific question, but I'm assuming that because of the
fusion, these questions can be asked here, and there doesn't seem to be
a "users" list, so ....
--

Richi Plana
Thorsten Leemhuis
2008-06-28 17:22:41 UTC
Permalink
On 15.06.2008 18:48, Richi Plana wrote:

Sorry for the late reply.
Post by Richi Plana
I've noticed that in livna, there are two kernel modules available for
nvidia: akmod-nvidia and kmod-nvidia. Are they exclusive of each other
(iow, only one should be installed on a system)?
Nope.
Post by Richi Plana
My understanding is
that akmods are compiled whenever any new kernel is installed. Is that
correct?
akmod packages contain the kernel module sources and a RPM Spec file (a
kmod src.rpm to be precise); the akmods scripts will use this to compile
a kmod that gets installed automatically
Post by Richi Plana
Are there instructions on how to use akmods? (ie. when to
update kernels and when to reboot)
/me tends to say "Just do it."

Normally it should "just work" by installing a akmod package; the kmods
will then get build on kernel install or during startup on the next reboot
Post by Richi Plana
[...]
HTH

CU
knurd
Denis Leroy
2008-06-28 18:36:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by Thorsten Leemhuis
Sorry for the late reply.
Post by Richi Plana
I've noticed that in livna, there are two kernel modules available for
nvidia: akmod-nvidia and kmod-nvidia. Are they exclusive of each other
(iow, only one should be installed on a system)?
Nope.
Post by Richi Plana
My understanding is
that akmods are compiled whenever any new kernel is installed. Is that
correct?
akmod packages contain the kernel module sources and a RPM Spec file (a
kmod src.rpm to be precise); the akmods scripts will use this to compile
a kmod that gets installed automatically
Post by Richi Plana
Are there instructions on how to use akmods? (ie. when to
update kernels and when to reboot)
/me tends to say "Just do it."
Normally it should "just work" by installing a akmod package; the kmods
will then get build on kernel install or during startup on the next reboot
Thorsten, do you have some doc on how akmod works somewhere ? Or should
we just look at the existing ones and figure things out :-) i'll try to
submit an akmod version of open-vm-tools...
Thorsten Leemhuis
2008-06-29 11:06:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by Denis Leroy
Post by Thorsten Leemhuis
Post by Richi Plana
I've noticed that in livna, there are two kernel modules available for
nvidia: akmod-nvidia and kmod-nvidia. Are they exclusive of each other
(iow, only one should be installed on a system)?
Nope.
Post by Richi Plana
My understanding is
that akmods are compiled whenever any new kernel is installed. Is that
correct?
akmod packages contain the kernel module sources and a RPM Spec file (a
kmod src.rpm to be precise); the akmods scripts will use this to compile
a kmod that gets installed automatically
Post by Richi Plana
Are there instructions on how to use akmods? (ie. when to
update kernels and when to reboot)
/me tends to say "Just do it."
Normally it should "just work" by installing a akmod package; the kmods
will then get build on kernel install or during startup on the next reboot
Thorsten, do you have some doc on how akmod works somewhere ?
Not really; I never found time for it; I know, that sucks :-/ Sorry.

I only wrote a small bit you can find at
http://rpmfusion.org/Packaging/KernelModules/Akmods

Ohh, and some (but not all :-/ ) of the commands in the akmods package
have a man page.
Post by Denis Leroy
Or should
we just look at the existing ones and figure things out :-)
It's mainly a standard kmod package, which is documented in
http://rpmfusion.org/Packaging/KernelModules/Kmods2

The main differences are

* "for kernel_version in %{kernel_versions} ; do" becomes
"for kernel_version in %{?kernel_versions} ; do"

* a akmods macro needs to be added to the %install section

But yeah, in the end looking at one of the existing packages is the best
way forward.
Post by Denis Leroy
i'll try to submit an akmod version of open-vm-tools...
Look at the archives for this list; some people did kmod packages
already for this; should be easy to adjust them to the newest kmod stuff
which brings akmods support.

Cu
knurd

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