[11:39] <MrRTOS> what the command "make oldconfig" is for? or what does it do?
[11:40] <Mithrandir> it only asks you about any new options
[11:40] <johanbr> It starts the kernel build with a previous .config file, only asking you about config options that aren't already in the old .config.
[11:44] <MrRTOS> cool but where are these configurations that are not part of .config? where do they come from and how does "make" know that there are more configurations that are not especified by .config?
[11:45] <johanbr> The config options are part of the kernel build system. A typical use for oldconfig is when you an old .config file from a previous kernel, with fewer options.
[11:45] <johanbr> "when you have..."
[11:46] <MrRTOS> I'm still confused
[11:46] <MrRTOS> lol
[11:47] <MrRTOS> you have a new .config that make oldconfig will use
[11:47] <MrRTOS> but you say that there is an old .config file too
[11:47] <MrRTOS> how can there be two files with the same name?
[11:49] <johanbr> There aren't two .config files. "make oldconfig" populates the old .config file with the values you select for the new options.
[11:51] <MrRTOS> I'm probably having problems understanding because I do not understand the basics of the build system
[11:53] <MrRTOS> if there is no .config file (if I delete it) and type make menuconfig and choose a bunch of stuff then save it and exit it
[11:53] <MrRTOS> what are the results of this operation?
[11:54] <johanbr> It produces a .config file with whichever values you selected.
[11:54] <MrRTOS> will menuconfig create a .config file for me and when I type "make zImage" make will use the .config file created to configure everything?
[11:54] <johanbr> yes
[11:54] <MrRTOS> ok
[11:54] <MrRTOS> so it's starting from scratch
[11:54] <MrRTOS> but you say
[11:55] <MrRTOS> that if I already have a .config
[11:55] <MrRTOS> I could do make oldconfig and it will use the existing .config as a template?
[11:55] <johanbr> yes
[11:55] <MrRTOS> meaning use the answers provided by .config to create the new .config
[11:55] <johanbr> yes
[11:56] <MrRTOS> ok so my old .config file ends up overwritten by the make oldconfig process
[11:56] <MrRTOS> cause there might be some other options
[11:56] <johanbr> Not really, all the old options you selected are still there. The difference is that it will also contain the values you just selected for the new options.
[11:56] <MrRTOS> ok I get it now
[11:57] <MrRTOS> there is still one question un-answered though
[11:57] <MrRTOS> those extra configurations that make oldconfig add
[11:57] <MrRTOS> may add I should say
[11:57] <MrRTOS> where do they come from?
[11:58] <MrRTOS> if I have an old .config and I type "make oldconfig" it will use the old .config and add whatever new configurations I choose if there is any available
[11:59] <johanbr> The new options come from somewhere in the kernel build system, I don't remember the details.
[11:59] <MrRTOS> oh ok
[11:59] <johanbr> Basically each kernel source tree "knows" which options go with it.
[11:59] <MrRTOS> english is my second language so sorry for not explaining things clearly
[12:00] <johanbr> Your English is fine. It's not my native language either. :)
[12:01] <MrRTOS> :)
[12:01] <MrRTOS> thx
[12:06] <MrRTOS> I guess I should learn the kernel build system
[12:06] <MrRTOS> any good books that could teach it to me?
[12:10] <johanbr> Don't really know, haven't read any of the kernel books. A good start would be to look in the Documentation directory of the kernel source tree.
[12:11] <MrRTOS> k I'll do that
[12:11] <MrRTOS> I'll check at amazon too 
[12:11] <MrRTOS> thanks for your help
[12:11] <MrRTOS> finally I understand the make oldconfig stuff
[12:13] <johanbr> No problem. :)
[12:13] <JanC> does anyone know if motherboards with the new P35 Core 2 Duo chipset are supported in feisty or gutsy ?