Intro
  =====
  
  This document is designed to provide a list of the minimum levels of
  software necessary to run the 2.6 kernels, as well as provide brief
  instructions regarding any other "Gotchas" users may encounter when
  trying life on the Bleeding Edge.  If upgrading from a pre-2.4.x
  kernel, please consult the Changes file included with 2.4.x kernels for
  additional information; most of that information will not be repeated
  here.  Basically, this document assumes that your system is already
  functional and running at least 2.4.x kernels.
  
  This document is originally based on my "Changes" file for 2.0.x kernels
  and therefore owes credit to the same people as that file (Jared Mauch,
  Axel Boldt, Alessandro Sigala, and countless other users all over the
  'net).

  Current Minimal Requirements
  ============================
  
  Upgrade to at *least* these software revisions before thinking you've
  encountered a bug!  If you're unsure what version you're currently
  running, the suggested command should tell you.
  
  Again, keep in mind that this list assumes you are already
  functionally running a Linux 2.4 kernel.  Also, not all tools are

  necessary on all systems; obviously, if you don't have any ISDN
  hardware, for example, you probably needn't concern yourself with
  isdn4k-utils.

  o  Gnu C                  3.2                     # gcc --version

  o  Gnu make               3.79.1                  # make --version
  o  binutils               2.12                    # ld -v
  o  util-linux             2.10o                   # fdformat --version
  o  module-init-tools      0.9.10                  # depmod -V
  o  e2fsprogs              1.29                    # tune2fs
  o  jfsutils               1.1.3                   # fsck.jfs -V
  o  reiserfsprogs          3.6.3                   # reiserfsck -V 2>&1|grep reiserfsprogs
  o  xfsprogs               2.6.0                   # xfs_db -V

  o  pcmciautils            004                     # pccardctl -V

  o  quota-tools            3.09                    # quota -V
  o  PPP                    2.4.0                   # pppd --version
  o  isdn4k-utils           3.1pre1                 # isdnctrl 2>&1|grep version
  o  nfs-utils              1.0.5                   # showmount --version
  o  procps                 3.2.0                   # ps --version

  o  oprofile               0.9                     # oprofiled --version

  o  udev                   081                     # udevinfo -V

  o  grub                   0.93                    # grub --version

  
  Kernel compilation
  ==================
  
  GCC
  ---
  
  The gcc version requirements may vary depending on the type of CPU in your

  computer.

  
  Make
  ----
  
  You will need Gnu make 3.79.1 or later to build the kernel.
  
  Binutils
  --------
  
  Linux on IA-32 has recently switched from using as86 to using gas for
  assembling the 16-bit boot code, removing the need for as86 to compile
  your kernel.  This change does, however, mean that you need a recent
  release of binutils.
  
  System utilities
  ================
  
  Architectural changes
  ---------------------
  
  DevFS has been obsoleted in favour of udev
  (http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/kernel/hotplug/)
  
  32-bit UID support is now in place.  Have fun!
  
  Linux documentation for functions is transitioning to inline
  documentation via specially-formatted comments near their
  definitions in the source.  These comments can be combined with the
  SGML templates in the Documentation/DocBook directory to make DocBook
  files, which can then be converted by DocBook stylesheets to PostScript,
  HTML, PDF files, and several other formats.  In order to convert from
  DocBook format to a format of your choice, you'll need to install Jade as
  well as the desired DocBook stylesheets.
  
  Util-linux
  ----------
  
  New versions of util-linux provide *fdisk support for larger disks,
  support new options to mount, recognize more supported partition
  types, have a fdformat which works with 2.4 kernels, and similar goodies.
  You'll probably want to upgrade.
  
  Ksymoops
  --------

  If the unthinkable happens and your kernel oopses, you may need the
  ksymoops tool to decode it, but in most cases you don't.
  In the 2.6 kernel it is generally preferred to build the kernel with
  CONFIG_KALLSYMS so that it produces readable dumps that can be used as-is
  (this also produces better output than ksymoops).
  If for some reason your kernel is not build with CONFIG_KALLSYMS and
  you have no way to rebuild and reproduce the Oops with that option, then
  you can still decode that Oops with ksymoops.

  
  Module-Init-Tools
  -----------------
  
  A new module loader is now in the kernel that requires module-init-tools
  to use.  It is backward compatible with the 2.4.x series kernels.
  
  Mkinitrd
  --------
  
  These changes to the /lib/modules file tree layout also require that
  mkinitrd be upgraded.
  
  E2fsprogs
  ---------
  
  The latest version of e2fsprogs fixes several bugs in fsck and
  debugfs.  Obviously, it's a good idea to upgrade.
  
  JFSutils
  --------
  
  The jfsutils package contains the utilities for the file system.
  The following utilities are available:
  o fsck.jfs - initiate replay of the transaction log, and check
    and repair a JFS formatted partition.
  o mkfs.jfs - create a JFS formatted partition.
  o other file system utilities are also available in this package.
  
  Reiserfsprogs
  -------------
  
  The reiserfsprogs package should be used for reiserfs-3.6.x
  (Linux kernels 2.4.x). It is a combined package and contains working
  versions of mkreiserfs, resize_reiserfs, debugreiserfs and
  reiserfsck. These utils work on both i386 and alpha platforms.
  
  Xfsprogs
  --------
  
  The latest version of xfsprogs contains mkfs.xfs, xfs_db, and the
  xfs_repair utilities, among others, for the XFS filesystem.  It is
  architecture independent and any version from 2.0.0 onward should
  work correctly with this version of the XFS kernel code (2.6.0 or
  later is recommended, due to some significant improvements).

  PCMCIAutils
  -----------
  
  PCMCIAutils replaces pcmcia-cs (see below). It properly sets up
  PCMCIA sockets at system startup and loads the appropriate modules
  for 16-bit PCMCIA devices if the kernel is modularized and the hotplug
  subsystem is used.

  
  Pcmcia-cs
  ---------
  
  PCMCIA (PC Card) support is now partially implemented in the main

  kernel source. The "pcmciautils" package (see above) replaces pcmcia-cs
  for newest kernels.

  
  Quota-tools
  -----------
  
  Support for 32 bit uid's and gid's is required if you want to use
  the newer version 2 quota format.  Quota-tools version 3.07 and
  newer has this support.  Use the recommended version or newer
  from the table above.
  
  Intel IA32 microcode
  --------------------
  
  A driver has been added to allow updating of Intel IA32 microcode,

  accessible as a normal (misc) character device.  If you are not using
  udev you may need to:

  
  mkdir /dev/cpu
  mknod /dev/cpu/microcode c 10 184
  chmod 0644 /dev/cpu/microcode
  
  as root before you can use this.  You'll probably also want to
  get the user-space microcode_ctl utility to use with this.
  
  Powertweak
  ----------
  
  If you are running v0.1.17 or earlier, you should upgrade to
  version v0.99.0 or higher. Running old versions may cause problems
  with programs using shared memory.
  
  udev
  ----
  udev is a userspace application for populating /dev dynamically with

  only entries for devices actually present.  udev replaces the basic

  functionality of devfs, while allowing persistent device naming for

  devices.

  FUSE
  ----
  
  Needs libfuse 2.4.0 or later.  Absolute minimum is 2.3.0 but mount
  options 'direct_io' and 'kernel_cache' won't work.

  Networking
  ==========
  
  General changes
  ---------------
  
  If you have advanced network configuration needs, you should probably
  consider using the network tools from ip-route2.
  
  Packet Filter / NAT
  -------------------
  The packet filtering and NAT code uses the same tools like the previous 2.4.x
  kernel series (iptables).  It still includes backwards-compatibility modules
  for 2.2.x-style ipchains and 2.0.x-style ipfwadm.
  
  PPP
  ---
  
  The PPP driver has been restructured to support multilink and to
  enable it to operate over diverse media layers.  If you use PPP,
  upgrade pppd to at least 2.4.0.

  If you are not using udev, you must have the device file /dev/ppp

  which can be made by:
  
  mknod /dev/ppp c 108 0
  
  as root.

  Isdn4k-utils
  ------------
  
  Due to changes in the length of the phone number field, isdn4k-utils
  needs to be recompiled or (preferably) upgraded.
  
  NFS-utils
  ---------
  
  In 2.4 and earlier kernels, the nfs server needed to know about any
  client that expected to be able to access files via NFS.  This
  information would be given to the kernel by "mountd" when the client
  mounted the filesystem, or by "exportfs" at system startup.  exportfs
  would take information about active clients from /var/lib/nfs/rmtab.
  
  This approach is quite fragile as it depends on rmtab being correct
  which is not always easy, particularly when trying to implement
  fail-over.  Even when the system is working well, rmtab suffers from
  getting lots of old entries that never get removed.
  
  With 2.6 we have the option of having the kernel tell mountd when it
  gets a request from an unknown host, and mountd can give appropriate
  export information to the kernel.  This removes the dependency on
  rmtab and means that the kernel only needs to know about currently
  active clients.
  
  To enable this new functionality, you need to:

    mount -t nfsd nfsd /proc/fs/nfsd

  
  before running exportfs or mountd.  It is recommended that all NFS
  services be protected from the internet-at-large by a firewall where
  that is possible.
  
  Getting updated software
  ========================
  
  Kernel compilation
  ******************

  gcc
  ---
  o  <ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gcc/>

  
  Make
  ----
  o  <ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/make/>
  
  Binutils
  --------
  o  <ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/devel/binutils/>
  
  System utilities
  ****************
  
  Util-linux
  ----------
  o  <ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/>
  
  Ksymoops
  --------
  o  <ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/kernel/ksymoops/v2.4/>
  
  Module-Init-Tools
  -----------------
  o  <ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/rusty/modules/>
  
  Mkinitrd
  --------
  o  <ftp://rawhide.redhat.com/pub/rawhide/SRPMS/SRPMS/>
  
  E2fsprogs
  ---------
  o  <http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/e2fsprogs/e2fsprogs-1.29.tar.gz>
  
  JFSutils
  --------
  o  <http://jfs.sourceforge.net/>
  
  Reiserfsprogs
  -------------
  o  <http://www.namesys.com/pub/reiserfsprogs/reiserfsprogs-3.6.3.tar.gz>
  
  Xfsprogs
  --------
  o  <ftp://oss.sgi.com/projects/xfs/download/>

  Pcmciautils
  -----------
  o  <ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/kernel/pcmcia/>

  Pcmcia-cs
  ---------

  o  <http://pcmcia-cs.sourceforge.net/>

  
  Quota-tools
  ----------
  o  <http://sourceforge.net/projects/linuxquota/>

  DocBook Stylesheets
  -------------------
  o  <http://nwalsh.com/docbook/dsssl/>

  XMLTO XSLT Frontend
  -------------------
  o  <http://cyberelk.net/tim/xmlto/>

  Intel P6 microcode
  ------------------
  o  <http://www.urbanmyth.org/microcode/>
  
  Powertweak
  ----------
  o  <http://powertweak.sourceforge.net/>
  
  udev
  ----
  o <http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/kernel/hotplug/udev.html>

  FUSE
  ----
  o <http://sourceforge.net/projects/fuse>

  Networking
  **********
  
  PPP
  ---
  o  <ftp://ftp.samba.org/pub/ppp/ppp-2.4.0.tar.gz>
  
  Isdn4k-utils
  ------------
  o  <ftp://ftp.isdn4linux.de/pub/isdn4linux/utils/isdn4k-utils.v3.1pre1.tar.gz>
  
  NFS-utils
  ---------
  o  <http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=14>
  
  Iptables
  --------
  o  <http://www.iptables.org/downloads.html>
  
  Ip-route2
  ---------
  o  <ftp://ftp.tux.org/pub/net/ip-routing/iproute2-2.2.4-now-ss991023.tar.gz>
  
  OProfile
  --------
  o  <http://oprofile.sf.net/download/>
  
  NFS-Utils
  ---------
  o  <http://nfs.sourceforge.net/>