(i tried this on alt.os.linux already, but this is no x-post)

whenever i want to do the "make config; make" exercise, i get the error
message:

Makefile:906: *** target pattern contains no `%'. Stop.

i checked "make --version", which states "GNU Make 3.80", so this is
not the issue. the tarball is the original "/dl/linux-2.6.16.5.tar.bz2"
and i verified the signature. i googled for days on and off, but few
people seem to have this problem and no solution is published. i also
tried "env - PATH="$PATH" make --warn-undefined-variables -d" to rule
out side effects of the environment, find undefined variables and debug
everything. all variables are tested in the Makefile.

btw, the code breaking the make is this:

$ sed -n '890,906p' Makefile
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

# KERNELRELEASE can change from a few different places, meaning version.h
# needs to be updated, so this check is forced on all builds

uts_len := 64

define filechk_version.h
if [ `echo -n "$(KERNELRELEASE)" | wc -c ` -gt $(uts_len) ]; then \
echo '"$(KERNELRELEASE)" exceeds $(uts_len) characters' >&2; \
exit 1; \
fi; \
(echo \#define UTS_RELEASE \"$(KERNELRELEASE)\"; \
echo \#define LINUX_VERSION_CODE `expr $(VERSION) \\* 65536 + $(PATCHLEVEL) \\* 256 + $(SUBLEVEL)`; \
echo '#define KERNEL_VERSION(a,b,c) (((a) << 16) + ((b) << 8) + (c))'; \
)
endef

this has nothing to do with the 2.16.* Makefile, i have this problem
with earlier linux kernel versions as well.

can somebody please tell me what to check?

clemens fischer

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 17:26:31 +0200, clemens fischer wrote:

> (i tried this on alt.os.linux already, but this is no x-post)

You're right, it's a "multipost", which is worse...

> whenever i want to do the "make config; make" exercise, i get the error
> message:
>
> Makefile:906: *** target pattern contains no `%'. Stop.

You do not appear to have a .config file. Note the "period" in front of
that filename. To fix this, you have to create a .config file for your
kernel and hardware. As root, in your kernel source directory (something
like /usr/src/linux-2.6.16.5/ ), do this:
make menuconfig

That will produce the .config file for you, and then you proceed with
"make". I still do it the old-fashioned way, with "make bzImage", then
"make modules", and then "make modules_install". There is then some file
moving required, but ask about that if you get the kernel compiled....

<snip>

--
If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
Linux Registered User #327951

Dan C wrote:

> On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 17:26:31 +0200, clemens fischer wrote:
>
>> (i tried this on alt.os.linux already, but this is no x-post)
>
> You're right, it's a "multipost", which is worse...

well, i waited, listened to what people said and it didn't help, so i
turned some place else.

>> whenever i want to do the "make config; make" exercise, i get the
>> error message:
>>
>> Makefile:906: *** target pattern contains no `%'. Stop.
>
> You do not appear to have a .config file. Note the "period" in front
> of that filename. To fix this, you have to create a .config file for
> your kernel and hardware. As root, in your kernel source directory
> (something like /usr/src/linux-2.6.16.5/ ), do this: make menuconfig

well, it never gets to that point. of course i did "make config",
several times. earlier kernels went through with this and the "make"
following it broke. this time, even the configuration step shows the
error message.

thanks anyway,

clemens

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 17:26:31 +0200, clemens fischer wrote:

> (i tried this on alt.os.linux already, but this is no x-post)
>
> whenever i want to do the "make config; make" exercise, i get the error
> message:
>
> Makefile:906: *** target pattern contains no `%'. Stop.
>
> i checked "make --version", which states "GNU Make 3.80", so this is
> not the issue. the tarball is the original "/dl/linux-2.6.16.5.tar.bz2"
> and i verified the signature. i googled for days on and off, but few
> people seem to have this problem and no solution is published. i also
> tried "env - PATH="$PATH" make --warn-undefined-variables -d" to rule
> out side effects of the environment, find undefined variables and debug
> everything. all variables are tested in the Makefile.
>
> btw, the code breaking the make is this:
>
> $ sed -n '890,906p' Makefile
<snip>
>
>
> this has nothing to do with the 2.16.* Makefile, i have this problem
> with earlier linux kernel versions as well.
>
> can somebody please tell me what to check?
>
> clemens fischer
>
Do you have bash on your system? You refer to using "env" which gives a
hint that you may not be using bash. I looked a little closer at the
makefile which sets CONFIG_SHELL.

Also, which distribution are you running?

--
Douglas Mayne

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 in
<pan.2006.04.21.05.03.49.224390@localhost.localnet >, Douglas Mayne
wrote:

> Do you have bash on your system? You refer to using "env" which gives
> a hint that you may not be using bash. I looked a little closer at the
> makefile which sets CONFIG_SHELL.
>
> Also, which distribution are you running?

i used "env" only to clean up the environment in case my settings would
pollute the build, and the shell is indeed bash. the distribution is
a debian-3.1. regarding the build-system and the tools, there are no
modifications on my part.

please, keep on giving me hints like that, because it's got to be
something little i overlooked!

clemens fischer