Will recompiling kernel break everything?

[Fourstar]

I recently upgraded to Ubuntu 7.10 (doing a fresh install) and have a problem with not being able to access all my drives as the kernel runs out of available IDE hardware interfaces.

It is a known problem discussed here and here.

The solutions require increasing the CONFIG_IDE_MAX_HWIFS kernel parameter and recompiling. Maybe having to move to the 2.6.23 kernel.

The question is will this break all the kernel modules and auto-update gubbins that ubuntu does? I use the restricted NVIDIA driver.

Years ago I used to run Gentoo and kernel compiles were par for the course. Now I have Ubuntu I don't know what actually goes on under the hood anymore

btw I don't have a huge number of drives!

Onboard
IDE1 master - DVD Reader
IDE2 master - DVD Writer
SATA - disabled in bios

PCI Highpoint 4 port SATA controller
PORT1 - HDD
PORT2 - HDD
PORT3 - HDD

 

[eXor]

If you use your existing kernel configuration as a starting point, it should not break anything. Give it a different name and have your old kernel in the boot menu as a fallback.

 

[leezer3]

If you use your existing kernel configuration as a starting point, it should not break anything. Give it a different name and have your old kernel in the boot menu as a fallback.

Its not going to break anything I'd call particularly significant, but it will break the Nvidia driver & anything else from the restricted modules packages as they're provided as binary packages. (Should be a quick and easy compile so long as you have the source packages for these handy when you are doing this)
It'll also break the bootsplash, as thats a custom kernel patch, and I believe that there are a few other custom kernel patches, but nothing thats noticable on the surface.

Everything else should be fine, and I presume you have a decent level of experience in building a kernel config; The default Ubuntu kernel has plenty of crud that can be cut out if you don't have random hardware.

You have Gentoo experience, you'll be fine

-Leezer-

 

[Fourstar]

Everything else should be fine, and I presume you have a decent level of experience in building a kernel config; The default Ubuntu kernel has plenty of crud that can be cut out if you don't have random hardware.

You have Gentoo experience, you'll be fine

lol, yeah building a kernel isn't the problem I've just become hassle averse in my old age!

I'll probably set aside next Saturday get this working. Will also set aside some time to cry into my tea now I have to manually patch and update. I want my windobuntu magic box back