On 9 Dec 2002, J Kevin Martineau wrote: >Date: 09 Dec 2002 23:15:31 -0500 >From: J Kevin Martineau <kevinmartineau@senets.com> >To: psyche-list@redhat.com >Content-Type: text/plain >List-Id: Discussion of Red Hat Linux 8.0 (Psyche) <psyche-list.redhat.com> >Subject: Re: Upgrade XFree > >On Mon, 2002-12-09 at 17:25, Mike A. Harris wrote: > >> The kernel does. >> >> >> -- >> Mike A. Harris ftp://people.redhat.com/mharris >> OS Systems Engineer - XFree86 maintainer - Red Hat > >I'm currently using 2.4.18-18.8.0. Is the >XFree86-4.2.99.2-0.20021122.2.i386.rpm compiled against the 2.4.19-0 >kernel that is in Rawhide? Sorry, to be more precice... The Red Hat kernel packages are what provides the "kernel-drm" component. It provides a specific DRM version to match a specific XFree86 release, as well as prior XFree86 releases that are known to work with it as well. Each and every new XFree86 release that comes out, also comes with new kernel DRM source code. The new XFree86 specifically requires that the latest DRM modules be used, however Linus' kernels never have updated DRM modules that match the latest XFree86 release, so a stock Linus kernel is not sufficient. Users must either compile DRM kernel modules from XFree86 source code themselves, or they must use a kernel which supplies the needed DRM modules. As such, once the new DRM code gets put into a Red Hat rawhide kernel, that kernel now advertises support for the new DRM version via "Provides: kernel-drm = 4.2.99.2", or whatever version is being added at the time. Once this new Red Hat kernel is in rawhide for testing, then XFree86 packaging is updated with a "Requires: kernel-drm = 4.2.99.2", as well. This ensures that when someone installs the new X, that they are only able to do so if they have also installed the Red Hat kernel that provides the required kernel DRM component that X needs in order to function correctly. If someone does not use DRI or need it at all, or purposefully wants to disable it, then one can disable DRI in their X config file, and upgrade to CVS X by using --nodeps during upgrade. Please note that upgrading X in this manner will mean that if one attempts to use DRI at all, they will get completely "undefined" and unsupported behaviour, so use at own risk. Do not file any XFree86 or kernel related bug reports if you are using such a configuration. <PARANOID DISCLAIMER> Also note that both rawhide CVS XFree86 as well as the rawhide kernel are not intended for production. While many people are using them both successfully, they are both developmental codebases in a constant state of flux, and should not be used on important production machines. Only use rawhide XFree86 and kernel on machines that complete and total data loss would not be a problem. </DISCLAIMER> That said, many people are using both without major issues. But also there are a few people using them and having major issues too. ;o) In summary: With every single new XFree86 release, the kernel DRM source code must be updated, and there is therefore a direct dependancy on the new DRM kernel modules between XFree86 and the kernel. This is enforced by an rpm virtual "provides" mechanism, and users must use a matching XFree86 and kernel combination from rawhide, or they can override this if desired and they know what they are doing. Overriding this however, makes your system unsupported unless you can reproduce a given problem using the Red Hat supplied kernel and XFree86. Hope this helps. Take care, TTYL P.S This is a _major_ frequently asked question. Please forward my email to anyone you know of who is experiencing this problem and isn't aware of what they need to do. I'm fairly inundated with email on this topic, and do not respond to individual emails on the subject, although I try to respond on mailing lists once in a while, in hopes that others will carry the message on for future people experiencing the issue. -- Mike A. Harris ftp://people.redhat.com/mharris OS Systems Engineer - XFree86 maintainer - Red Hat -- Psyche-list mailing list Psyche-list@redhat.com https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/psyche-list
