make oldconfig does not work anymore?

[Ja.KooLit]

For the past weeks or so, Ive noticed that when there is a new kernel update, after installing, selecting,

invoking the command make oldconfig

got message using defaults found in arch/x86/configs/x86_64_defconfig

Restart config.....

and then will go through configuring the kernel again from scratch

This was not the case before....


I am on gentoo-sources, using my pre-configured kernel for like a year already

System setup:
gentoo-sources
global ~amd64

luckily, I always backup my configs.

so what I do is to copy my old .config into /usr/src/linux/

ran make oldconfig
it will come back with no changes on configs... so I wouldnt know if there are no new updates or changes on kernel cause invoking the command make oldconfig will check the previous configs and compare with new lkernel

am I missing something?
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Oh Yeah!!!

[gentoo_ram]

Sounds like the expected behavior to me. You need to have your existing config at $O/.config where O is typically at the top level of the kernel source tree (unless you specify otherwise) Ever time you install a new set of gentoo-sources a totally new directory is created that will be pristine. So you have to copy your config into there. Maybe you were using a setup before you updating the source into the same directory tree (like, say, with git) and were implicitly using the same .config.

My typical commands would be something like:

[logrusx]

First, as explained above, you need to have your old .config present in the kernel sources directory already. At a moment in time, if it didn't find and existing config, it detected the running kernel and took the corresponding config from /boot, if present. I don't know if it still does, but there's no reason that changed. So I guess you accidentally deleted it from there as well. Or maybe it was doing that all along and you changed something. Is your /boot mounted on a separate partition? Do you have it mounted during the process?

Did you read the following news items:

https://www.gentoo.org/support/news-items/2024-03-12-debianutils-installkernel.html
https://www.gentoo.org/support/news-items/2024-02-01-installkernel-new-use-systemd-boot.html

Second, make oldconfig is most useful when migrating from older versions or revisions. Not that it doesn't work for patch levels, but it's not that useful and might not have anything to do if there aren't any new configuration options.

Best Regards,
Georgi

[Ja.KooLit]

hmmm something must have changed then....

so please explain what I did wrong because before, I see that the config was copied into /boot and seems that it does not anymore

Here is what I do before and even now,,,

emerge gentoo-sources
eselect kernel set to new gentoo-sources
cd /usr/src/linux

make oldconfig
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Oh Yeah!!!

[wjb]

Assuming you have set CONFIG_IKCONFIG_PROC,

[pietinger]

[logrusx]

[szatox]

[Ja.KooLit]

Thanks guys...

sorry I cant quote or reply to all of your inputs...


So i have a feeling that there were lots of changes for the past few months (yes my last compile was Jan 2024) and then ran an update last month and these are things I have noticed...

Anyway, Ive learned that there were changes on the installkernel stuff


I also found this
https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-1167824.html?sid=aba17fe257e712861a02a508fdc54956

which is what I also experienced recently but now it is all fine..

I have tried copying my old config into /usr/src/linux

and then running make oldconfig seems to be working fine..

Odd thing was, I NEVER have to copy any configs to my /usr/src/linux before, but now seems like I have to

However, I was also not perfectly clear since I use genkernel to generate my initramfs before.. (although I dont think it matters)

But now I just let dracut handle it.. (much convenient)



Moving further,

Thanks again guys to all of you spend some time to explain plus adding some links that I can go through
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Oh Yeah!!!

[logrusx]

Without knowing the actual situation I'll speculate: disable all use flags on installkernel and you'll get the behavior you're used to.

Best Regards,
Georgi