build -->/usr/src/linux

Marvin Stodolsky
2001-04-08T14:48:29Z

MODULE SUPPORT [GENERAL], KMOD
P: Keith Owens
M: kaos@ocs.com.au
L: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
============================================

Though I've done some rational searching through the Documetation,
an explanation hasn't manifested, as to why there has appeared in the
2.4.nn ??????:

# ls -l /lib/modules/2.4.3/
total 24
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root ??????? 20 Apr 2 17:00 build ->
/usr/src/linux-2.4.3
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 1024 Apr 2 17:00 kernel
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4725 Apr 8 08:06 modules.dep
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 31 Apr 8 08:06
modules.generic_string
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4388 Apr 8 08:06
modules.isapnpmap
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 29 Apr 8 08:06
modules.parportmap
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8723 Apr 8 08:06 modules.pcimap
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1317 Apr 8 08:06 modules.usbmap
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 35 Apr 2 17:05 pcmcia ->
/lib/modules/2.4.3-oldpcmcia/pcmcia

-----------
Could someone enlighten me? What is it necessary for?

It's presence has required some gymnastics, per below, during module
installation for the Winmodem driver, ltmodem.o requiring a subsequent
"depmod -a"

MarvS
===========================================================
from the module install script ./ltinst

# To avoid non-relevant complaint noise that would be generated during
# depmod -a within update-modules
# under 2.4.nn kernels due to the symbolic Link
# /lib/modules/2.4.nn/build --> /usr/src/linux
# if kernel-source "make clean" is run betweem build_module &
# ltinst (install ltmodem.o in the /lib/modules/ tree)
# The Link is moved to /tmp and after "update-modules" is restored.
if [ -L /lib/modules/$SYS/build ]; then
mv /lib/modules/$SYS/build /tmp
fi

# Updating module dependancies
if [ -f /etc/modutils/aliases ]; then
update-modules
else
depmod -a
fi

# Restoring build link if any
if [ -L /tmp/build ]; then
mv /tmp/build /lib/modules/$SYS/
fi