Compile a driver

[ChandraOrbit]

Some kernels do not have drivers for certain machines, but in older kernels there are.

How do I compile a driver, for example the RTL8189FS wireless driver?
Please guide?

[ophub]

You can include the complete driver code in the kernel source code, add it to the configuration options, enable it, and then compile the kernel. Alternatively, you can compile and install a specific driver separately in the current Armbian system.

[ChandraOrbit]

Sorry, I'm still confused about where to start.
currently I am using an STB HG680P with the latest OS release namely Armbian_24.8.0_amlogic_s905x_bookworm_6.6.36_server_2024.07.05.img.gz

but the Wifi doesn't work and I checked and it turns out the RTL81889fs driver doesn't exist, it seems the 6.x.x kernel doesn't include that driver.

So I want to compile my own driver based on https://github.com/jwrdegoede/rtl8189ES_linux

But I don't know what the stages are. I looked for it on Wiki and it wasn't there.

[PJ-568]

Try this, it might work.

sudo apt update

sudo apt install -y build-essential dkms unzip

cd

wget https://github.com/jwrdegoede/rtl8189ES_linux/archive/master.zip

unzip master.zip

cd rtl8189ES_linux
make
make install

modprobe rtl8189es

[ChandraOrbit]

Try this, it might work.

sudo apt update

sudo apt install -y build-essential dkms unzip

cd

wget https://github.com/jwrdegoede/rtl8189ES_linux/archive/master.zip

unzip master.zip

cd rtl8189ES_linux
make
make install

modprobe rtl8189es

GET ERROR :

root@armbian:/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux# make
make ARCH= CROSS_COMPILE= -C M=/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux modules
make[1]: *** M=/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux: No such file or directory. Stop.
make: *** [Makefile:2299: modules] Error 2

[chris4git]

Hi,
I also try to compile a rtl8189es driver (cf ChalesYu/rtl8822bs-aml), without success so far !
Look at /lib/modules/6.6.36* and replace the "build" entry by a link to your headers (/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.36...). There is a chance you go further...

Chris

[ophub]

Thanks for the heads-up! I found an issue with the invalid symbolic link address for "build" in armbian-update. It's now fixed, and you can update to the latest script using the armbian-sync command.

[ChandraOrbit]

STILL ERROR

root@armbian:/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux# make ARCH=arm64 -C /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build M=/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux modules -j4
make: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub'
awk: cannot open include/generated/asm-offsets.h (No such file or directory)
warning: the compiler differs from the one used to build the kernel
The kernel was built by: aarch64-none-elf-gcc (Arm GNU Toolchain 13.3.Rel1 (Build arm-13.24)) 13.3.1 20240614
You are using: gcc (Debian 12.2.0-14) 12.2.0
make[2]: *** No rule to make target 'scripts/mod/modpost', needed by '/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux/Module.symvers'. Stop.
make[1]: *** [/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub/Makefile:1873: modpost] Error 2
make: *** [Makefile:234: __sub-make] Error 2
make: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub'

[ophub]

#1043 (comment)

[chris4git]

STILL ERROR

root@armbian:/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux# make ARCH=arm64 -C /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build M=/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux modules -j4
make: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub'
awk: cannot open include/generated/asm-offsets.h (No such file or directory)
warning: the compiler differs from the one used to build the kernel
The kernel was built by: aarch64-none-elf-gcc (Arm GNU Toolchain 13.3.Rel1 (Build arm-13.24)) 13.3.1 20240614
You are using: gcc (Debian 12.2.0-14) 12.2.0
make[2]: *** No rule to make target 'scripts/mod/modpost', needed by '/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux/Module.symvers'. Stop.
make[1]: *** [/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub/Makefile:1873: modpost] Error 2 make: *** [Makefile:234: __sub-make] Error 2
make: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub'

Hi @ChandraOrbit, I'm here too (I use kernel 5.15.162-ophub).
I've tried to do "make modules_prepare" in the headers dir (/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub for you) but it fails before making modpost :-(

[ChandraOrbit]

#1043 (comment)

STILL ERROR

[ INFO ] Start adjusting compilation toolchain [ /usr/local/toolchain/arm-gnu-toolchain-13.3.rel1-aarch64-aarch64-none-elf ]...
'/usr/bin/gcc' -> '/usr/local/toolchain/arm-gnu-toolchain-13.3.rel1-aarch64-aarch64-none-elf/bin/aarch64-none-elf-gcc'
'/usr/bin/g++' -> '/usr/local/toolchain/arm-gnu-toolchain-13.3.rel1-aarch64-aarch64-none-elf/bin/aarch64-none-elf-g++'
'/usr/bin/gcc-ar' -> '/usr/local/toolchain/arm-gnu-toolchain-13.3.rel1-aarch64-aarch64-none-elf/bin/aarch64-none-elf-gcc-ar'
'/usr/bin/gcc-nm' -> '/usr/local/toolchain/arm-gnu-toolchain-13.3.rel1-aarch64-aarch64-none-elf/bin/aarch64-none-elf-gcc-nm'
'/usr/bin/gcc-ranlib' -> '/usr/local/toolchain/arm-gnu-toolchain-13.3.rel1-aarch64-aarch64-none-elf/bin/aarch64-none-elf-gcc-ranlib'
'/usr/include/asm' -> '/usr/include/aarch64-none-elf/asm'
[ STEPS ] Start compiling driver...
#make -C M=/home/orbit/rtl8822bs-aml clean
cd hal ; rm -fr ///.mod.c ///.mod ///.o ///..cmd ///.ko
cd hal ; rm -fr //.mod.c //.mod //.o //..cmd //*.ko
cd hal ; rm -fr /.mod.c /.mod /.o /..cmd /.ko
cd hal ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod .o ..cmd *.ko
cd core/efuse ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod .o ..cmd *.ko
cd core ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod .o ..cmd *.ko
cd os_dep/linux ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod .o ..cmd *.ko
cd os_dep ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod .o ..cmd *.ko
cd platform ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod .o ..cmd *.ko
rm -fr Module.symvers ; rm -fr Module.markers ; rm -fr modules.order
rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod .o ..cmd *.ko *~
rm -fr .tmp_versions
make ARCH=arm64 CROSS_COMPILE=/usr/local/toolchain/arm-gnu-toolchain-13.3.rel1-aarch64-aarch64-none-elf/bin/aarch64-none-elf- -C M=/home/orbit/rtl8822bs-aml modules
make[1]: *** M=/home/orbit/rtl8822bs-aml: No such file or directory. Stop.
make: *** [Makefile:2014: modules] Error 2
[ ERROR ] There is an error in the driver, please handle it according to the log prompt.

[ChandraOrbit]

STILL ERROR
root@armbian:/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux# make ARCH=arm64 -C /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build M=/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux modules -j4
make: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub'
awk: cannot open include/generated/asm-offsets.h (No such file or directory)
warning: the compiler differs from the one used to build the kernel
The kernel was built by: aarch64-none-elf-gcc (Arm GNU Toolchain 13.3.Rel1 (Build arm-13.24)) 13.3.1 20240614
You are using: gcc (Debian 12.2.0-14) 12.2.0
make[2]: *** No rule to make target 'scripts/mod/modpost', needed by '/home/hg680p/rtl8189ES_linux/Module.symvers'. Stop.
make[1]: *** [/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub/Makefile:1873: modpost] Error 2 make: *** [Makefile:234: __sub-make] Error 2
make: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub'

Hi @ChandraOrbit, I'm here too (I use kernel 5.15.162-ophub). I've tried to do "make modules_prepare" in the headers dir (/usr/src/linux-headers-6.6.39-ophub for you) but it fails before making modpost :-(

I tried flashing my STB using the image https://www.armbian.com/download/
and successfully compile the 81889fs wifi driver, but the Image from here (kernel 6.x.x-ophub) always fails to compile the driver.

[chris4git]

I tried flashing my STB using the image https://www.armbian.com/download/ and successfully compile the 81889fs wifi driver, but the Image from here (kernel 6.x.x-ophub) always fails to compile the driver.

I also tried to compile the driver on a Station M1 under Armbian 24.2.1 Jammy with kernel 6.1.77 from www.armbian.com/download and it was as simple as
git clone https://github.com/ChalesYu/rtl8822bs-aml.git
cd rtl8822bs-aml/
make

It didn't go to the end, probably because I didn't find a proper CONFIG_PLATFORM in the Makefile, but there were no problem related to the headers. We have a debian/Jammy in the two cases :-/

[bombjinne]

一样的尝试在盒子里编译github上找到8188gu网卡驱动，结果报错：

本来想升级内核试试的，armbian-update后看着原来的内核备份了，结果重启就进不去系统了，直接进ramfs了，在ramfs系统里发现原来的内核就没有备份，想求教下目前怎么才能从U盘启动重新安装armbian，是不是只能再刷一次安卓才行。
然后8188gu的驱动再慢慢研究吧…… @ophub

[ophub]

bb99eef

刚刚修复了这个问题，header里遗失了一些文件，f大修复了编译内核的脚步，我同步更新了，但是我还没跑完测试： https://github.com/ophub/kernel/actions/runs/10073384652

等测试好了，重新编译内核，安装新内核即可。

目前还有一种做法，是更新到dev系列里的内核，这个的包含了这些缺少的文件，是我在armbian里编译的。
armbian-update -u dev -k 6.6