Help Installing a driver into a Linux Kernel

[Kingofl337]

Hey guys I really need some help getting some drivers complied into a Linux kernel, I' running Ubuntu 13.04 w/sources for 3.8.0-25. Though I can download any other kernel if it helps.

I use a computer imaging utility called FOG, it's great and allows me to image a whole lab of computers quickly and easily. FOG uses PXE to boot a computer to be imaged and runs a disk image utility to backup or restore a disk image.

My issue is I just purchased 15 new laptops and I need to image them, but the Ethernet card is an Atheros AR8161, isn't in built into the Linux kernel yet. Though compat-drivers drivers has a driver for the card called alx. The problem is most of the instruction show how to compile an external driver for the alx and not how to integrate it into the kernel.

I need into integrate the alx driver into the kernel and compile it so I can boot it off of PXE and have the NIC ready to go after boot. FOG has a disk image but I'd rather not tinker with it.


Any help with this would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[CrimsonKnight13]

You'll need to recompile the kernel from source, build the modules, install the modules/kernel, build the compat-drivers as modules, install the compat-drivers & then reboot into the new kernel. This should work in practice.

 

[Kingofl337]

I need to compile the alx drivers as "built-in" to the kernel.

 

[CrimsonKnight13]

Have you verified that, compiling from source, the driver is available in-tree? If so, you can actually make it built-in.

We provide drivers released on newer kernels backported for usage on older kernels. Both daily snapshots based on linux-next, and stable releases based on Linux's stable releases are provided. The Linux drivers are automatically backported.

The newer kernel version will have the driver you're looking for. No need to utilize backporting if you're willing to use a newer kernel.