[Solved]. make all fails

[kau-92]

Hello,

I've used Ubuntu in the past and have moved just now to Debian for first time.
The internal wireless on my laptop does not work, so I bought a wireless adapter that's supposed
to be Linux compatible. The model is TL-WN725N (tp-link)

I've discovered the manufacturer does not provide an official driver for Debian.
Searched online, and found : https://github.com/ilnanny/TL-WN725N-TP-Link-Debian

I assumed (hope) that this was trustworthy, so following the instructions for install -


Dependencies :
----------------------
0. I've run apt update, apt upgrade and apt dist-upgrade : they seem to be saying everything is up-to-date
1. I think I managed to install build-essential
2. apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r) : this has been a problem, I'm assuming this is the point where am stuck at the moment. I've detailed my attempt at the end,


since I've not been able to resolve #2 well, I hoped the headers were present, went ahead and cloned the repository, moved to the directory and ran : make all
I get this from the terminal :

make ARCH=x86_64 CROSS_COMPILE= -C /lib/modules/5.9.0-3-amd64/build M=/home/kaushan/TL-WN725N-TP-Link-Debian modules
make[1]: *** /lib/modules/5.9.0-3-amd64/build: No such file or directory. Stop.
make: *** [Makefile:147: modules] Error 2

I don't get this error well but assumed it was header file related.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I run- apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r) I get:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package linux-headers-5.9.0-3-amd64
E: Couldn't find any package by glob 'linux-headers-5.9.0-3-amd64'
E: Couldn't find any package by regex 'linux-headers-5.9.0-3-amd64'

I searched for solution online, running- apt-cache search linux-headers -prints a list
there is no entry specifically ( linux-headers-5.9.0-3-amd64 )
there are headers entries for version 4 but not 5.



uname -r prints out : 5.9.0-3-amd64
I believe I installed the Debian testing version - lsb_release -a prints as below:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Debian
Description: Debian GNU/Linux bullseye/sid
Release: 10.7
Codename: buster



trying to install linux headers generic did not work.

Searching https://packages.debian.org :

I found Package linux-headers-5.9.0-3 ( but for sid (unstable) )

I found Package linux-headers-5.9.0-4-amd64 (but says bullseye not buster, and its 0-4 not 0-3 (?)
Is 0-3 included in 0-4? would it be compatible?



package manager seems to indicate, linux-headers-4.19.0-13-amd64 ,and, linux-headers-4.19.0-13-common
are installed by default
tried installing linux-headers-amd64, but 'make all' gave the same error


I'm not even sure its the headers that are the problem here. Can you please help, at least to clarify.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

I've discovered the manufacturer does not provide an official driver for Debian.

That's because the driver is already included in the kernel. Installing drivers is something Windows users have to do, the poor bastards.

uname -r prints out : 5.9.0-3-amd64

Your kernel version is out of date, the headers to match that version are no longer available. Running an outdated kernel is a bad idea, they are full of known vulnerabilities. Update your kernel by installing the linux-image-amd64 kernel metapackage, which will always list the latest kernel version as a dependency. It may already be installed, in which case all you have to do is update the sources and upgrade your system.

Once you are booted into the current kernel you can install the headers with

Code: Select all

# apt install module-assistant
# m-a prepare

But you don't need the headers and you don't need to compile drivers that are already supplied by the kernel.

To get your wireless card working enter "8188eu Debian" into your favourite search engine and follow the instructions on the Debian wiki page which shows up as the first result. Hint: you need non-free firmware, not a driver.

See also viewtopic.php?f=16&t=142808

[kau-92]

Thank you for reply.

I'm now working on updating the kernel.

Checking package manager : linux-image-amd64 is installed, installed version is 5.9.9-1 , latest available version is 5.9.9-1
I reloaded the package information, clicked mark all upgrades, apply button stays greyed out

I ran : sudo apt update, sudo apt upgrade, sudo apt full-upgrade
they print out :
All packages are up to date. / 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. / 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

Your kernel version is out of date, the headers to match that version are no longer available. Running an outdated kernel is a bad idea, they are full of known vulnerabilities. Update your kernel by installing the linux-image-amd64 kernel metapackage, which will always list the latest kernel version as a dependency. It may already be installed, in which case all you have to do is update the sources and upgrade your system.

Can you please clarify on process of 'update the sources' and on 'upgrading system'??

From researching one thread I found following command to be used : apt-get install linux-image-flavour

I'm assuming the 'flavour' part has to be replaced?,

Used apt-cache search linux-image, to list available kernels
linux-image-5.9.0-3-amd64 - Linux 5.9 for 64-bit PCs (signed) -is listed at the end, the only entry of 5.9 that I can see , linux-image-amd64 - Linux for 64-bit PCs (meta-package) is listed.

As written earlier, I seem to be already at 5.9.0-3-amd64, I don't see any more recent listed here.



Am unsure if I have correct entries on sources.list. these are the entries on /etc/apt/sources.list .

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security main contrib
deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security main contrib

#official Debian repository
#deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian stable main contrib non-free
#deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ buster main contrib

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free

[arochester]

You have a bit of a mix up in your sources list.

Bullseye= Testing
Buster= Stable

Don't mix your Repositories.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

Sorry OP, I assumed that you were actually running testing/unstable but I should have actually checked. I blame exhaustion rather than stupidity

Code: Select all

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security main contrib
deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security main contrib

There are no packages at all in that repository so how the **** did you install your kernel?

Debian's development branches are not intended for general use, they are for experienced users who want to help find bugs for the next release. You shouldn't be using it at all. Reinstall and use the stable release this time.

[kau-92]

yes! the mismatching source.list entries was the problem. I changed the two buster entries to :
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye main contrib non-free

then ran apt update, upgrade and full-upgrade

after this the computer started getting the packages and updating properly.

after reboot uname -r prints : 5.9.0-4-amd64

then did the two below commands as suggested:

# apt install module-assistant
# m-a prepare

hopefully thats headers sorted.


Searched 8188eu Debian, then going to page:
https://wiki.debian.org/rtl819x#Installation

added non-free to the bullseye entry in sources.list

then ran apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-realtek

connecting the Wifi adapter to usb port, running /sbin/iwconfig shows a new entry in the list, and the device blinks a light

I see I got the list of wifi networks available at the network connection icon in system tray,
then only had to enter the network password. and got the internet connectivity.

thanks for the help. much appreciated.

[kau-92]

Head_on_a_Stick :

Well I got the testing iso image from one of the Debian site pages online and flashed it to a usb drive.

When I got to the desktop for first time, where were no entries on the sources.list file, (there were the two 'security' entries which were commented
out because I had no online access during install time. Don't know a whole lot about configuring repos, I looked around online and added two repository entries
which I assumed would work. This is where the bullseye / buster mixup came from.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

Okay, thanks for the information, that makes more sense now. You really should have been more clear in the OP though. If you had selected a mirror during the installation (and been connected) then the sources would have been complete.