nixCraft

B!n@ry · #1 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 01:06 AM

Hello All,

I told you I shall be back with a new idea

Today this article came to my mind to write about because when ever I go to a forum I see the same question: How can I compile a Kernel ?

Really this questions is asked by lots of people not just newbie's but even intermediate users. So I decided to write this short article to help out.

Important Note:
Do not run a command as root until I say so.

1st: you download the latest Kernel version from here: http://www.kernel.org/

2nd: Move the file you downloaded into a directory change to it and if the kernel is downloaded in a gz file type ? you extract it like this:

Code:

tar xvfz kernel-package.gz

if its a bz2 type you extract it like this:

Code:

tar xvfj kernel-package.bz2

3rd: Enter the directory you just extracted and run any of the following kernel configuration types:
1. make config
2. make oldconfig
3. make menuconfig
4. make gconfig
5. make xconfig
Note:- Not all of them exist by default on a Linux System, you need to install them.

the "make config" is a Q&A configurator. "make oldconfig" is used when you have a pre-config file and want to reuse it in compiling the new Kernel. "make menuconfig" is just like the netconfig that runs under CLI and you choose the needed options by marking them with a correct sign. "make gconfig" is a configurator running under GTK+. "make xconfig" is also a configurator run under QT.

4th: Now run

Code:

make

inside the directory of the kernel. This shall build the bzImage.

Important Note:
Now continue to run the commands as root.

5th: Install the needed modules for the kernel. Run this:

Code:

make modules_install

6th: Install the new Kernel, by doing the following:

Code:

cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.0

Code:

cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.6.0

7th: All you have to do now is edit the boot loader used, here I use GRUB. Add the following lines to the end of the file:

Code:

title SUSE Linux 10.1 using Kernel vmlinuz-2.6.0
    root (hd0,0)
    kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda3 vga=0x317 splash=silent showopts
    initrd /initrd

Finally: Reboot your machine you shall have a new running Kernel.

I hope you like this mini HOWTO - Linux Kernel Compilation

Regards 2 all,
B!n@ry

rockdalinux · #2 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 02:08 AM

Good work.

LOL first i could not recognize you B!n@ry; did you changed your name or what?

ALso don't forget to include your drivers. If you are using RHEL and if u r lazy use up2date command to upgrade binary kernel:

Code:

up2date -uf

B!n@ry · #3 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockdalinux

Good work.

LOL first i could not recognize you B!n@ry; did you changed your name or what?

ALso don't forget to include your drivers. If you are using RHEL and if u r lazy use up2date command to upgrade binary kernel:

Code:

up2date -uf

Yep, I asked nixcraft and he did it for me, because this is my real nickname on the net

What do you mean about the drivers ? if you mean modules I have added them or do you mean somthing else ?

Also for FC# users using yum do the following:

Code:

yum -y install kernel

for users using smart:

Code:

smart install kernel

waiting for more useful addons :P

nixcraft · #4 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 02:40 AM

I am not at all a fan of an RPM based Linux distro but my work alway force me to use RHEL

Debain Linux

Code:

apt-get install kernel-image-version

Ubuntu Linux

Code:

sudo apt-get install kernel-image-version

To find out kernel version

Code:

apt-cache search kernel-image

Quote:

What do you mean about the drivers ? if you mean modules I have added them or do you mean somthing else ?

Device drivers is MS-Windows term form H/w driver
Modules is UNIX/Linux term form H/w driver so both of you are right. Rocky use modules word

heh

If you are using RAID card make sure you download driver from card manufacturer ftp/www server. Otherwise you will see famous kernel panic message.

Also don't forget

Exploring Linux kernel => http://blogs.cyberciti.biz/hm/index....-linux-kernel/

Howto: build Linux kernel module against installed kernel w/o full kernel source tree => http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/build-...urce-tree.html

sweta · #5 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 03:35 AM

To use make menuconfig you need curses lib aka libncurses. For remote server I always use make menuconfig X is not an option and other methods are just boring

B!n@ry · #6 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 03:40 AM

thanx nixcraft for the addon, u made me remember to put this command:

Code:

uname -r

to know the running kernel version

By the way nixcraft I really think Debian is hard to run and operate

maybe I am wrong

and maybe not

chimu · #7 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B!n@ry

thanx nixcraft for the addon, u made me remember to put this command:

Code:

uname -r

to know the running kernel version

By the way nixcraft I really think Debian is hard to run and operate

maybe I am wrong

and maybe not

Debain gud for servers & FC/Ubuntu for gud for desktop

Real man love to use Gentoo

monk · #8 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chimu

Real man love to use Gentoo

Naa real men assemble their own Linux system using Linux From Scratch www.linuxfromscratch.org

Quote:

8th: Re-install the boot loader GRUB using the following command: Code:
grub-install

Why to run grub-install? This is wong. grub-install only needed when you would like to play with MBR and not when updating kernel. Please update your post and remove grub-install

B!n@ry · #9 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monk

Why to run grub-install? This is wong. grub-install only needed when you would like to play with MBR and not when updating kernel. Please update your post and remove grub-install

Hello monk,
well I only do this to insure that nothing goes wrong, speacilly when some cannot read from where to load the modules needed at boot time. All the rest you are precisly write about it or I am wrong and unable to explain for you.

monk · #10 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006, 04:16 AM

grub-install - use to install GRUB boot loader on your hard disk. There is no relationship exists between GRUB and kernel upgrade. If you run grub-install it will just reinstall GRUB.

In olden days you need to run lilo command after kernel upgrade. First you will edit /etc/lilo.conf with something as follows:

Code:

image=/boot/vmlinuz
	label=linux
	initrd=/boot/initrd-version.img
	read-only
	root=/dev/hda2

Once you are sure that /etc/lilo.conf is properly configured for new kernel, run to load new changes and kernel:

Code:

lilo -v -v

However grub can read grub.conf file on fly no need to write MBR again.

This is one big difference between GRUB and LILO: With LILO, every time you rebuild your kernel, you will need to reinstall the boot loader (run sbin/lilo). So, there can be less of a maintenance issue with GRUB. Also you'll need to execute lilo again after any changes are made in /etc/lilo.conf.

Rests of your commands are correct

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mini HOWTO - Linux Kernel Compilation

mini HOWTO - Linux Kernel Compilation

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