How to compile a kernel
(These instructions assume we are installing version 2.4.0 of the kernel, replace all instances with the version you are trying to build. These instructions are also x86-specific; other architecture's build procedures may differ.)
http://kernelnewbies.org/faq/
- Download your tarball from ftp.XX.kernel.org where XX is your country code. If there isn't a mirror for your country, just pick a near one.
- Unpack the tarball in your /usr/src directory bzip2 -dc linux-2.4.0.tar.bz2 | tar xvf -
(Replace bzip2 with gzip if you downloaded the .gz)- cd into the linux directory. You'll now need to configure the kernel to select the features you want/need. There are several ways to do this.. a. make config Command line questions. b. make oldconfig (Useful only if you kept a .config from a previous kernel build) c. make menuconfig (ncurses based) d. make xconfig (TCL/TK based X-Windows configuration)
- Now we can build the kernel, but first we have to build the dependencies. make dep make bzImage
- Wait. When its finished, make any parts you may have selected to be modular. make modules
- Become root to be able to install modules and kernel. Everything before this point can and should be done as a normal user, there is really no need to be root to compile a kernel. It's actually a very bad idea to do everything as root because root is too powerful, one single mistake is enough to ruin your system completely.
- Intall the modules. make modules_install
- Install the new kernel.. cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.0 cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.4.0
- Edit /etc/lilo.conf, and add these lines... image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.0 label = 2.4.0Also copy your root=/dev/??? line here too.
- Run /sbin/lilo, reboot, and enjoy. If you get modversion problems (symbols ending in _Rxxxxxxxx), have a look at this question in the linux-kernel mailing list FAQ to solve the problem.
