Hi. I don't "do" Mandrake, so I've no idea what urpmi is doing with the kernel source, but the steps for building a kernel from source are pretty simple. Ignore all this "don't install into /usr/src/linux stuff... it's just advice. I tend to trust signed kernels, and am willing to take the risk involved in building as root. This advice reflects that. 1. Download and unpack your kernel source. You've done that. # cd /usr/src # wget -c ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/linux-2.6.10.tar.bz2 # tar -jxvf linux-2.6.10.tar.bz2 At this point, you have a fresh, unconfigured, uncompiled kernel source tree in /usr/src/linux-2.6.10 - feel free to link this to /usr/src/linux as follows: ln -s /usr/src/linux-2.6.10 /usr/src/linux Now /usr/src/linux is a "shortcut" to the full kernel path. This is handy as it saves typing time, and also shows which version you're running. 2. Configure your kernel. This is where you set up your kernel so that it supports your hardware. If you don't understand an option, just leave it at its default setting. # cd /usr/src/linux # make menuconfig <choose all your options and save> 3. Build your kernel - this is where you make your system compile the kernel source into a binary kernel. Assuming you're still in /usr/src/linux: # make && make modules && make modules_install Hopefully, you'll not get any errors during compilation. If you do, you may have enabled an experimental feature, or driver which will not build on your system. go back to step 2, and try again... 4. Install your kernel This is where you copy the compiled kernel to the /boot directory, and setup your boot loader to use it. Again, I'm assuming you're still in /usr/src/linux: # mv arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage-2.6.10 # mv System.map /boot/System.map-2.6.10 As for updating your bootloader, that depends on whether you're using grub or lilo, but you should be able to figure it out by looking at the existing config file for either and adding a new block to use your new kernel. Use common sense, and don't REPLACE the existing block, as if your new kernel won't boot, you'll want to be able to select your old kernel from the bootloader menu. Hope that helps. E&OE. G. On Thu, 2005-01-06 at 11:15 +1300, SnapafunFrank wrote:
Finding it difficult to find someone with the patience to help with this so thought I would try local talent:
In the past, whenever I wanted to compile a `new` kernel, I would first up do:
# urpmi kernel-source-2.6-n
Then do:
# urpmi kernel
The kernels were not the latest release and of course rpm's were available.
Because of my usb concerns I thought I would `install` kernel-2.6-10 - knowing I would have to compile from linux-2.6.10.tar.bz2.
So first thing, read the README at least, and straight off I'm lost, though later it looks like my usual one step at a time approach will get there.
Here's were I'm lost:
"- If you install the full sources, put the kernel tarball in a directory where you have permissions (eg. your home directory) and unpack it"
OK - no prob with that.
"Do NOT use the /usr/src/linux area! "
Again, no prob, sort of covered that, I thought.
"- Make sure you have no stale .o files and dependencies lying around:
cd linux make mrproper
You should now have the sources correctly installed."
Huh! But I've only unpacked the bz2 file into my home directory - how can anything be installed at this point?
Just in case I'm having a braindead week :
"BUILD directory for the kernel:
When compiling the kernel all output files will per default be stored together with the kernel source code. **[ Fair enough ]**
Using the option "make O=output/dir" allow you to specify an alternate place for the output files (including .config). Example: kernel source code: /usr/src/linux-2.6.N build directory: /home/name/build/kernel ** [ Possibly not something I might require but better remember, just in case ] **
To configure and build the kernel use: cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.N
** WOAH - WAIT UP- where in blue blazes did the directory /usr/src/linux-2.6.N come from - yes. I have directories for previous versions here but certainly not this one yet.
So right now I have the bz2 file in my /home/frank/src/ directory, have it unpacked and I thought ready to go?????
So I go back and re-read things and find:
" If you install the full sources..... "
Right back at the beginning. The only file I have found is the bz2 file, how can I have already installed the full sources. I thought they were part and parcel of the bz2 file and as yet had to be installed.
Lost - braindead - BOTH. Any one want to do the rear seat kicking here?