SnapafunFrank wrote:
Greig McGill and Matt - and others, care to view my inline understanding and comment ? Nothing wrong with this but if as I have already downloaded the tar-ball then the option for me needed clarification. In this case I will simply: # mv /home/frank/src/linux-2.6.10 /usr/src/
Sure, as I implied, there are many ways to do this, you can choose whichever you like. The key is understanding what's being done at each step and why. Once you have the "why", the exact steps don't matter so much, as you can use your knowledge of the process to choose how you'd like to do it. The physical location of the directories matters not a jot in this case. Nothing will (should) ever refer to the location of kernel source as a hard-coded thing.
Because I will need to re-compile the kernel later for my modem [ cnet 536 ep ] using linmodem advice. For that I will need the kernel-source to be were such building will find it.
You can always specify this. It's your system, you can put your sources where you like.
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
Anyone else reading this with a usable kernel already running might NOT want to do this just yet because a `linux` link already exists to your current kernel. If you are confident that you will not suffer a
Well, it's only source. It really doesn't matter anyway. Nothing depends on this, only the binaries. I'm assuming a level of common sense - "oh, I already have that linked, meh, I'll just use the natural name, or I'll remove the existing link and add a new one".
power outrage or can run a suitable recovery disk if you do have one, then you need to first remove the existing link and then later either rename another or rename the new link once you have finished the new kernel installation. By renaming the new link and reinstating the old link your existing kernel will still be your default until you are happy to make the new one the default - primarily for system reference when installing new modules, etc. I think. Care to clarify this folks ?
Again, this is ONLY THE SOURCE. It has no bearing at all on your currently running kernel. You could delete the lot if you so wished. Once the kernel is installed, you only need your kernel source if you wish to compile something against it - linmodem drivers, or pcmcia-cs etc.
As you can see, I have POSSIBLY 5 kernels available but two links already in place for my system to reckon with. All previous kernels
And again... :) Your kernels live in /boot (or maybe /). NOT in /usr/src - this is only the source used to build the kernel.
# cd /usr/src/linux # make menuconfig
other options are available here and this newbie is going to try # make xconfig instead - fingers crossed.
Sure, that's fine. Didn't know you were aware of it - whatever you're comfortable with. I find menuconfig quicker.
Here I need to identify the new and the old as I mentioned above so:
# rm /usr/src/linux # ln -s /usr/src/linux-2.6.3-7mdk /usr/src/linux [ my currently working kernel ] # ln -s /usr/src/linux-2.6.10 /usr/src/linux2610 [ linux2610 being the name I choose to reference and use within lilo.conf ]
The source tree name, or the link bears no reference to the name of your kernel. Just rename the end product (bzImage) to whatever name you want. THAT FILE is your kernel. Just that file. I find it easiest to leave it named as it is, as your modules tree will be named likewise. This is actually defined in the Makefile, and I wouldn't fiddle with that. :)
Hope that helps.
So now that I have added what it is I am going to do, care to slap my fingers with anything before I push the big green button?
To E&OE and Matt - thanks very much for your responses - greatly appreciated and has helped clear things up no end.
Heh. E&OE means "Errors and Ommissions Excepted", or "I think that's everything, but I'm not responsible if I've missed anything. I'm Greig. Regards, G.