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4.4 Linux Kernel Configuration Topic

The purpose of this section is to create and install a custom Linux Kernel.

4.4.1 Preparation

Preparation for this section requires you to obtain an overview of the steps needed to compile and install a Linux, kernel. The kernel is the resident part of the operating system that is loaded at boot time.

Kernels that are used included with distributions are intended to work on as many hardware platforms as possible. This means it may include hardware drivers that are never used. With low-cost memory, this may not be much of an issue. The real issue is the lack of support for a needed feature or drivers that are interfering with one another. The more you know about your hardware, the better off you will be.

  1. Read chapter 5 of Running Linux by Welsh, Dalheimer, & Kaufman. "Essential System Management".
  2. Read chapter 7 of Running Linux by Welsh, Dalheimer, & Kaufman. "Upgrading Software and the Kernel".
  3. Review /usr/src/linux/Documentation/Configure.help An abbreviated version of this might help. For kernel 2.2.12 this file has 11906 lines, or about 200 pages.
  4. Locate a copy of the current kernel source.
  5. Understand LILO. Read the lilo (LInux LOader) documentation.
  6. Understand the tar command.

4.4.2 Group Task

  1. Download the new kernel source to your systems with ftp. Please time this operation.
  2. Keep any old source tree in /usr/src/
  3. Make sure that there is no /usr/src/linux directory.
  4. un-tar the kernel source tree.
  5. mv (move) it to the base name of the version.
  6. Create a symbolic link (ln -s) to it from /usr/src/linux
  7. Create a new /etc/lilo.conf file and run lilo Make sure that you have at least 5 different kernel names. (Suggestions: original distribution, old, new, & current. The current one should be called /vmlinuz and be first in the configuration file.
  8. cd to /usr/src/linux.
  9. make config or make menuconfig or make xconfig.
  10. make dep
  11. make zlilo or make bzlilo Please time this operation.
  12. Perhaps make modules & make modules_install
  13. Reboot your system.

4.4.3 Report

Turn in your group's report (only one copy please) as follows:
Instructor: ltaber@pima.edu** My new Home on phRed** The Pima College Site** The Mad Dr. G.'s home page on phred.

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