[sclug] Building a kernel

[Derek M Jones]

>: Building a working kernel seems to have become
>: a lot more difficult since I last did it 3-4 years ago.
>
>Not a lot's changed, really.  If anything, it's got easier.

I remember version 1 as being the easiest.

Typing make bzImage may be easy, but getting
a usable kernel seems to be more difficult :-(

>Yes: use menuconfig, not xconfig.  menuconfig is better IME, and I've not
>had to edit anything since using it.

I am happy with any of the configs (well perhaps not the script one).

>If you're attempting to use an old .config, remember 'make oldconfig'
>first, or you'll hit problems.  I've no idea if oldconfig can handle 2.4
>-> 2.6; I can't recommend it.

Good point.  Linux really ought to put some effort into improving
the README (which has hardly changed since the early days).
Tried again, but still getting errors reported at boot time.

Sounds like it's time to invest in a latest and greatest distribution.
Being a RedHat user I guess I will try Fedora 2 (although I have heard
of people having problems with it).

>: What I really need is a program that probes my hardware
>: and generates a .config file specifically for it.  Pointers
>: anybody?
>
>cat /proc/pci helps a lot, as does lspci if you want something marginally
>more readable.  It's then 'just' a matter of choosing the correct drivers
>in the config.  grepping around Documentation/* (and */*, */*/*, */*/*/*,
>and IIRC */*/*/*/*) can help.

I prefer the 'just wait for a kernel hacker to write a script' approach :-)


derek

--
Derek M Jones                                           tel: +44 (0) 1252 520 667
Knowledge Software Ltd                            mailto:derek at knosof.co.uk
Applications Standards Conformance Testing   http://www.knosof.co.uk