Linux Desktop Hacks

Compile a Kernel #88

Chapter 10, Kernel

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267

HACK

Joining the commands using && allows your system to proceed with each

step automatically if no errors occur in the previous step. This is a very use-

ful trick to remember for other situations in which you want to string a

series of commands.

A few distributions might have specific methods you can follow to compile a

kernel. For instance, Debian provides a method for compiling a kernel and

creating a Debian package out of it. This makes it easy to install on your

machine, and it makes a convenient package to transfer to other machines

that need the same kernel. Debian Universe (http://www.debianuniverse.com/

readonline/chapter/21), a web site created by Jonathan Oxer, has details on

this method.

Install the Kernel

The compiled kernel is placed in /usr/src/linux/arch/<platform>/boot and is

called bzImage, where <platform> is a placeholder for the type of computer

on which you are performing the compile. For example, if you compiled

your kernel on an x86 machine, such as a Pentium, Athlon, Celeron, etc.,

you will find the kernel image in /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot. You must

copy this image over to /boot. You also should rename it to include the ver-

sion of the kernel in the filename so that when you have multiple kernels

you can easily tell which is which. Also, the Linux kernel image has tradi-

tionally been referred to as vmlinuz, and many users