Linux Kernel in a Nutshell

Modifying the configuration

Now that we have a basic configuration file created, it should be modified to support the hardware you have present in the system. For details on how to find out which configuration options you need to select to achieve this, please see Chapter 7. Here we will show you how to select the options you wish to change.

There are three different interactive kernel configuration tools: a terminal-based one called menuconfig, a GTK+-based graphical one called gconfig, and a QT-based graphical one called xconfig.

Console configuration method

The menuconfig way of configuring a kernel is a console-based program that offers a way to move around the kernel configuration using the arrow keys on the keyboard. To start up this configuration mode, enter:

$ make menuconfig

You will be shown a screen much like Figure 4-1.

Figure 4-1. Initial menuconfig screen

The instructions for navigating through the program, and the meanings of the different characters, are shown at the top of the screen. The rest of the screen containing the different kernel configuration options.

The kernel configuration is divided up into sections. Each section contains options that correspond to a specific topic. Within those sections can be sub-sections for various specialized topics. As an example, all kernel device drivers can be found under the main menu option Device Drivers. To enter that menu, move ...