Hints on Compiling the Kernel

1. Notes for the 2.4.x kernel

  1.1 The general sequence of commands are:

	make clean
	make mrproper
	make oldconfig  -> to generate a .config file based on the running kernel
	make menuconfig -> allow you to inspect/change the .config file        
	make dep
	make bzImage
	make modules
	make modules_install
	make install


2. Notes for the 2.6.x kernel 

  2.1 The general sequence of commands are:

	# make clean
	# make mrproper
	# make oldconfig    -> generate a .config file based on the running kernel
	# make bzImage
	# make modules
	# make modules_install
	# make install     

3. Notes for the 2.6.x kernel and Fedora FC3

   Fedora core 3 changed the way they distributed the source code. You
   have to build the source tree using. 

	Example using kernel version 2.6.9-1.681_FC3 for Fedora Core3.

   Following the direction in the release notes for getting source tree:

   # rpm -ivh kernel-2.6.9-1.681_FC3.src.rpm
   # cd /usr/src/redhat/SPECS
   # rpmbuild -bp --target=i686 kernel-2.6.spec     <-- slightly difference from the release notes
   # cd /usr/src/redhat/BUILD

   Kernel soures is located in /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.9/linux-2.6.9/
   Copy the tree to /usr/src/linux-2.6.x

   # cd /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.9
   # tar cf - linux-2.6.9  | ( cd /usr/src; tar xf - )

   Then proceed as usual.

   # cd /usr/src
   # ln -s linux-2.6.9 linux-2.6

   # cd /usr/src/linux-2.6
   # make clean
   # make mrproper
   # make oldconfig    -> generate a .config file based on the running kernel
   # make bzImage
   # make modules
   # make modules_install
   # make install

   For some unknown reason it calls the kernel '2.6.9-prep'
   The kernel name can be modified by editing /usr/src/linux-2.6/Makefile

4. Notes for 2.6.x kernel and CentOS 4.4

   Download and install kernel source:
      #  wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/centos/4.4/updates/SRPMS/kernel-2.6.9-42.0.10.EL.src.rpm
      # rpm -ivh kernel-2.6.9-42.0.10.EL.src.rpm

   Prepare for commpilation
      # rpmbuild -bp --target i686  /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/kernel-2.6.spec
      # ln -s /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.9/linux-2.6.9 /usr/src/linux
      # cd /usr/src/linux
      # make mrproper

   Compile & Install it:
      # make oldconfig                               // this make the .config file using
      # make modules modules_install install  

   Notes: 
	   stock .config are located in: /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.9/linux-2.6.9/configs
		Edit /usr/src/linux/Makefile's EXTRAVERSION to rename kernel: 
		   ie '-prep' to '-42.0.10.EL'

5. Getting the kernel source for CentOS 5.x

   Download and install kernel source:
      # wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/centos/5.5/updates/SRPMS/kernel-2.6.18-194.17.1.el5.src.rpm
      # rpm -ivh kernel-2.6.18-194.17.1.el5.src.rpm | grep -v mockb

   Prepare for commpilation
      # rpmbuild -bp --target i686  /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/kernel-2.6.spec
      # ln -s /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.18/linux-2.6.18 /usr/src/linux
      # cd /usr/src/linux
      # make mrproper