Kernel Compilation On Etch, Lenny or Sid Systems (Removed)

[F.Zappa]

This tutorial has been removed

[EMD]

Thanks for taking the time to write a "how to," Frank.

Quick question: What are the main differences between your method, Tina's method and the HowToForge method?

On the subject of compiling kernels ... Has anyone posted a "how to" that explains the important .config options? Or is there a good website with a comprehensible explanation of the options?

Thanks,
- Eric

[F.Zappa]

Hi edoviak,
It seems most how to's these days assume one uses make menuconfig.For example I use xconfig and you need the libqt3-mt-dev package which is not installed in Debian by default as it is in Fedora,SuSe and Slackware.The howtoforge etch method does not mention this.I know Tina's How To does however.Another thing is most How To's do not mention LiLo and many people still use it as their boot loader.Me included.I chose to include xconfig and qconfig as options for configuring a kernel to give those people new to compiling some options besides menuconfig.I agree my method is not much different than most other How To's for debian systems I just wanted to list a few more options.I do know it works very well for me on my Etch and Lenny sytems.I'm mostly a Slackware / SuSe user and just started getting into Debian seriously the past few months.I gave up Debian after Libranet shut down a few years ago.But now I am back.

Cheers Frank

[mzilikazi]

Does LILO also get updated automatically when you install a new kernel? The last time I used LILO (admittedly this was long ago) it was not able to do that.

A suggestion: It is completely unnecessary to build kernels in /usr/src and has been that way for some time now (nor is a link from your kernel source to /usr/src/linux necessary). Building in /usr/src means doing alot of things as root but in fact you don't need to do anything as root except dpkg -i <your_kernel>.deb

From the kernel source README:

"Do NOT use the /usr/src/linux area! This area has a (usually incomplete) set of kernel headers that are used by the library header files.
They should match the library, and not get messed up by whatever the kernel-du-jour happens to be.

[F.Zappa]

Yes lilo does get updated automaically and I am aware of the read me but other how to's use /usr/src .Compiling in /usr/src has been a standard way since the 2.4.xx heyday so I didn't think much about it.I admit I did not compile my last kernel in /usr/src in SuSe 10.2.However, I feel compiling in SuSe is by far the easiest of the distros I use.But then I've been using it since 7.0

Frank

[mzilikazi]

I feel compiling in SuSe is by far the easiest of the distros I use.But then I've been using it since 7.0

Frank

I never could get a SuSe disc to boot on my system so I've never tried to build a SuSe kernel but I have to wonder...... how it could be easier than in Debian? If you do not include getting the kernel source and applying patches (which is presumably the same procedure on any distro) building a Debian kernel is a one line command.

[actionM]

Thanks Frank. This worked great on Lenny for me. I used this to disable Xen in the debian kernel so I could install the NVIDIA driver. Yay!

[Klinggon22]

Quick question, I am using kernel- 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-686 , if I compile Kernel-2.6.26.3, which says is the latest stable version. Will I still get notified of updates or better ask will I still receive regular updates?

[oswaldkelso]

Thank you.

I used your guide with the kernel-libre kernel and it worked a treat.

ftp://ftp.blagblagblag.org/pub/mirrors/fsfla/releases/

I now have a 100% Free Debian install. A free kernel (no blobs) and no non-free. Only versions of main and multimedia in my sources.list

http://www.my2bits.org/?p=57

I realise that my 2 minutes of freedom may be borked with the next upgrade, but what the heck, I'm going to savour it.

[L_V]

Thanks Frank. This worked great on Lenny for me. I used this to disable Xen in the debian kernel so I could install the NVIDIA driver. Yay!

Is it still necessary ?
It seems linux-image-xen-686 and linux-image-686 are now both available.

[actionM]

Thanks Frank. This worked great on Lenny for me. I used this to disable Xen in the debian kernel so I could install the NVIDIA driver. Yay!

Is it still necessary ?
It seems linux-image-xen-686 and linux-image-686 are now both available.

It was necessary when I made that post. I haven't tried lately. But after I did that I installed the NVidia driver from the official website and it only worked briefly. I didn't try any trouble shooting. Didn't have time. I'm just going to go back to doing things the "debian way". That way never failed me before.

[F.Zappa]

I have given this some thought and decided to delete this tutorial. It was not very different from the countless others out there so there is no reason for me to add another.