Compiling a Linux Kernel
Updated September 16, 2002
Created May 8, 2001

(Under Construction!)

/sbin/mkinitrd -v -f /boot/initrd-2.2.14-5.0.img 2.2.14-5.0
/sbin/lilo -v

Slackware Linux
isn't autodetecting the array controller for customer

insmod cpqarray.o

check /etc/conf.modules for presence of:
alias scsi_hostadapter cpqarray

create a new initrd w/ support for cpqarray.o
/sbin/mkinitrd -v -f /boot/initrd-2.2.12-20.img 2.2.12-20

Check that /etc/lilo.conf is correct:
boot=correct place for LILO
root=correct root partition
image=correct kernel image
initrd=points to correct initrd just created

Here's a sample

boot=/dev/ida/c0d0p1
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout=50
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.2.5-15
        label=linux
        root=/dev/ida/c0d0p6
        initrd=/boot/initrd-2.2.5-15.img
        read-only

run /sbin/lilo -v

Reboot, system should come up on the new kernel and the initrd (contains module info for cpqarray.o).

Notes from Anthony Platt:

The last screen appears saying the install is complete and to press OK to
reboot. this is where we do our kernel recompile.

so switch to console 2 <ALT F2>

cd to the root directory

cd /

change root to /mnt

chroot /mnt

now change to your /usr/src/linux directory

cd /usr/src/linux

type in

make menuconfig

this starts the menu version of the kernel config options
Anything with a "*" means compile into the kernel
Anything with a "M" means make this as a module

so we choose

code maturity level options
unselect the little *

exit back to the main menu

choose processor type and features

pick your processor type ie choose 586 if you have a pentium
unless you have heaps of memory change the Max memory to 1gig default
if your cpu has a co processor (most pentiums will :-) ) remove math
emulation
leave MTRR selected
leave SMP unselected

exit to main menu

leave loadable modules alone

select general settings
deselect Advanced power managment

exit to main menu

select plug and play
deselect plug and play support

exit to main menu

select block devices
remove Enchanced IDE support (only if you don't have any IDE devices !!!!)
remove Old hard disk MFM RLL support
remove multiple devices drive support <software raid support>
remove XT hard disk support
remove Mylex DAC960 support
remove parallel port IDE device support
select Compaq SMART 2 support 

exit to main menu

networking options can be left alone at this point
SCSI support can be left alone at this point
Network device support can be left alone at this point
Amateur radio support can be left alone at this point

select IrDA subsystem support
deselect support <as i don't think you will have any infared hardware in
your machine >

exit to main menu

ISDN device support can be left alone at this point

select Old CD-ROM support
deselect support for this at present....as it is only for old CDROMS
attached to sound cards etc.

exit to main menu

select character device support
deselect Extended dumb serial support
deselect Non standard serial port support

select mice

deselect all but PS2 mice if you are using a PS2 mouse, else leave all alone

exit to character device menu

Select video for linux
deselect video for Linux support if you don't have any video hardware boards

exit to character device menu

select joystick support
deselect Joystick support <no time to play games>

exit to character device menu

exit to main menu

File systems options can be left alone at this point
Console drivers options can be left alone at this point

Select sound
deselect sound support 

exit to main menu

select Kernel hacking
deselect Magic sys request key

Exit to main menu

press ESC Key

Choose yes to save this new kernel configuration

OK thats the kernel options selected
now we recompile the kernel

type

make dep clean bzImage

yes capital "I" on bzImage

go make a cup of coffee as this will take a while

When it is finished <and no error messages ??>
should say something like
System is 542Kb etc

next make the modules <drivers> type

make modules

have a beer this time <grin> as it will now compile the modules (drivers)
for you.

Finished?? the compile that is not the beer.......

now move the newly made kernel to the boot directory

mv /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot

change to the /lib/modules directory

cd /lib/modules

have a look whats here

ls

we see a directory called whatever your kernel version is

move the old directory 2.2.XX and rename it something else

ie if your modules directory is called 2.2.14 move it to 2.2.14-old or
something similar

mv 2.2.14 2.2.14-old

change back to our source directory

cd /usr/src/linux

install our newly created modules

make modules_install

this will move all our newly created drivers to /lib/modules/2.2.XX

change to the /lib/modules diectory and you will see we have our old + our
new modules directories here

cd /lib/modules

ls

now we edit the lilo.conf file so we can boot off our newly made kernel

vi /etc/lilo.conf

here is the original lilo.conf file
yours will differ slightly on the kernel versions

ie mine is 2.2.13-7mdk
yours might be 2.2.14 or something similar

================
boot=/dev/ida/c0d0p1
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout=50
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.2.13-7mdk
    label=linux
    root=/dev/ida/c0d0p4
    initrd=/boot/initrd-2.2.13-7mdk.img
    read-only
===============

change it to this

==================
boot=/dev/ida/c0d0p1
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout=50
image=/boot/bzImage <<

now switch back to the install screen ALT F1

press Enter on the OK button to reboot and hopefully find our compaq server
with linux installed up and running

Then one needs to complete the process of making a boot disk. and a couple of other things that need to be done.

Other resources for compiling your own kernel:

The official documentation can be found at the following sources: