The Linux Kernel HOWTO

Al Dev (Alavoor Vasudevan)

< alavoor[AT]yahoo.com >

v5.7, 04 May 2003

This is a detailed guide to kernel configuration, compilation, upgrades, and troubleshooting for ix86-based systems. Can be useful for other architectures as well. This document is kept small & simple, so that even non-technical "home computer users" will be able to compile and run the Linux Kernel.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Quick Steps - Kernel Compile

2.1. Precautionary Preparations
2.2. Minor Upgrading of Kernel
2.3. For the Impatient
2.4. Building New Kernel - Explanation of Steps
2.5. Troubleshooting
2.6. Post Kernel Building

3. Loadable Modules

3.1. Installing the module utilities
3.2. Modules distributed with the kernel
3.3. Howto Install Just A Single Module ?

4. Cloning of Linux Kernels

5. Important questions and their answers

5.1. What does the kernel do, anyway?
5.2. Why would I want to upgrade my kernel?
5.3. What kind of hardware do the newer kernels support?
5.4. What version of gcc and libc do I need?
5.5. What's a loadable module?
5.6. How much disk space do I need?
5.7. How long does it take?

6. Patching the kernel

6.1. Applying a patch
6.2. If something goes wrong
6.3. Getting rid of the .orig files
6.4. Other patches

7. Tips and tricks

7.1. Redirecting output of the make or patch commands
7.2. Conditional kernel install
7.3. Kernel updates

8. Mount RPMs With FTPFS

8.1. Using the ftpfs
8.2. The ftpfs Commands

9. Linux Kernel Textbooks and Documents

10. Kernel Files Information

10.1. vmlinuz and vmlinux
10.2. Bootloader Files
10.3. Message File
10.4. initrd.img
10.5. bzImage
10.6. module-info
10.7. config
10.8. grub
10.9. System.map

11. Advanced Topics - Linux Boot Process

11.1. References for Boot Process

12. Other Formats of this Document

12.1. Acrobat PDF format
12.2. Convert Linuxdoc to Docbook format
12.3. Convert to MS WinHelp format
12.4. Reading various formats

13. Appendix A - Creating initrd.img file

13.1. Using mkinitrd
13.2. Kernel Docs
13.3. Linuxman Book

14. Appendix B - Sample lilo.conf

14.1. Resources on LILO
14.2. Troubleshooting LILO
14.3. Sample on LILO

15. Appendix C - GRUB Details And A Sample grub.conf

15.1. References on GRUB
15.2. Tips On GRUB
15.3. Sample GRUB Conf File

16. Appendix D - Post Kernel Building

17. Appendix E - Troubleshoot Common Mistakes

17.1. Compiles OK but does not boot
17.2. The System Hangs at LILO
17.3. No init found
17.4. Lot of Compile Errors
17.5. The 'depmod' gives "Unresolved symbol error messages"
17.6. Kernel Does Not Load Module - "Unresolved symbols" Error Messages
17.7. Kernel fails to load a module
17.8. Loadable modules
17.9. See Docs
17.10. make clean
17.11. Huge or slow kernels
17.12. The parallel port doesn't work/my printer doesn't work
17.13. Kernel doesn't compile
17.14. New version of the kernel doesn't seem to boot
17.15. You forgot to run LILO, or system doesn't boot at all
17.16. It says `warning: bdflush not running'
17.17. I can't get my IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM drive to work
17.18. It says weird things about obsolete routing requests
17.19. ``Not a compressed kernel Image file''
17.20. Problems with console terminal after upgrade to Linux v1.3.x
17.21. Can't seem to compile things after kernel upgrade
17.22. Increasing limits

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		Introduction