compiling only one module without recompiling the kernel

l_9_l · 05-08-2002, 06:49 AM

Hi guys..

want to compile some driver as a module without recompiling the kernel,do you know how?
without make modules && make moudles_install

directly by using gcc,how?

vfs · 05-08-2002, 06:53 AM

You just need to tell gcc you want object code.

I can't remember which option it's but 'man gcc' surely can do

You type something like this:

gcc [options] module.c

HTH,

vfs.

Mik · 05-08-2002, 07:25 AM

For a kernel module usually you would do something like this:

Compile it:
gcc -DMODULE -D__KERNEL__ -O6 -c module.c

Then you can test it with:
insmod module.o

If everything works fine then install it:
install -m 644 module.o /lib/modules/`uname -r`/destdir

Change the module.c and module.o to the name of the module. The destdir is the directory you want to install it in.

theguide · 05-08-2002, 07:46 AM

I'm not sure, but i believe i've read somewhere that you don't have to recompile the whole kernel when you want to compile a module.
Just run make menuconfig (or whatever is your choice of configuring the kernel), select the module you want to compile. Save the kernel options, make dep and make modules && make modules_install. The kernel will not be compiled, only the modules will.

But then again.. I might be wrong

And so that I can learn something too:
IF I'm wrong, please tell me!

Mik · 05-08-2002, 09:24 AM

That would work if you have previously compiled your kernel in the same source tree. If you haven't or if you have done a make clean. Then all the modules will be recompiled not just one specific module.

theguide · 05-09-2002, 01:22 PM

Okay, that makes sence. But compiling the modules doesn't take that long unless you have a slow system of course.
I think figuring out how to compile the source of just one module takes longer than compiling all the modules

himanshu.renegade · 07-06-2009, 10:59 AM

i tried make modules and make modules_install
it does make the first module as the new module, but then alas it continues with all of the modules...

By the way, i want to compile and insert isicom.c module

sundialsvcs · 07-06-2009, 08:47 PM

You should always make your kernel, each time you change any module, and thus allow "make" to figure it all out.

Each module will become "part of the kernel, in every respect," as soon as you install it. Therefore it is imperative that it exactly matches the rest of the installed kernel. There is "a correct way to do it," and you should religiously follow it. Don't try to shortcut.

vharishankar · 07-06-2009, 10:00 PM

Yes, allow the makefile to determine module dependencies. Sometimes compiling a single module might need to recompile other parts of your kernel, so never invoke gcc directly on the kernel source tree.