Hello. I am attempting to compile a 2.4.20 kernel. I have a question about a few prerequisite things I should be doing. Here's my current state. I have the 2.4.18 kernel running that came with 8.1. I messed up something attempting to compile the new 2.4.20 kernel so I decided to start from scratch again with it. I 'rm -rf' the /lib/modules/2.4.20 directory then i rm -rf the untarred 2.4.20 kernel source directory that happens to reside in my home directory. So i untarred the 2.4.20 sources again and now have a fresh new source tree (directory) in my home directory of which I intend to do the new kernel compilation. Questions are >

Why do manuals say to do the 'ln -s linux-2.4.xx linux' command as I have'nt seemed to have to do it and some people don't include it in their instructions on kernel compiling?

One text explaining kernel compostion says the first time compiling new kernel do a 'make mrproper'. Is this required?


thanks you

ln -s linux-2.4.xx linux
are expected to executed
in /usr/src
because other programs looks at /usr/src/linux
when needed

make mrproper is not needed on the first compiliation, especially if you've rm'd everything, make mrproper just like "cleans" out all the object files from your last compliation,

the process you will most probably be doing is

make dep
make modules
make modules_install
make install

then should you decide to add a new piece of hardware and need kernel support then you would do

make mrproper

followed by the above sequence

but yes i'd also make sure all your sources are in /usr/src/linux

in the README that comes with the sources it says not to put
the source in /usr/src/linux

Rather than a make install as the last step (ive never used it but im presuming that it installs the new image as /boot/vmlinuz) you might want to copy the neccessary files to /boot and make the initrd.img by hand. This way you can preserve the old kernel image and have a way back out.

So I would recommend as the last few steps:

cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20
cp /usr/src/System.map /boot/System.map-2.4.20
mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.4.20.img 2.4.20

Next edit lilo.conf to add the new entry:

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20
label=2420
root=/dev/hde7
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.20.img
append="devfs=mount hdc=ide-scsi"
read-only

Thats my entry for 2.4.20 so you may not want the append line.
Next step:

RUN LILO !!!!

In caps with exclaimation marks because I forget sometimes

/sbin/lilo

If you dont get any errors from lilo try to boot the new kernel.




/usr/src/linux on my desktop machine is usually just a link to whatever source tree im currently playing with ... currently 2.5.65 and its a nice fast desktop kernel

yeah make install does install vmlinuz to /boot/vmlinuz, i just tend to stick current kernel in /boot/backup (which is symlinked to a diff partition) then add that to lilo as a back up

Make install runs lilo for so you dont forget

thanks guys ..
I am a little confused as to when I have multiple images in /boot
such as 'vmlinuz.old' 'vmlinuz.2.4.20' do each read their own System.map ? And is it important that the name of System.map correspond to the name of the image? such as > vmlinuz.2.4.20, System.map-2-4-20? Also I am confused about the symlinks as I really have never used them.




thanks

Yeah System.map and vmlinuz must match.

though vmlinuz.old means thats the old kernel thats been replaced.

as long as lilo.conf matches System.map-2.4.20 and vmlinuz-2.4.20, it will boot fine , providing you config'd it right

thanks