I have installed CentOS 5.4 x86_64 in my pc.

The kernel version is 2.6.18-164.el5 (uname -r).

I want to compile a custom kernel (2.6.36.1) from kernel.org. I have a pdf book called "Linux Kernel in a Nutshell" that i use as guide,and i have been searching for some information in google.

But i want to use the configuration of the Centos kernel when conpiling the new one , using it as starting point for then modify the options i want.

I suppose that the centos kernel was compiled with some options to fit the centos requirements , and although with the new kernel i will tune it,for my requirements, i think starting from the 2.6.18 config would be better than a default .config.

Is possible to copy the .config from my 2.6.18 installed kernel , as was compilled, and put it in the 2.6.36.1 kernel , to start from that tuning it ?

As i will not change all configuration options , if done that , the most of config options will be the same as 2.6.18 , and then the new kernel should be as compatible with centos as the default one, no? (except that some option modified by me could be wrong, but at least , the chane of have a more compatible kernel would be more thant using a default .config and modify it , without knowing if for centros , i should perhaps modify some options to get it work or to have some characteristics need in the distro)


I don't know if can i have any problem trying to use the configuration of a 2.6.18 kernel in a 2.6.36.1 , i suppose that the new configurations in 2.6.36.1 will be default , and would use the 2.6.18 .config to configure the other "old" options like are in 2.6.18.

I think what i have to do is copy the config file from /boot and do a make oldconfig.

Then do a xconfig or gconfig and change whatever you want, but having the configurations from 2.6.18 as starting point.

But i am not sure.

That's exactly what you have to do.
Running "make oldconfig" you'll see some questions about new features of this kernel that don't exist in the previous kernel and you have to answer them.
Note also that 2.6.36.2 is out and you might compile this instead.

Regards

I didn't now , i thought the last was 2.6.36.1 not .2 , thanks