Building RHEL 6 from sources

TylerGriffiths · 03-25-2012, 10:35 AM

If my understanding is correct, Red Hat releases all the source code for RHEL. I've used Fedora and CentOS at various times in the past, but I really want to use real RHEL, and I want to build it from source. Where do I get them from, and how do I actually make a bootable OS from them?

Thanks, TYLER.

ruario · 03-25-2012, 10:43 AM

A search for "redhat source" on popular search engines would have brought you straight to it (first hit on Google):

http://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/linux/enterprise/

That said, recompiling it all from source is not straightforward. There are lots of complications, which is why projects like CentOS exist to do it for you. Doing it yourself won't make it any more RedHat than CentOS, it will just be more effort for you.

snowday · 03-25-2012, 11:28 AM

Browse the devel mailing list archives for CentOS and you will begin to get a handle on the process and challenges that might be involved. It is a non-trivial exercise, certainly, and would give you no performance boost or anything over just using CentOS at the end of the day.

If you are considering this as an alternative to paying the Red Hat subscription fee, I doubt it will be a cost-effective project when man-hours are accounted for.

chrism01 · 03-25-2012, 11:58 PM

As per the 2 replies above, don't bother unless you intend to distribute your own distro or are just VERY bored or this is an academic project.
You won't gain anything and you still won't get the updates from RH without a subscription.
In any case, doing from Centos sources would make it possible to get help.

John VV · 03-26-2012, 10:48 PM

Install the FREE rebuilds of RHEL 6
CentOS 6
or
Scientific Linux 6
-- there are a few others but these are the big ones

But if you just want to BUILD the system from source then
USE
"Linux From Scratch "
and BUY the book !!!

MustangChuck · 06-11-2012, 02:47 PM

Speaking of building from source code, is there an SRPMS repository for Scientific Linux or CentOS? I have been searching and have not found it. Or, do they simply grab the RHEL version and build it themselves?

Thanks,
Chuck

knudfl · 06-11-2012, 04:59 PM

# 6.

SRPMS SL 6 http://ftp.scientificlinux.org/linux...fic/6.2/SRPMS/
→ 'vendor' : probably equal to EL 6 ...
http://ftp.scientificlinux.org/linux.../SRPMS/vendor/

SRPMS CentOS 6, 'os' http://vault.centos.org/6.2/os/Source/SPackages/
( Redirect from http://mirror.centos.org/centos/6.2/...Sources_README ).
Updates http://vault.centos.org/6.2/updates/Source/

.

MustangChuck · 06-12-2012, 06:37 AM

Those could be them, but I am also looking for the SRPMS for the 5.X series.

Thanks,
Chuck

knudfl · 06-12-2012, 08:22 AM

# 8

All versions http://ftp.scientificlinux.org/linux/scientific/
> 5.8 > SRPMS/, etc.