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digitalwiz 08-03-2004 06:42 PM

Compiling a new kernel for an old machine
 
Hello to all of You!

I am quite new to the Linux "thing" so that's maybe why I got the courage to compile a new kernel on my own...

But, first, I need some advice on the best way to do it using a Pentium II 300Mhz.

Should I use the "sticky" tutorials? Or they are just covering the new hardware processors?


I would like to see my slacky running as fast as my knopps...


If someone got the pacience to help... already thanks in advance!

wapcaplet 08-03-2004 06:53 PM

The best advice I can offer for kernel compiling is to just dive in and do it. Follow one of the many kernel tutorials available to get the basics in mind, and then try it out. Almost all of the compile options are nicely documented (if you use 'make menuconfig' or 'make xconfig'); read through each option and determine whether it's something you need or not. Compilation itself doesn't take all that long - on my Athlon XP 1600, about 10-15 minutes with a reasonable number of things enabled. On your 300mhz box it probably won't take more than an hour or two.

digitalwiz 08-03-2004 09:24 PM

Thanks for your answer, but time taking was not my real concern,

I was searching for the best way to compile a kernel for a machine that old, I don't know if the tutorials are the same for each kernel and processor.

For example, should I compile kernel 2.6.7 for a Pentium II 300 the same way I would do it for an 3GHz?


Anyway, thanks for your answer and advice!

gbonvehi 08-03-2004 09:49 PM

Yeah the only optimization you could achieve are on the menus by selecting your specific processor type (i guess that's not covered by the tutorials since it's pretty obvious) and of course, not compiling what you don't need (this is the harder part if you don't know too much about hardware and compiling the kernel, leave this one for some time later when you have more experience).
Before compiling the kernel navigate in the make menuconfig or make xconfig menus to see how it's organized, what's there, it's a very good learning experience.
Hope that helps.

ringwraith 08-03-2004 09:51 PM

The only real reason to worry about compiling the 2.6 kernel would be because of new hardware unsupported by 2.4.... that is unlikely a need in your case :-)

I would use the stock kernel that comes with slackware and use it until you learn more about linux generally and Slackware in particular. Learn about file navigation, text editing, use of the tools that are included, learn to compile and install programs. After that you can then try your hand at compiling a kernel. I would start out taking the included sources, using the existing configure file and do a make oldconfig. Then just start pruning out items that you are sure are not needed. After you build a couple of kernels that way and get it running, then you will have the confidence and knowledge to jump to a 2.6 kernel where it is not really recommended to just blindly use the old configure file from the 2.4 kernel.

madhatter2 08-04-2004 03:24 PM

In my opinion the best way to start is to keep the same kernel content that you have in your current 2.4.x kernel.
You can download the config file (which holds the kernel content) from the slackware cd and put in the 2.6.7 sources directory.
Don't forget to keep a fallback option to your original kernel in your lilo configuration.

Enjoy.


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