Build a new kernel?

Could someone point me to some documentation on the proceedure for building a new linux kernel?

I need info like; prerequisite rpms, Guidance on what options to choose in menuconfig, How to implement the new kernel, Do I need to modify any config files.

The documentation that I have found for intel-linux has so far has been similar but not quite the same. I haven't really looked for the "how to build a kernel for MIPS" docs yet.

I tried to build one on my intel-linux box for practice. It didn't go well.

Chad

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Chad Carlin Special Systems
Silicon Graphics Inc. 972.205.5911
Pager 888.754.1597 VMail 800.414.7994 X5344
[email protected] http://reality.sgi.com/chad
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"flying through hyper space ain't like dusting crops, boy"

I can only speak to Intel, as I have yet to get Hardhat booted. Generally, I start with the kernel source rather than an rpm. Of course, upon install of a new dist, you start with the dist's packaged version. But I would replace that asap, tailoring it based upon what you need.

RedHat separates the kernel into at least two rpms, though kernel-headers.rpm is most likely a subset of the kernel-src.rpm, consisting of only include files used for compiling other sources.

Get the 'real' kernel source. Unpack it in /usr/src as linux/. cd /usr/include; rm asm linux; ln -s /usr/src/linux/include/linux; ln -s /usr/src/linux/include/asm; cd /usr/src/linux; read ;)

Menuconfig has quite a bit of online help, plus the Documentation tree will help you become familiar with the available options. make xconfig is nice as well, especially for browsing and immediate recognition of dependencies that some choices enforce. Other than that, the Linux Kernel HOWTO, which I guess you have read.

Note that the completed configuration ends up in .config in the top level of the source tree after make config, make menuconfig, or make xconfig. I like to keep a copy of this outside the tree so that I can maintain some consistency from kernel to kernel, rather than start over with each new src tree.

After running make (menu/x/)config, always do make dep;make clean; I then do make zImage;make modules;make modules_install

Enjoy!