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The Linux Kernel HOWTO
Al Dev (Alavoor Vasudevan)
alavoor[AT]yahoo.com
v4.4, 06 Feb 2003
This is a detailed guide to kernel configuration, compilation, upgrades, and troubleshooting for ix86-based systems.
1.
Introduction
2.
Quick Steps - Kernel Compile
2.1 Precautionary Preparations
2.2 For the Impatient
2.3 Building Kernel - Explanation of Steps
2.4 Troubleshoot Common Mistakes
2.5 Post Kernel Building
2.6 Sample lilo.conf
3.
A word on style
4.
Important questions and their answers
4.1 What does the kernel do, anyway?
4.2 Why would I want to upgrade my kernel?
4.3 What kind of hardware do the newer kernels support?
4.4 What version of gcc and libc do I need?
4.5 What's a loadable module?
4.6 How much disk space do I need?
4.7 How long does it take?
5.
How to actually configure the kernel
5.1 Getting the source
5.2 Unpacking the source
5.3 Configuring the kernel
5.4 Now what? (The Makefile)
6.
Compiling the kernel
6.1 Cleaning and depending
6.2 Compile time
6.3 Other ``make''ables
6.4 Installing the kernel
7.
Patching the kernel
7.1 Applying a patch
7.2 If something goes wrong
7.3 Getting rid of the .orig files
7.4 Other patches
8.
Additional packages
8.1 kbd
8.2 util-linux
8.3 hdparm
8.4 gpm
9.
Some pitfalls
9.1 make clean
9.2 Huge or slow kernels
9.3 The parallel port doesn't work/my printer doesn't work
9.4 Kernel doesn't compile
9.5 New version of the kernel doesn't seem to boot
9.6 You forgot to run LILO, or system doesn't boot at all
9.7 It says `warning: bdflush not running'
9.8 I can't get my IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM drive to work
9.9 It says weird things about obsolete routing requests
9.10 Firewalling not working in 1.2.0
9.11 ``Not a compressed kernel Image file''
9.12 Problems with console terminal after upgrade to 1.3.x
9.13 Can't seem to compile things after kernel upgrade
9.14 Increasing limits
10.
Note for upgrade to version 2.0.x, 2.2.x
11.
Modules
11.1 Installing the module utilities
11.2 Modules distributed with the kernel
12.
Tips and tricks
12.1 Redirecting output of the make or patch commands
12.2 Conditional kernel install
12.3 Kernel updates
13.
Other relevant HOWTOs that might be useful
14.
Misc
14.1 Author
14.2 To do
14.3 Contributions
14.4 Copyright notice, License, and all that stuff
15.
Other Formats of this Document
15.1 Acrobat PDF format
15.2 Convert Linuxdoc to Docbook format
15.3 Convert to MS WinHelp format
15.4 Reading various formats
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