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Re: Rebuilding the Kernel Mini HOW TO



Hi,

Did you read make-kpkg documentation especially by Kent West?
I think instead of reinventing wheel, suppliment existing good document
as patch bug report.

 /usr/share/doc/make-kpkg/README.gz (last section is by Kent)

For this, use unstable version.

Also my Debian Reference has a (good) summary.  Bug report is welcome.
  
  http://qref.sf.net/Debian/reference/ch-kernel.en.html or
  http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/reference/ch-kernel.en.html

Lastly, are you aware of following facts (Content from recent post by
prominent Debian person. I am worried about mine ...):

* kernel header files for user application

Some may still say:
>  The problem under Debian and SuSE is that the Linux kernel is
>  not installed under /usr/src/linux - so you just need to ensure
>  that /usr/src/linux links to the directory containing the Linux
>  kernel sources. ...

Colin Watson <cjwatson@debian.org> said:
That is absolutely terrible advice. It's a very good way to break a Debian
system, and you should ignore it. Linus doesn't recommend this old way of doing
things nowadays either.

Instead, if you *need* kernel headers for something, alter the Makefiles so
that their include path points to
<wherever-your-kernel-source-is>/include/linux, etc.

Most "normal" programs don't need kernel headers and in fact may break if you
use them directly; instead they should be compiled against the headers with
which glibc was built, which are the versions in /usr/include/linux and
/usr/include/asm.

---- END OF QUOTE ---

Do not ask me but it looks like using /usr/src/linux seems to be bad
idea.  (OOps, I do that in 2nd classic method.  Just do not compile
any application, this may be OK.. I need to check why this is bad...)

On Mon, Oct 14, 2002 at 02:19:48PM -0700, Michael Olds wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> This is still a draft. This is a request for advanced users to take a look
> see and add comments or suggestions. The idea is a step by step instruction
> for Fresh New to Linux/Debian users, with the hope that they will be
> encouraged to attempt a rebuild of their kernel almost first thing after
> initial install. I use a technique which is a blend of using a file manager
> along with a terminal so I can see where I am at and yet do what I need to
> do in the terminal. This is a good way to work into using the terminal.
> 
> <!--\*#---------REBUILD KERNEL------------#*\--!>
> 
> References:
> read (NOTE: we need a source for these as they are not created on a new
> install or by unpacking the kernel-source...and should they be in
> /usr/src/linux/ anyway):

OOPs

>   /usr/src/linux/Documentation/initrd.txt
>   /usr/src/linux/Documentation/modules.txt
>   /usr/src/linux/README
>   /usr/src/linux/README.Debian
> 
> http://qref.sourceforge.net/Debian/reference/ch-kernel.en.html
>    This is good for using the make menuconfig method
> 
> http://infocom.cqu.edu.au/Units/aut99/85321/Resources/Print_Resources/Textbo
> ok/chap13/
> 
> http://www.google.com/search?q=%22kernel+headers%22+linus+quote&hl=en&lr=&ie
> =UTF-8&start=10&sa=N
> 
> http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/faq/#AEN334
> http://www.uwsg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0007.3/0587.html
> 
> http://www.linuxorbit.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&re
> q=viewarticle&artid=532
>    This is good for using the make xconfig method
> 
> Bear in mind that debian does things a bit differently than other
> distros. What is that difference? In essence, in stead of reconfiguring the
> kernel and replacing it directly, the reconfigured kernel is made into a
> package (.deb) primarily so that the rebuild will remain integrated into the
> debian package system so that future updates of the kernel can be made using
> dpkg. (I have stated this in these boldly confident terms not being sure
> that this is the essence at all...hoping for confirmation or education...mo)
> 
> R: The way that kernel headers are handled on a debian system may be
> different to other distros, so clarification would be worthwhile just to
> avoid confusion.
> 
> 
> <---Step-by-Step--->
> 
> [ ]A. Before 1: Download and create a recovery floppy from:
> http://www.toms.net/rb/
> 
> [ ]1.a. Download the latest kernel source package (use a Debian source; or
> make sure you have read all the documentation above) to /usr/src (this is
> where it will be installed if you use dselect, a package manager, synaptic
> or aptitude). Best practices seem to indicate that the package be built
> outside of /usr/src so creating /usr/src/linux and creating a sym-link from
> /linux to /usr/src/kernel~ as in step 1.d below seems to be the way to
> handle this.)
> 
> [ ]1.b. if no /usr/src/linux dir exists, make it
>       $ cd /usr/src
>       $ mkdir linux
> [ ]1.c. change directory to /usr/src and unpack the source package -- use
> the unpacking tools with your file manager, or:
>       $ su     #enter root password
>       $ cd /usr/src
>       $ tar --bzip2 -xvf kernel-source-2.4.18.tar.bz2 (or latest)
> [ ]1.d create a symbolic link to /usr/src/linux
>       $ ln -s /usr/src/kernel-source-2.4.18 /usr/src/linux
> 
> [ ]2. Just to be professional: go to "/etc/kernel.pkg.conf" and modify the
> file by inserting your "Kernel Source Maintainer Name" and e-mail address.
> 
> [ ]3. Make sure
>    [ ]"expectk" if you want to use the user friendly: make xconfig
>    [ ]"debhelper"
>    [ ]"modutils"
>    [ ]"libncurses5-dev"
>    [ ]"bin86"
>    [ ]"libc6-dev"
>    [ ]"debianutils"
>    [ ]"make"
>    [ ]"bzip2" and
>    [ ]"kernel-package" are installed.
> 
>    R Notes: don't use gcc 3.x, but something like gcc 2.95. Which I do not
> understand. Clarification?
> 
> [ ]4. (on 2nd and subsequent rebuilds) Copy old configuration file to
> /usr/src/kernel-source-2.4.18
>       $ cd /usr/src/kernel-source-2.4.18
>       $ cp /boot/config-2.4.18-386 .config     # get current config as
> default
> 
> [ ]5. # cd to /usr/src/linux
> 
>       $ make menuconfig or make xconfig
> 
> and make your selections
> 
>    To do this you need to have some familiarity with your hardware and what
> you are intending to use the system for. This you need to work out yourself.
> Once this is figured out, it might be helpful, on the first rebuild, to make
> your updates with reference to the original configuration, (called
> config-2.4.18bf24 (or your kernel version)) which you should find under
> /root using the "M" (module) option where a module was used and building the
> feature into the kernel (*) or [y] option where it was built into the
> kernel. Use the HELP option for brief explanations. This at least until you
> understand which can be safely changed under your setup.
> 
>   Note: If you're using --initrd, make sure "Compressed ROM file system
> support" is built in, or you'll get a kernel panic (need CramFS).
> 
>   (Side note: I see that answers my question about how to get it in
> there...sorry!)
> 
> 
> [ ]6.a.  [ ]# make-kpkg clean
>    6.b.  [ ]# make-kpkg -revision=<!--insert your own personal rebuild
>    version number here: i.e.: -revision=0001) --initrd kernel_image (see
> NOTES below: do not use --initrd if you do not use).
>    OR: # make-kpkg -revision=mydomain.0001 kernel_image
> 
>          Note: If you don't want "--initrd" leave out that option, and make
> sure /etc/lilo.conf doesn't have it either for that build. Conversely, if
> you do want it, make sure to add an 'initrd=/initrd.img' line to the
> image=/vmlinuz stanza of your /etc/lilo.conf and be sure to run # lilo -a
> after.
> 
> [ ]6. A new kernel.version-0001_i386.deb will be placed in the /usr/src
> directory
> 
> [ ]7. Install the new kernel using
>    # dpkg -i kernel-image-2.4.18_mydomain.0001_i386.deb
> 
> [ ]8. Reboot
> 
> <---Notes--->
> 
> NOTES: make-kpkg kernel_image actually does make oldconfig and make dep. Do
> not use --initrd if initrd is not used. The current Debian initrd boot
> script requires a cramfs kernel patch, if you obtain kernel source from
> non-Debian archives; see http://bugs.debian.org/149236. As I understand it,
> initrd is used in situations where many computers use a highly modularized
> kernel, or where an individual has his file system loaded as a module. This
> requires the use of a virtual RAM disk in order to run smoothly, and that is
> what initrd enables (Experts are requested to make this explanation more
> lucid.)
> 
> On an SMP machine, set CONCURRENCY_LEVEL according to kernel-pkg.conf(5).
> 
> Next mini: how to recover when nothing said here works.
> 
> 
> <!--\*#------------------------------#*\--!>
> 
> 
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> 

-- 
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        Osamu Aoki @ Cupertino CA USA, GPG-key: A8061F32
 .''`.  Debian Reference: post-installation user's guide for non-developers
 : :' : http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/reference/ also http://qref.sf.net
 `. `'  "Our Priorities are Our Users and Free Software" --- Social Contract



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