custom kernel

ssl6 · 2009-01-27 02:23:54

well, this is one that i've tried to understand on several occasions, and each time given up. i've been through the wiki pages, etc, and im still not understanding

so what im trying to do now....

i've downloaded the arch kernel pkg build with yaourt to a folder. i was hoping to just modify the pkgbuild to add the zen patches for example and edit the config to slim a few things down, but i don't think im understanding half of what im trying to do

i figured id start by doing a test compile since i was looking at the pkgbuild and didn't see the menu config in there, like the zen pkgbuild i tried a while ago ran teh menu config so i could customized, and well i found out this one dosn't

i need help, i think if i could just understand this once, i might figure out the rest

ssl6 · 2009-01-27 03:05:46

well, i figured out that i can go in the src directory and run make menu config, which got me that.

methuselah · 2009-01-27 08:03:36

I just made this AUR package for building a parallel kernel. Check it out if you want to: http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=23467

Aprz · 2009-01-27 12:11:33

Okay, so I am guessing first you're just trying to do it without the help of the PKGBUILD I guess by just doing it the more tradiation method.

Yes, you run "make menuconfig" where the source code is at (often in /usr/src/linux-<version>-<name> like /usr/src/linux-2.6.28-ARCH) so you're off at a good start. make menuconfig uses ".config" (/usr/src/linux-2.6.28-ARCH/.config using the earlier example) which is the basically a check list for the hardware your computer has or the features that they support.

Before you run make menuconfig though, since you want to apply the zen patch to it, you're going to need to run the patch command (patch -Np1 -i <zen-patch-path>) inside of the source code just like where you run make menuconfig. This will apply the patch. You want to do this before make menuconfig or else the options the patch gives to you will not be available when you run make menuconfig. I am not sure if the patch is .patch.gz or .patch (some patches I download are usually .patch.gz). If it is .patch.gz, you'll need to do "zcat <name-of-patch>.patch.gz > <name-of-patch>.patch) and the execute patch -Np1 -i <path-of-patch> in the source code.

Anyhow, after you have patched the kernel so that the options are available for you in make menuconfig, you use make menuconfig to select the features your hardware support or the drivers you need for you hardware to function, then you can run "make && make modules && make modules_install". Often, after the make command, people put the option -j(number of cores they have + 1). Supposedly it makes the kernel more optimal for your computer, but not sure how to true it is and I think I've seen it debated left and right, but pretty much, it would be like (make -j2 && make -j2 modules && make -j2 modules_install).

After you have compiled the kernel, you'll need to put it in your boot partition (well, you don't have to I think, I think technically you can just have your bootloader point to it, but it would be unsual and sloppy to have it outside of /boot and defeat the purpose of FHS and also you lose some benefits). The kernel you just compiled would be in /usr/src/linux-<version>-<name>/arch/x86/boot/bzImage). Just do the command where it is relative in position (it's likely you will already be in the kernel source code) and just execute cp -v arch/x86/boot/bzImage /boot/name-of-kernel - typically vmlinuz-<version>-<name>, but it doesn't haev to be that).

If you need an initrd, which if you have modules in your kernel and everything is not selected in the kernel then you'll need this, you'll have to do something like mkinitcpio -k <version>-<name> -g /boot/kernel-<version>-<name>.img.

I am sure you know most of this already since you've read a lot about it, it's really not that hard, and probably just feel unsure in yourself. If you have any more questions though, feel free to ask I guess.

ssl6 · 2009-01-27 22:59:55

actually, i would have preffered via pkgbuild, since i can figure out makepkg -i......not so much the package build though

but i would prefer a package since, since that way when a new kernel version comes along, i just need to tweak the version string, and maybe download updated patches and just run makepkg again

methuselah · 2009-01-28 00:25:40

ssl6 wrote:

actually, i would have preffered via pkgbuild, since i can figure out makepkg -i......not so much the package build though
but i would prefer a package since, since that way when a new kernel version comes along, i just need to tweak the version string, and maybe download updated patches and just run makepkg again

Did you look at the link I gave you? It is exactly that, and I will be maintaining the versions, update, new -ARCH patches and everything else. (I've been doing it for myself for 5 months.... so I figured why not upload a .tar.gz after I build my own custom kernel after every upgrade..... it's easier then trying to explain it in the forums.)

You can edit my PKGBUILD and other files to cahnge the kernel26"name", and use a different patch..... I use to build my kernel with the -zen patch in this exact way..... now I like to use the -mm1 rc2 patch to check it out, and the default -ARCH patch with a new name..... and I plan on learning how to add certain patches to the -ARCH patch..... but that's not for a while.

Last edited by methuselah (2009-01-28 00:29:52)

ssl6 · 2009-01-28 00:51:59

cool, like i said above, i downloaded the arch kernel pkgbuild with yaourt, but couldn't figure out where to put in the patches and menuconfig. so i'll have a look at your pkgbuild shortly, maybe that will help me figure it out

whats the mm1 patchset? i know what the zen patches are, well sort of, more like i know of them, and that they're supposed to be good. i tried compiling the zen kernel once before, had issues with cpu scaling though, but overall it did feel smoother. i wanted to use the aur package on this package on this system, but the git repo doesnt seem to work?

methuselah · 2009-01-28 01:36:30

ssl6 wrote:

cool, like i said above, i downloaded the arch kernel pkgbuild with yaourt, but couldn't figure out where to put in the patches and menuconfig. so i'll have a look at your pkgbuild shortly, maybe that will help me figure it out
whats the mm1 patchset? i know what the zen patches are, well sort of, more like i know of them, and that they're supposed to be good. i tried compiling the zen kernel once before, had issues with cpu scaling though, but overall it did feel smoother. i wanted to use the aur package on this package on this system, but the git repo doesnt seem to work?

Info on the -mm1 patch: http://www.kernel.org/

Also, be sure to look at the .preset and .install files, as well as settings the Local Version = ("-ARCH") in your config files..... I changed the ones in my AUR package to = ("-ARCHparallel").

Last edited by methuselah (2009-01-28 01:36:57)

ssl6 · 2009-01-28 05:25:08

well, i didn't get as far as patches or anything, but i managed to crash my system.....again. im trying to follow the wiki article for kernel panics, reinstalling the kernel. having a problem with that too, something about c0 respawning too fast and locking me out for 5 minutes, all i did was try to type the path to my pacman cache....

anyway, i think im giving up on this one again

Arch Linux

#1 2009-01-27 02:23:54

custom kernel

#2 2009-01-27 03:05:46

Re: custom kernel

#3 2009-01-27 08:03:36

Re: custom kernel

#4 2009-01-27 12:11:33

Re: custom kernel

#5 2009-01-27 22:59:55

Re: custom kernel

#6 2009-01-28 00:25:40

Re: custom kernel

#7 2009-01-28 00:51:59

Re: custom kernel

#8 2009-01-28 01:36:30

Re: custom kernel

#9 2009-01-28 05:25:08

Re: custom kernel

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