Arch Linux

Crooksey

Member

From: UK ~

Registered: 2006-08-14

Posts: 415

Website

Best way to go about using a custom kernel

I would like to give all of my machines ruuning arch a custom kernel, mainly for speed and also for somehting todo, I have read the wiki and sevral forum post and have a few questions left.

1) Whats the best way to get the latest source (peferably through pacman), copy it into a directory so that the 'uname -r' command gives a custom result. E.g. I want to use  the kernel 2.6.20-crooksey.
2) If i get the source through pacman, when there is an update will my source be updated or not?

This will be my first time compiling a new kernel from within my Linux enviroment, as an ex gentoo user I used to do it at the beggining.

Sorry if my questions arent that clear, but I dont have much knowledge on the subject.

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Arch Linux since 2006
Python Web Developer + Sys Admin (Gentoo/BSD)

shilder

Member

From: Russia

Registered: 2007-02-13

Posts: 13

Re: Best way to go about using a custom kernel

1. download sources from kernel.org afaik, pacman download only binary packages, makepkg download sources. custom kernel name now can be set through configuration scripts (the old way is editing Makefile).
2. again - pacman download binary packages

i'm recommend you kernel compile howto's - this saves you a lot of time
at least here:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Cat … English%29

PS: some notes from OpenBSD FAQ:

Some reasons why NOT to build from source:
    * You will NOT get better system performance by compiling your own system.
    * Changing compiler options is more likely to break your system than to improve it.

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it is somewhat difficult for me to express my thoughts in english language... so sorry me for my english

SiD

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2006-09-21

Posts: 729

Re: Best way to go about using a custom kernel

with pacman you can only download the pre-build kernel packages from the repos.

I compile my costum kernel (I use the kernel26 package) using the PKGBUILD from the abs tree and just changing the config.

sync the abs tree as root

#abs

copy all files from the abs tree kernel directory to the directory for my local packages (mainly for pkgs from AUR)

$mkdir /var/abs/local/kernel26
$cd /var/abs/local/kernel26
$cp /var/abs/kernels/kernel26/* .

now search for yes "" | make config in the PKGBUILD and replace it with make menuconfig.
If you now run makepkg, the kernel package will be build and you can configure the kernel via make menuconfig.

$cd /var/abs/local/kernel26
$makepkg
#pacman -U <package>

The package could be installed with pacman -U <package>. 
Maybe you have to rebuild some packages which provide kernel modules, e.g. ati-fglrx

Note:
This does not work if you want a costum kernel parallel to the kernel from Arch Repo cause for Pacman it's the same package.

I added  the package kernel26 to the IgnorePgk list in pacman.conf to prevent pacman from updating the kernel, so that I can build a custom version of the kernel-package if it's updated and install it then manually.

anybody ...feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...

p.s.
for me it seems to be an easy way to get a custom kernel
(the only thing you need to change is the kernel-config)

Last edited by SiD (2007-03-17 17:57:15)

tomk

Forum Fellow

From: Ireland

Registered: 2004-07-21

Posts: 9,839

Re: Best way to go about using a custom kernel

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Cus … n_with_ABS