Kernel-2.4.x-Beginners-HOWTO: Starting The Configuration

3. Starting The Configuration

Once you have all the things needed to compile a new kernel, you need to extract the source tree, configure, and finally, compile the kernel source into something that the computer can use. First, take the kernel source "tarball" and move it to /usr/src. Second, extract the tarball into this directory by executing:

tar -zxvf linux-2.4.x.tar.gz (Replace "x" with the current revision of the kernel source."
mv linux linux-2.4.x
cd linux-2.4.x

When this is complete and you are returned to a prompt you are ready to begin the configuration of the kernel.

3.1 What Does Configuring Do?

Configuring tells the kernel source what part and capabilities you want to be built into your kernel. You are telling it what to include, or support, and what to exclude and not support. Keep in mind that anything that the kernel cannot support will not even be seen by anything else in the system. So if you make a new kernel and exclude something that you may need later, you will have to recompile a new kernel with support for what you need.

Because this HOWTO is focused more towards beginners, there are some parts of the source tree that I will not cover in the configuration. Many of these features are for much more advanced users and if you plan on using them you should either consult someone with more experience in these areas or read the appropriate HOWTO specific to that subsystem or product.

3.2 Configuration Modes

There are three different ways to configure your kernel before you compile. One of them I find to be too old and archaic, the other seems a bit excessive, and the last I find just right. Whatever way you prefer, the configuration will be quite similar.

The first, and oldest, way of configuring is "make config." This takes you through an unbelieveably long list of yes/no/module questions to determine what to support and what not to. Probably the most anoying issue with this method is if you make a mistake, there is no way to return to where you were, you just have to start over. This is long and tedious, and I do not reccomend it to anyone. As an alternative, there is "make oldconfig" which will only ask you questions about new features that have been added in this new release.

The next method is "make xconfig." As you may have guessed, you must be running the XWindow system to use this method, but this provides a nice point and click method of configuring the kernel. However, call me "old-school," but I prefer to do most administrative and matenence tasks in text-mode.

Finally, the last method of configuring the new kernel is "make menuconfig." This produces a psuedo-graphical mode in text and provides a more use friendly interface than the "make config." This is my personal favorite and what I am going to refer to in the rest of the HOWTO.

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