Question: How do I compile the Linux kernel?

By which I mean, what compiler flags, options and configs should I look out for, such that my kernel will actually succesfully run? I am talking about QEMU without KVM as the platform.

Posted in: s/Linux

🔭 DocEdelgas

2023-07-11 · 10 months ago

6 Comments ↓

🍄 Ruby_Witch · 2023-07-11 at 06:06:

Hi! If you're thinking about compiling a custom Linux kernel, the two most popular options are Gentoo and LFS (Linux From Scratch). There are walkthroughs available on https for both of these options.

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Kernel/Gentoo_Kernel_Configuration_Guide

https://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

However, if you just want to play around with Linux I would recommend choosing a distro flavor that you like and not worrying about compiling a custom kernel, which is a very complex process! Your choice though.

🐉 gyaradong · 2023-07-11 at 08:50:

back when I used to do it, there was a TUI (actually even a GUI in GTK) which would configure everything including flags and so on.

😎 Smokey · 2023-07-11 at 13:53:

gentoo is the popular distro for that. Have fun im sure it will be a blast 💀

🚀 maha · 2023-08-20 at 17:21:

I'd recommend getting to know your hardware before doing this. Otherwise you simply wouldn't understand the options....i but feel free to experiment....i remember creating quite a few broken kernels before i managed to make one that worked. Also as @gyaradong mentions there used to be a nice curses TUI to set the options, look for it

💀 eriounious · May 18 at 08:11:

@gyaradong

@maha

You can still use the TUI with "make menuconfig" (colors) or "make xconfig" (no colors). The GUI is "make xconfig."

🐙 norayr · 16 hours ago:

I had the habit to keep and maintain .config files for all my hardware, where i would mostly include the hardware support and software stacks i need, and exclude everything else. recently, since gentoo has gentoo-kernel-bin i started to not do it, but sometimes think it is a good idea to get back to the old way. i have funny story about how i received a message via linux kernel source, but one other day about it.