How to properly compile a kernel?

[thomas fisher]

On Thursday 17 January 2008 07:04:33 Oliver Grawert wrote:
> hi,
>
> On Do, 2008-01-17 at 14:26 +0100, Wolf Canis wrote:
> > Oliver Grawert wrote:
> > > hi,
> > >
> > > On Mo, 2008-01-14 at 18:18 +0100, Josef Wolf wrote:
> > > > Hello,
> > > >
> > > > I am trying to compile the kernel on my Gutsy box by myself.
> > >
> > > did you have a look at the documentation from the kernel team how to do
> > > it with an ubuntu kernel ?
> > >
> > > https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Kernel/Compile
> >
> > And there other sites too, but non of these are really working,
> > because
> > Cononical don't want that. You have to use they stock kernel.
> > All these documentations are incomplete.
>
> what makes you think that ? the linux-source package contains the
> complete kernel source. did you talk to the kernel team about it or
> filed bugs for the doc-team if you think the documentation is worng ?
>
> what interest should canonical have to prevent peoples hardware from
> working ? why do you think does the ubuntu distro team waste space for
> the linux-headers, build environment etc on the CD that could be filled
> with shiny desktop apps ?
>
> if there is the need to build your own stuff (i couldnt imagine why
> there would be one to build the kernel itself though, since 99% of the
> stuff you might need is modular and there are way better ways to get
> working modules than to compile the linux package) you are surely able
> to do it ...
>
> > They have split the kernel in several packages:
> > kernel-image, kernel-modules
>
> these two are debian packages and have nothing to do with ubuntu (note
> that ubuntu uses linux- as prefix for all kernel packages it uses).
>
> linux-image will contain the same kernel and modules you get from
> kernel.org.
> linux-ubuntu-modules contains modules that are not likely to go to the
> kernel.org source ever but are requested by users to make specific
> hardware or software work.
> there is no linux-modules package (and there never was).
> the separating of the restricted-modules has licensing reasons that i
> would expect to be obvious.
>
> with all your complaints about the build system, did you think about
> participating and improving it ? the kernel team would be happy about
> every helping hand to make it easier for users, i'm sure ...
>
> ciao
> 	oli
  Thanks Oliver
 From the user's perception, the " kernel " subject is rather cloudy. The 
elucidation that you just presented needs to be inserted into the formal 
Ubuntu documentation. One of the problems in Linux is the profusion 
of       " Howto s " spanning numerous kernel versions and specific needs.
When you include the more spurious conversations on this topic of " kernel" 
that are subject to being found by google the uncertainty factor rises.
For example I just googled " compiling linux kernel " 
 response was 167,000 entries.
-------------> and for " compiling ubuntu linux kernel "
 response was 116,000 entries.
  Granted for the maintainers of Ubuntu the subject is a night mare, but from 
the numbers there appears to be a large linux community that needs the 
ability to produce a custom kernel.
Tom