Group: Linux-libre Kernel

Welcome in the Libre Kernel Group - Every One is Free to Join!

current_status Active

irc #libre-kernel

contact aurelien

note LK group for Libre Kernel activists

NEWS '2.6.36 libre kernel .deb avalaible from October the 22 2010'

              'You work on différent type of architecture and/or operating systeme please join'

website http://www.fscorsica.org (At the time you have build a libre kernel without modification on the base configuration you are welcome to link your website to share your works)

members aurelien parsifal

architecture 32 bits operating system Debian on fully free repositories

The Libre Kernel Group as been created to help people to construct and compile their own Libre Kernel from http://www.fsfla.org

1st goal establish a working compilation recipe (without change from the basic kernel configuration distributions)

2nd goal offer a Libre Kernel Optimization Solution - LKOS a guide to bring some optimizations on your own libre kernel

One of the simply way to compile your own Libre Kernel for your distribution is (This example as been made on a Full Libre Debian)

You can find the .deb of this libre kernel at :: http://www.fscorsica.org/kernel-en.html

You can find the .deb of an LKOS example at :: http://www.fscorsica.org/libre-kernel-optimization-solution.html

'How-To-compile-your-own-free-kernel-on-free-debian-based'

Libre-Kernel version :: 2.6.36

Last edit Tuesday the 22 october 2010.

Type: GNU documentation

License: GNU Free Documentation License

Made on Operating System : Debian with free software only

Distribution: GNU / linux

Important change on the receipe :: have a look at make olconfig part

This part is important and long (depending on the computers you have got)

If you are running on a fresh install or if you never made that type of operation before, you will need to install packages needed for kernel compilation. First, make sure your apt database is updated

All command must be made under root.

su

aptitude update

Install the needed packages

aptitude install fakeroot kernel-package libncurses5-dev libqt3-mt-dev bzip2 wget build-essential

In a web browser go to last free kernel release

http://www.linux-libre.fsfla.org/pub/linux-libre/releases/

Copy the link adress of the free kernel version you want.

In a terminal go to /usr/src and get the source :

wget http://www.linux-libre.fsfla.org/pub/linux-libre/releases/2.6.36-libre/linux-2.6.36-libre.tar.bz2

Uncompress the archive file

tar xvjf linux-2.6.36-libre.tar.bz2

Go to the newly created directory of the uncompressed source

cd linux-2.6.36

Enter

you have to edit a file in the kernel source before compiling

Edit on > linux-2.6.36/Documentation/lguest/Makefile

emacs Documentation/lguest/Makefile

all: lguest

to

all:

save and close (under emacs C-x C-s)

Now you can start the compilation of the last free kernel

normaly at this point you are already in /usr/src/linux2.6.36

make clean mrproper

OBSOLET FROM THE 2.6.35 :: You don't need anymore this part '

Now, you will need to have a base .config file that will control the build process. If you don't have a specific .config file, you can use the default
file in the /boot directory. Just copy that into the source directory.
cp /boot/config-* /usr/src  (if you have already compile another kernel before, import just the last one in /usr/src from /boot)

this part stay here the time of 2.7 will be available

Why we decide to not use this part :: Because if you don't use this part, the step after will create a clean one, optimized for the kernel itself. some old version of .config-* on your machine can done a wrong result at the end of compilation.

CONTINUE DIRECTLY HERE

Now, you can review and change config variables. First, update your config file to the new options of the kernel source

make oldconfig

and answer the configuration questions there. Enter yes for the module to be built into the kernel, m for it to be build modularly which will only load if needed and no to exclude the module.

Now you are able to revise your decisions in the next step.

Next, enter

make xconfig

(make menuconfig is an alternative .config editing tool)

This will open an application that classifies and explains the properties and available modules you can either 'build into' the kernel, make modularly available or disable. When you are done, save it and exit.

make-kpkg clean

Now you have to create a file ::

create the version.h file in the linux-2.6.36/include/linux containing ::

emacs include/linux/version.h

#define UTS_RELEASE "2.6.36-libre-planet"  <- (here change libre-planet by what you want)

C-x C-s save the file in /usr/src/linux-2.6.36/include/linux/version.h

Now, you can build your kernel, enter

fakeroot make-kpkg --initrd --append-to-version=-planet kernel_image kernel_headers kernel_source

You can change "planet" by the value you have choose when you have create the utsrelease.h file. Optionally, you can add kernel_source at the end, if you want to build a source pack. You can also put CONCURRENCY_LEVEL=N (where N should be replaced by the number of CPU cores your computer has) at the beginning of the command to make the building process take advantage of multiple core systems.

The last command will take some time to complete. At the end, you will have linux-image and linux-headers (and linux-source if you chose) installation files.

go to linux-image and linux-headers files to the directory you want. Then, either go to that directory in terminal with cd command and install the two .deb packages:

If the compilation goes wrong, just re-edit the file ::

Now you have to edit this file ::

edit the version.h file in the linux-2.6.36/include/linux containing ::

emacs include/linux/version.h

#define UTS_RELEASE "2.6.36-libre-planet"  <- (here change libre-planet by what you want)

C-x C-s save the file in /usr/src/linux-2.6.36/include/linux/version.h

and launch again ::

fakeroot make-kpkg --initrd --append-to-version=-planet kernel_image kernel_headers kernel_source

Now you've got your own libre-kernel files in /usr/src

dpkg -i linux-image-2.6.36-libre-planet.deb

dpkg -i linux-headers-2.6.36-libre-planet.deb

dpkg -i linux-source-2.6.36-libre-planet.deb

Or, just double-click on the two files and click on the Install Package button.

Restart and choose free-planet kernel from your GRUB.

Special Thanks to

The Free Technologie Academy :: http://www.ftacademy.org Linux advanced administration manual :: first version of the receipe

Ali Gundunz http://www.aligunduz.org/articles/buildkernel.html participation on the receipe 2.6.32 ali gundunz :: gndz.ali(at)gmail(dot)com

For the modification part on the /linux-2.6.32.5/lguest/Makefile Damian Fossi damianfossi(at)gmail(dot)com

This document is under GNU Free Documentation License Last modification bring Tuesday the 12 October 2010.