List all the modules available for your kernel. The available modules are determined by how your
Linux kernel was compliled. Every possible module/feature can be compiled on linux as either
"hard wired" (fast, non-removable), "module" (maybe slower, but loaded/removable on demand),
or "no" (no support for this feature at all).
insmod parport
insmod ppa
(as root) Insert modules into the kernel (a module is roughly an equivalent of a DOS device
driver). This example shows how to insert the modules for support of the external parallel port
zip drive (it appears to be a problem to get the external zip drive to work in any other way under
RH6.0 ).
rmmod module_name
(as root, not essential). Remove the module module_name from the kernel.
setserial /dev/cua0 port 0x03f8 irq 4
(as root) Set a serial port to a non-standard setting. The example here shows the standard setting
for the first serial port (cua0 or ttyS0). The standard PC settings for the second serial port (cua1or
ttyS1) are: address of i/o port 0x02f8, irq 3. The third serial port (cua2 or ttyS2): 0x03e8, irq 4.
The forth serial port (cua3 or ttyS3): 0x02e8, irq 3. Add your setting to /
etc/rc.d/rc.local if you want it to be set at the boot time. See man setserial for good a
overview.
fdisk
(as root) Linux hard drive partitioning utility (DOS has a utility with the same name).
cd /usr/src/linux-2.0.36
make xconfig
(as root in X terminal). Nice GUI front-end for configuration of the kernel options in preparation
for compilation of your customized kernel. (The directory name contains the version of your
Linux kernel so you may need to modify the directory name if your Linux kernel version is
different than 2.0.36 used in this example. You also need the "Tk" interpreter and the kernel
source code installed. ) The alternatives to "make xconfig" are: "make config" (runs a scripts that
asks you questions in the text mode) and "make menuconfig" (runs a text-based menu-driven
configuration utility). Try: less /usr/doc/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO for more information.
After the configuration, you may choose to proceed with kernel compilation of the new kernel
by issuing the following commands:
make dep
make zImage
The last command will take some time to complete (maybe 0.5 h, depending on your hardware).
It produces the file "zImage", which is your new Linux kernel. Next:
make modules
make modules_install
Read: /usr/doc/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO for information on how to install the new kernel. You
will probably also find it useful to read "man depmode". Configuration, compilation and
installation of a new kernel is not difficult but it CAN lead to problems if you don't know what
you are doing.
Compilation of a kernel is a good way to test your hardware, because it involves a massive
amount of computing. If your hardware is "flaky", you will most likely receive the "signal 11"
error (read the beatiful /usr/doc/FAQ/txt/GCC-SIG11-FAQ).