How do I update the kernel?

[Agent-X]

Specs:

1. Using Debian Etch
2. Want former to most recent Linux kernel

I've spent about three hours messing with the kernel. I tried compiling it all into a .deb by loading a configuration file and the such

It seems I was able to get the kernel to show up at GRUB. However, it was "waiting for the root filesystem" to load. It never got past that part.

I'm not sure if that means there was a problem with the kernel or what. What I do know is that tons of tutorials and manuals online are way out of date. I mean, I don't want to read stuff from 2003 or 2005.

I'm looking for something that actually talks about building a kernel on a debian system.

I've come across some 2006 articles that tells people to ignore some of the compilation methods by previous tutorials. Something seems seriously wrong with the tutorials out there.

Furthermore, it seems like all tutorials I've seen so far lack to discuss what the makeconfig feature is. If they do, it's no more than two sentences, which is very pathetic.

Could someone give me more details as how to update the Debian Etch kernel?

Otherwise, is there a way I can use apt-get to simply download and install a kernel?
My source list is f'd up, so I don't know what sources to use.

[theCode]

Hi use this link Build your own kernel for Debian GNU/Linux
follow these steps.
Explaining all makeconfig options (more then 2000) is beyound any book and this is not nessesary becuse kernel alwyas change and to understand all this options you heed to have extend knowledge in operating system internels,system programming,how diffrent hardware works,and study the linux code.Yes you cant make more from the kernel if you know all this.
Just to know you can customize and tweak the kernel to extream
giving specifig options to gcc,but this also need more linux knowledge.
more for make (man make)
more for gcc (man gcc)
One advice:always read first the linux man pages.On fresh install linux you have more then 10000 pages of information and they grow faster any time you install new thinks/
And no you cant use apt-get to install the kernel.

The problem with root filesystem
when you compile the kernel in .deb make-kpkg kernel_image build and the dpkg -i kernel.deb the system setup rootfs automatic for you.

If you have more questions write here,and if this method is difficult to you a will explain to you step by step.

Have fun with Linux

[coopstah13]

Well you can't use apt-get to install the kernel you are compiling, but you can install a new kernel image through apt-get if you are using the testing or unstable distributions, and possibly even stable, i'm not sure i haven't used stable in a long time. I know for a fact though that you can get precompiled kernels through apt-get.

[stoked]

Of course you can get precompiled kernels but why would someone want to do that? If you have wget installed on your system you can type in a terminal sudo wget http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kern...linux-2.6.xx.x whatever kernel version you want on your system in the /usr/src directory.

[jonycat]

Here is another "How To" that may help:

How To Compile A Kernel - Debian Etch | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

The latest kernel is 2.6.23.9

jonycat

[stoked]

jonycat there is two pages for compiling a kernel i think page one would be easier because i have used that to install and compile that exact kernel and it works great. fakeroot make-kpkg --revision=custom.1.0 kernel_image kernel_headers works awesome too instead of make, then make modules, then make modules_install...

[jonycat]

jonycat there is two pages for compiling a kernel i think page one would be easier because i have used that to install and compile that exact kernel and it works great. fakeroot make-kpkg --revision=custom.1.0 kernel_image kernel_headers works awesome too instead of make, then make modules, then make modules_install...

Oh yea I forgot there were two methods(debian & generic?") in that "how to" Thanks for pointing that out stoked.

jonycat