Need Help in configuring and building kernel 2.6.16.18

[xirtna]

hi,
I am reading this book Linux Device Drivers 3rd edition(alessandro rubini) ,in the second chapter about 'Building and Running Modules' , the book says that
-------------------------
% make
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.10'
CC [M] /home/ldd3/src/misc-modules/hello.o
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST
CC /home/ldd3/src/misc-modules/hello.mod.o
LD [M] /home/ldd3/src/misc-modules/hello.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.10'
% su
root# insmod ./hello.ko
Hello, world
root# rmmod hello
Goodbye cruel world
root#

Please note once again that , for the above sequence of commands to work,you must
have a properly configured and built kernel tree in a place where the makefile is able to
find it(/usr/src/linux-2.6.10 in the example shown).
----------------------------
what does it means to have a configured and built kernel? , does it mean that i need
to compile the kernel?
I have the source of kernel 2.6.16.18 in the /root directory,
how do i configure and build it?
Please help I am totally new to device drivers!

[MikeTbob]

what does it means to have a configured and built kernel? , does it mean that i need to compile the kernel?

If you booted into Linux you have a configured and built kernel, it may not have optimal settings but it should do.

I have the source of kernel 2.6.16.18 in the /root directory,
how do i configure and build it?

Did you download an rpm file or the actual kernel source code from kernel.org?
install rpm files as root.
rpm -Uhv filename.rpm
If its actual sourcecode, then yes you'll need to compile that.

[xirtna]

I have placed the kernel sources in /usr/src/linux-2.6.16.18 directory.
I tried to compile the kernel using these commands :

# make xconfig
# make bzImage
# make modules
# make modules_install
# cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.16.18
# mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6.16.18.img 2.6.16.18
# make install

But when i boot into the OS with the new kernel, it gives an error at the boot time "Kernel Panic, attempted to kill init.........." ,and the OS doesn't boot! please tell me where i am wrong!

thanks.

[xirtna]

sorry for the double posts!!!

[MikeTbob]

I think the problem here could be that, Fedora doesn't use

make bzimage

cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.16.18

mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6.16.18.img 2.6.16.18

When you type

make install

it does it for you.
Try again and omit these steps.
EDIT: also Fedora uses the /usr/src/kernels/version-number directory and NOT /usr/src/linux