Kernel recompile questions

[jeremy1701]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to under go my second kernel recompile. Last time, things didn't do so well.

Here's the back ground: I want to enable ACPI in my kernel. I know I have to recompile it to do that. I want to use the tk gui to select my kernel modules. My question is do I have to go through every single option to enable these three (ACPI) things? Last time I did this, I didn't go thorugh every option, I just added the ACPI but it set a bunch a defaults that seemed completely irrelevent to my computer. I guess what I'd like to do is keep the current module configuration and just add the ACPI stuff. How do I do that?

Thanks,
Jeremy

[ooop]

If you haven't compiled your kernel manually before, but instead used a binary package, then you probably haven't got a .configure file that reflects how your kernel looks.

In short, you will probably have to go through all the options once, but after that you can just make sure not to erase the .configure file, and then make subsequent changes without having to fix all options again.

What I would recommend is making sure you can boot from both kernels, so if you trash your new one, you have the old one to fall back on....
it's easily enough set up through GRUB or LILO...

good luck

/ooop

[jeremy1701]

Thanks, ooop. Is there any way to know for sure which modules my current kernel uses or has installed? Does lsmod show all the modules, or just the 'loaded' ones, are there modules that I need that might not be loaded? Can I use the output of lsmod as a guide to my new configuration?

No, I have never manually re-compiled my current kernel. The only other time I re-compiled it was a test to see if I could.

Thanks again!
Jeremy

[sarumont]

lsmod only shows the currently loaded modules, but all the compiled modules can be found under /lib/module/current_kernel/. Usually, though, if you don't need it, it won't be loaded.

[jeremy1701]

Excellent, that's exactly what I was looking for!

I'll let you know how it goes when I finally get around to it.

[crossing fingers]

Jeremy