Kernel Images

[gglinuxforums]

Hi All,

I just compiled and configured my base kernel image for kernel 2.6.27.7

I wish to make a backup of the kernel for future restores, which are the files that I need to keep a backup of, from memory I believe there are 2.

[Lakshmipathi]

If understand your problem correctly,you have upgraded system 2.6.27.7 and now want to have backup of it?

Then i believe backof

/boot/bZimage-KERNEL-VERSION 
and /boot/System.map--KERNEL-VERSION

file should be enough. Does that answer your question-or i misunderstood your problem?

[gglinuxforums]

If understand your problem correctly,you have upgraded system 2.6.27.7 and now want to have backup of it?

Then i believe backof

/boot/bZimage-KERNEL-VERSION 
and /boot/System.map--KERNEL-VERSION

file should be enough. Does that answer your question-or i misunderstood your problem?

I think so, I was under the impression that the two files were /boot/vmlinuz-KERVELVERSION and /boot/initrd-KERNELVERSION.img

Ive never heard of the system.map file though i have now ssh to one of the boxes and its definitely there.

[Lakshmipathi]

I believe these two will provide more info abt it
System.map - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Peter's Notes: System.map

[i92guboj]

The answer to your question really depends on what do you exactly mean.

If you really mean to save the images, you only need -strictly speaking- the image itself (vmlinuz, bzimage or whatever you name them) and the initrd file (if you ever use one, I don't).

If you just want to be able to recreate the same config or use it as reference for future compilations, you can just save the .config file, which can also be recovered from /proc/config.gz assuming that the feature is enabled at compile time.

System map is just a symbol table, which will do you no good unless you are into kernel debugging. Some loggers and other programs might use it to produce more human readable logs though, by substituting offsets with symbol names.

[gglinuxforums]

The answer to your question really depends on what do you exactly mean.

If you really mean to save the images, you only need -strictly speaking- the image itself (vmlinuz, bzimage or whatever you name them) and the initrd file (if you ever use one, I don't).

If you just want to be able to recreate the same config or use it as reference for future compilations, you can just save the .config file, which can also be recovered from /proc/config.gz assuming that the feature is enabled at compile time.

System map is just a symbol table, which will do you no good unless you are into kernel debugging. Some loggers and other programs might use it to produce more human readable logs though, by substituting offsets with symbol names.

Ah ok, great thanks.