Do you compile your own Linux kernels?
Submitted by admin on Mon, 2007-08-06 17:48
YES, I like 'em optimized for my hardware
44% (906 votes)
NO, I use vendor provided kernel packages
53% (1086 votes)
What is Linux kernel?
2% (38 votes)
I don't use Linux
2% (33 votes)
Total votes: 2063
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Well....
If memory and time isn't an issue then keeping the facotry settings isn't a problem.
However if you have a low-end system then configuring the kernel may help speed up boot time.
Besides.. The Geek in me got a buzz when i optimized my first kernel (FreeBSD-5.2.1)
no point
Compiling your own kernel does not really get you any noticeable benefit.
That's just ignorant
How could having a bleeding edge kernel with the crap you don't need stripped out, with fixes, etc not be worth it? Obviously, you don't know what you're talking about.
I compiled custom kernels from when I first started using Linux up to now, and it even sped Ubuntu up. So far, I have found that the Zen Kernel from http://zen-sources.org is the fastest. They have so many extra features that aren't included in mainline that it's insane how big of a performance increase it gives me.
Just for example, my kernel image is only 500k and I boot in 11 seconds. How's that for no benefit, smart guy?
Not worth the trouble
I know how to do compile custom kernel, I have done it and it's not worth the trouble.
Better to run a precompiled, prepacked AMD64 kernel than to compile a 32 bit custom kernel.
are you sure you use linux?
compiling a kernel is easy and doesn't take that long. Hell, it's one of the first things I'd have to do when installing gentoo. Using menuconfig or genkernel is easy, and you can compile your own 64-bit kernel no problems. (I have no idea where you'd get the idea that you can't compile your own 64bit stuff -- linux is open source and ported to practically everything).
In addition to optimizing the kernel to your hardware, compiling your own kernel lets you do things that might not be in the precompiled one you recieved; for example, most distos don't ship with the ability to write to NTFS partitions. If you needed that, you'd have to compile your own kernel. There are tons of cool things that you can compile in that often aren't part of the kernel, so if you're not compiling it yourself, you may be missing out on some nice options.
But, why not compile custom
But, why not compile custom 64bit kernel? Otherwise you're comparing apples and oranges.
Compilation of Linux Kernel
How to compile linux kernel?
Some resources
Introductory article: Recompile Your Kernel for a Perfect Fit
And many tutorials for specific distributions can be found on HowtoForge.com:
How To Compile A Kernel - The Ubuntu Way
How To Compile A Kernel - Debian Etch
How To Compile A Kernel - The Debian (Sarge) Way
How To Compile A Kernel - The Mandriva Way
How To Compile A Kernel - The CentOS Way
How To Compile A Kernel - The SuSE Way
How To Compile A Kernel - The Fedora Way
Even simpler
How to compile a 2.6 kernel the "normal" way:
1. Untar the new kernel sources ("tar xjf " for tar.bz2)
2. (optional) apply patches (cd to your new "linux-", then e.g. "bzcat | patch -p1")
3. make menuconfig (some other options possible)
4. make (will do the bzImage and modules)
5. make modules_install
6. Either "make install" or copy the new kernel manually and modify your /etc/lilo.conf or GRUB settings
awesome... now i'm an
awesome... now i'm an instant kernel hacker, woohoo!
Easy as pie
http://www.freewebs.com/gutsygibbon
go to the tips/fixes/howtwos section, I have a howtwo on compiling easier than the aforementioned for ubuntu users - :) I don't do the module thing altho I do use the modules (I think) from the gutsy main kernel. I really should trythe module thing sometime, also my tutorial does NOT do restricted modules either, it's pretty basic.
cross_compiling
for a desktop, compiling the kernel, is not that important.
But if you are working with a embedded linux, then there will be too many things to try out. so cross compiling the kernel is a must, in such a senario.
The only change will be u need a toolchain, specific to your architecture, for cross compiling.