Love it, need "How to" for custom kernel

Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: Love it, need "How to" for custom kernel
started by: mshilly

Posted by mshilly on Jan. 03 2006,01:39

I have chosen DSL for a custom project that I would like to make a number of. In general, I am making Digital Picture Frames and want to run DSL with XV and Unclutter from a frugal install on a 32MB CF card. I chose 32MB because I can get the cards for $4.99 from my local K-Mart (yeah, it's not high tech but it is really cheap). So, I have started to strip down DSL to about 30MB. I started with remastering but after removing all non-essential apps I only got down to a 38MB KNOPPIX file (down from 47MB). I started looking at the Kernel object files to see what I could get rid of.

I don't need network, pcmcia, multiprocessor, parallel or serial support. So I decided to reconfigure the kernel to see what more I can save.

I would like to see a "how to" for kernel reconfiguration and tie it into the remastering process. I am even willing to start:

"How to remaster DSL with a custom kernel"

1) Install DSL to a HD with 1GB swap space. (The swap may or may not be necessary).

2) Install gun_utils.dsl, gcc1.dsl, linux-kernel-headers.dsl

3) As user DSL, Download and uncompress the kernel-2.4.31.tar.gz from the mirror to a user directory (ie. /home/dsl/kernel_source)

4) link the linux-2.4.31 directory to linux
(ln -s linux-2.4.31 linux)

5) download knoppix-kernel.patch to the root of the source tree. (/home/dsl/kernel_source/linux-2.4.31) Apply the patch using ? (haven't figured out how to patch the source with a patch script).

6) download dsl.config to the root of the source tree, and copy to .config.

7) run 'make config' to do your kernel configuration. Or edit .config and run 'make oldconfig'.

8) run 'make dep' to check all the dependencies.

9) run 'make bzImage' to compile the kernel.

From here it is not clear to me how to get the new kernel (what files and where) into the remastering source directory and what is needed for the bootloader to get the new kernel.

Please correct and fill in any missing stuff. I know it lacks some details but I can hammer those out as soon as I get through the entire process.

Thanks for the help.

Posted by cbagger01 on Jan. 03 2006,12:26

See my response to the other post for my replies.

Posted by cbagger01 on Jan. 03 2006,12:27

FYI, you can get a 512MB CF card from either Compusa or Office Max this week for $19.95 after rebates