kernel questions

[santner]

My procedure for compiling a kernel is:

make mrproper

make xconfig

make clean

make bzImage

make modules

make modules_install

 

So I was wondering, if I wanted to only update a module, add agpgart or something could I just update it with xconfig and then:

make modules

make modules_install

Or do I have to make the bzImage also?

 

Also, if I just want to patch the kernel, do I have to run:

make modules

make modules_install

Or is it enough just to make bzImage again?

 

[moved from Software by spinynorman]

[Hirogen2]

My procedure for compiling a kernel is:

make mrproper

make xconfig

make clean

make bzImage

make modules

make modules_install

You usually do not need all steps for a normal kernel build.

So I was wondering, if I wanted to only update a module, add agpgart or something could I just update it with xconfig and then:

make modules

make modules_install

Or do I have to make the bzImage also?

That really depends. If the module (read: choice you made in xconfig) has parts in other directories of the kernel which are compiled-in, you will get a 'unknown symbol reference' or similar when doing make modules_install. Only if one knows that a module just compiles a module and not "a module and something in the kernel image", s/he should do make modules, otherwise it's best to run bzImage as well.

 

If you kept the kernel tree by not running mrproper and clean, the compile process would be way faster because everything but your new choice is already compiled.

Also, if I just want to patch the kernel, do I have to run:

make modules

make modules_install

Or is it enough just to make bzImage again?

Patching the kernel is about the same as choosing something in menuconfig/xconfig. Only that patching usually requires a kernel remake even if you have not changed anything within xconfig. (Except if the patch changes docs, which arenot needed for compilation)