On Thu, 2003-04-10 at 11:44, Max Z. wrote: > If I use RH provided source for the kernel to recompile it, will I be able to > use RH Network binary kernel updates? Yes (as long as you go by the book) because those are not interdependent. > Will I have to get the source for the > kernel from RH Network and recompile it? If you wish, but it's not required. > Also, is it possible to patch the > kernel provided with RH with patches from kernel.org? Maybe, maybe not. The RH kernels are heavily patched versions of the "vanilla" kernel.org kernels, so patches may or may not apply correctly. Generally, here's what i do: I install and use the binary kernels provided by RH. That's what i do in all cases except when having _very_ special requirements. I also install the kernel-source package, but i don't compile anything out of it; just keep it around in case some application that i build needs the kernel source. For that case, you need to edit the Makefile in the kernel source tree, and edit the EXTRAVERSION variable - remove the "custom" string and either replace it with "smp" (on a SMP system) or replace it with nothing (on a uniprocessor system). Then do a "make menuconfig" and exit with saving the configuration (but don't change anything). Then do a "make dep". These maneouvres will ensure that the kernel source has the dependencies satisfied, in case another application requires that when you compile it. It doesn't happen too often, just for Lirc modules, DXR3 and other weird stuff. If i need some features that are not included in the RH kernel and are not very invasive either (such as enabling APIC), then i get the RH kernel...src.rpm package and rebuild it accordingly. If i need some features that require massive changes to the kernel (such as the Con Kolivas patches) then i don't use the RH kernel source, but start with a clean slate - the "vanilla" kernel.org source. Sometimes you can get around with that and still use the RH kernel, such as when using the XFS filesystem, but in that case someone has already made all the tweaks to make XFS work with the RH kernel. -- Florin Andrei "CSS is a sort of electronic-thought policeman that comes home with you and works for the media owner. It controls what you can do in your living room with a DVD that you've paid for. It prevents many legitimate uses in the name of stopping one illegitimate use." - Bruce Perens
