[PLUG] Linux clinic Sun - kernel hacking?

[Mike Connors]

Carlos Konstanski wrote:
> Sure does. The first step is to get the kernel source. Most binary
> distros don't give you this by default. Many distros have their own
> kernel patchsets which alter the kernel from its original form. I
> suggest going to http://www.kernel.org/ and downloading a vanilla
> kernel, at least as an initial exercise. Then run "make menuconfig"
> and browse through the entire tree of configuration options.
> Familiarity with this layout is a must if you want to build your own
> kernel.
>
> As root, run "lspci -v". The output of this command is crucial to
> configuring the right settings for hard drive, video, ethernet, sound,
> i2c sensors, etc.
>
> Simplify the task by avoiding the need for an initrd image. To do
> this, the kernel must have the ability to read the root filesystem
> without loading any modules. This means you want to build hard drive
> support into the kernel, as opposed to building it as a module. (In
> menuconfig, hit "y" instead of "m".) If your root filesystem is on a
> SCSI disk, this must also be built into the kernel. If using software
> RAID, build it into the kernel as well. Same goes for LVM.
>
> Audio, ethernet and video drivers do best as modules. There are
> systems in place to find and load these modules; let them do their
> thing.
Thanks Carlos. How to's are fine, but I was really hoping someone whose 
done this could provide some additional insight.