| SUSE LINUX – Administration Guide Chapter 11. The Linux Kernel / 11.3. Kernel Configuration | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 11.2. Kernel Sources | 11.4. Kernel Modules |  | |
| SUSE LINUX – Administration Guide Chapter 11. The Linux Kernel / 11.3. Kernel Configuration | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.2. Kernel Sources | 11.4. Kernel Modules | | |
The configuration of the current kernel is stored in the file /proc/config.gz. To modify this configuration, go to the directory /usr/src/linux as root and execute the following commands:
zcat /proc/config.gz > .config make oldconfig
The command make oldconfig uses the file /usr/src/linux/.config as a template for the current kernel configuration. Any new options for your current kernel sources will be queried. If the file .config does not exist, the default configuration included in the kernel sources will be used.
To configure the kernel, change to /usr/src/linux and enter the command make config. Choose the features you want supported by the kernel. Usually, There are two or three options: y, n, or m. m means that this device will not be compiled directly into the kernel, but loaded as a module. Drivers needed for booting the system must be integrated into the kernel with y. Press Enter to confirm the default settings read from the file .config. Press any other key to view a brief help text about the respective option.
“menuconfig” is a more comfortable way to configure the kernel. If necessary, install ncurses-devel with YaST. Start the kernel configuration with the command make menuconfig.
For minor changes in the configuration, you do not have to go through all the questions. Instead, use the menu to access certain sections directly. The default settings are loaded from the file .config. To load a different configuration, select and enter the file name.
If you installed and configured the X Window System (package xf86) and Tcl/Tk (tcl and tk), you can use the command make xconfig to access a graphical user interface for the configuration. If you are not logged in to the X Window System as root, enter the command xhost + to give root access to the display. The default settings will be loaded from the file .config. As the configuration with make xconfig is not as well maintained as the other configuration possibilities, run the command make oldconfig after using this configuration method.
