Build and Run Your Own Kernel!

Dave Plummer shows you how to git clone the Linux kernel, build it, and run it live!

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# 1. Clone the Linux kernel repository
cd linux

# 2. (Optional) Check out a specific version
git checkout v6.6

# 3. Install dependencies
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential libncurses-dev bison flex libssl-dev libelf-dev

# 4. Generate the default config
make defconfig

# 5. Build the kernel
make -j$(nproc)

[oldhongkong]

Back in the early days of Linux, I, as a hobbyist, had routinely compiled kernels for whatever small features that I need. Since then, Linux has improved to alleviate much the need to compile kernel but I've moved on, 30x years have passed!

[EximiusDux]

Dave came out of the gym and thought: I want to flex the build times i reach when using all of my cores! /j

[txkflier]

I used to build custom Linux kernels that only had what was needed for the hardware I was running back in the mid-1990’s. I maintained a mail/web server for the local school district. It was a Compaq mini-tower that had an 8 port serial card with 8 modems that the staff could dial into and do text-based Internet searches. This was before GUI web browsers. It seems like the Dark Ages now.

[TheCurtisnixon]

just so ya all know, (because I see some of you wondering why this is so quick) Dave built the mainline kernel with the default config. If he wanted to build a fully custom kernel, (like ya'll remember) before he compiled, he could have done a make menuconfig, and then gone through all the options to tailor to his hardware. However, that means knowing exactly what hardware he was. IE, network chip, audio chip, southbridge, etc et al. (yes, i know you youngin's don't call it southbridge anymore. :P) And that can take several hours if you've never done it before.

[TheSilent]

It has been so many years since I have compiled the Linux kernel, but I remember it taking a couple to several hours (depending on the hardware, of course).

It was always fun to take 3-4 hours building a kernel, only to reboot to a "kernel panic" screen hahahaha

[ScottMillirem]

I had the could not mount file system kernel panic error earlier this week on a VPS. I’ve gotten so used to it just working that it took me a good 20 to 30 minutes to figure out that I had to think about this problem, lol. It wasn’t that hard, but it brought me back to when I started using Linux in the early 00’s. Thank you as always for an informative video.

[Mega_Casual]

I'm impressed how Dave keeps himself technically up to date and significant after retiring from Microsoft years ago. Thanks for all the great content, Dave.

[longlost]

thanx Dave, Gr8 video nerd as usual, information over the top for the average layman.... you remind me why I'm still in high tech after 47 years now (I'm

[witchtheer]

one of the things that shocked me after compiling my the linux kernel with march=native and mtune=native is the boost i got in games, in cyberpunk 2077 with stock kernel i had around 50-60 fps and with my compiled kernel i did 76-90 . and one thing too that with stock kernel my laptop was a little bit more hotter than with custom compiled one. Ever since them i just tend to compile software i use often, emulators, proton-ge and some cli apps. Also "Nala" is a good wrapper for apt, more clean outputs and a bit faster.

[JacGoudsmit]

Building my first Slackware Linux kernel circa 1992 took all night. Then again I had an 80386SX at 16 MHz with 8 MB of RAM. And my hard disks were MFM.

[dingolovethrob]

you lost me after "Hey, I'm 😂
Great vid.

[classicalplaylists]

Much enjoyed a rough produced video, especially when things go wrong and then the daveTryCatch block executes and finds the best path! The well produced videos are very excellent, but this one is more personable and I found it very enjoyable for a change!!!

[Tharendel]

Gonna have to try this for a fun little side project when I have time! Great video

[hquest]

This brings memories of the first Linux kernel I ever compiled: 1.2.13. Except I had to go to the menu to pick up new options for what I wanted to enable on that old monolithic kernel. Good days.

[TheUglyGnome]

Last time I compiled a Linux kernel I was still running a 16MHz 386SX with 5MB of RAM.

[radnaut]

Awesome channel, Dave. I’ve been watching for quite a while and it’s one of my favorites. Hope to see many more in the future!

[allanrichardson]

I never compiled a Linux kernel, but I did once assemble an upgraded supervisor for IBM DOS/360 from the SYSGEN macros, and put it into production. This was in conjunction with coding a QTAM message control program and several message processing programs, to build a remote access system for the company.

[MikaelPorttila]

That's one hell of a build machine

[eaglethebot]

NO WAY! Just yesterday I cloned Linux locally so I could look into doing some R4L contributions, but haven't started it up yet. This is awsome, thank you

[josh]

I'm so glad I haven't had to do this in a decade