Useful system level notes.

Run ls -l output on /var/log/packages

# ls -l /var/log/packages

• run shell script (getlinux)
• select version, download source
• extract at /usr/src/ (e.g. linux-4.4.199)
• copy a config from /boot

  # cp /boot/config-generic? > .config

• use that config

  # make oldconfig

• configure build

  # make menuconfig

• build the kernel

  # make -j4 bzImage

• build/install modules

  # make -j4 modules && make modules_install

  • modules_install requires root, obviously!
• copy (as root) kernel

  cp arch/x86/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-generic-4.14.12
  cp System.map /boot/System.map-generic-4.14.12
  cp .config /boot/config-generic-4.14.12

• generate initrd if using generic

  mkinitrd -c -k 4.14.12 -f ext4 -r /dev/sda3 -m ext4 -u -o /boot/initrd.gz

  • a useful initrd generator script IS available
  • run /usr/share/mkinitrd/mkinitrd_command_generator.sh
  • then run the generated/recommended command
  • checkout the -P option if required