How to compile the Linux kernel

“Do you want to remove bloat from your Linux installation? Are
you looking to enable extra features that aren’t provided by your
distro? Fancy trying some of the cutting-edge patches doing the
rounds? You’ll need to recompile your kernel, and while it might
look like black magic if you’ve never done it before, it’s actually
pretty straightforward. Read on for everything you need to
know…

“There is a phrase guaranteed to strike terror into the heart of
new Linux users, especially those who are wary of venturing too far
from the GUI. It is simply: “Recompile your kernel and…” To the
unitiated, this is a rite of passage daunting enough to rival lion
killing or scarification. To run a home-brewed kernel is to enter
the realm of the hardcore Linux user. But leaving aside matters of
pride, why should you compile your own kernel? There are a number
of possible answers:

* To remove bloat Distro kernels generally support a wide range
of hardware, most of which you probably haven’t even heard of.
* To enable extra features or drivers Murphy’s Law implies that in
spite of the previous statement, the one item that will not be
included will be the hardware you just bought.
* To use a newer kernel than your distro provides You might want to
do this for later hardware support, more security or just because
you want to.
* To patch the kernel There are several patches that have not yet
made it into the main kernel tree; some never will. If you want to
use the special real time kernel (-rt series) or one of many other
patches, you’ll have to patch the source and then compile your own
kernel.”

Complete
Story