About Kernel Compile

[Matthew Seaman]

On Sat, Nov 15, 2003 at 06:16:47PM +0200, Vahric MUHTARYAN wrote:

> 	I'm Linux Admin , now I start to use and find out FreeBSD ?! I
> have a question about kernel. With linux we always get kernel from
> www.kernel.org . Now I want to know How can I find out new FreeBSD
> kernel ?!!! and How can I get a news to new kernel released ?! 

Welcome to FreeBSD.  We do things a bit differently to Linux.  In
FreeBSD the kernel and the userland are a unified distribution set:
you don't install one without the other.

All of the system sources can be downloaded with cvsup(1) as you seem
to have discovered.  The specific kernel sources are under
/usr/src/sys -- however, unlike Linux, you shouldn't recompile *just*
the kernel, but rather reinstall both the userland and the kernel
together, or you'll find that several crucial applications that have
to read kernel memory will stop working.

You'll find that perusing the Handbook at

    http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/index.html

will answer pretty much anything you need to know, and if you've still
got questions after that, ask again here.


As for new releases: the kernel is under continuous development.  If
you track 4-STABLE or 5-CURRENT you will receive all the latest
checkins to those respective CVS branches.  Otherwise, formal system
releases are made usually every 4 months (it's been more frequent
recently, since there's been parallel 4.x and 5.x releases.)
 
> 	When I update src with CVSup command at this moment everything
> is okey ?! I mean new kernel installed and ready to build custom kernel

No, cvsup(1) just gets you the source code.  You will need to compile
and install everything according to the instructions in:

    http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/cutting-edge.html


As part of this process you might consider creating a custom kernel
configuration:

    http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/kernelconfig.html



-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                       26 The Paddocks
                                                      Savill Way
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey         Marlow
Tel: +44 1628 476614                                  Bucks., SL7 1TH UK
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