5.5. Creating a Custom Kernel RPM

5.5.1. Creating a Custom Kernel RPM using kernel.org's Source

• On the frontend, check out the Rocks source code. See Read-Only Access to CVS for details.

• Change into the directory:

  # cd rocks/src/roll/kernel/src/kernel.org

• Download the kernel source tarball from kernel.org. For example:

  # wget http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/linux-2.6.9.tar.gz

• Create a kernel "config" file and put it in config-<version>

  The <version> number must match the version number of the kernel source. For example, if you downloaded linux-2.6.9.tar.gz, the name of the config file must be config-2.6.9.

• Update version.mk.

  The file version.mk has the following contents:

  NAME = kernel RELEASE = 1 VERSION = 2.6.9 SMP = 1

  The VERSION value must match that of the linux kernel tarball you downloaded (e.g., 2.6.9).

  If you are building a uni-processor kernel, then set the following:

  SMP = 0

  Or, if you are building a multi-processor kernel (i.e., SMP), then set the following:

  SMP = 1

• Build the kernel:

  # make rpm

• Copy the resulting RPMs into the current distribution:

  # cp ../../RPMS/<arch>/kernel*rpm /home/install/contrib/4.1/<arch>/RPMS/

  Where <arch> is i386, x86_64 or ia64.

• This next step is for Rocks 4.0.0 only.

  For Rocks version 4.0.0 you need to do the following: # cd /home/install/site-profiles/4.1/nodes # wget http://www.rocksclusters.org/ftp-site/beta/4.1.0/kernel.org/extend-compute.xml

• Rebuild the distribution:

  # cd /home/install # rocks-dist dist

• Test the new kernel by reinstalling a compute node:

  # shoot-node compute-0-0

• If the kernel works to your satisfaction, reinstall all the compute nodes that you want to run the new kernel.