Fedora Core 4 Kernel Source Installation Guide

2 October 2005

Fedora no longer ships with the kernel-source RPM. You must install it
separately. This is NOT needed unless you wish to re-compile your
kernel.

Kernel Headers (kernel-devel)
If you need to install a driver (Nvidia, ndiswrapper, Cisco VPN, etc.) that
requires kernel sources, it may be sufficient to install just the kernel headers
package (kernel-devel RPM). This can be found on CD4, the DVD or online. If you
have updated your kernel (using yum or up2date), then use yum to install the
package (‘yum install kernel-devel’). Make sure to match your current kernel
version (read below for the ‘uname’ command).

The default kernel source can be found through any mirror. Look in the
directory «/4/i386/os/SRPMS/». An example from Fedora:
http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/core/4/i386/os/SRPMS/.
If you are using an updated kernel you can also look in the update directory
on most Fedora mirror sites. For example:
http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/core/updates/4/SRPMS/.

If you wish you you can obtain the source of your current running kernel.
Use the ‘uname’ command.

[root@charon fc4]# uname -r
2.6.11-1.1369_FC4

Select: kernel-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4.src.rpm 03-Jun-2005 13:32 41M

Install:
[root@charon fc4]# rpm -ivh kernel-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4.src.rpm
1:kernel ########################################### [100%]

Set it up:

[root@charon fc4]# rpmbuild -bp –target=noarch /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/kernel-2.6.spec

The source files will be properly located in ‘/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.11/’

This is clearly explained in the FC4 Release Notes – Kernel.

General instructions to recompile a 2.6.x kernel in Fedora can be found in
my Fedora Core 4 Kernel Compile Notes.

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