CHAPTER 22

Kernel and Module Management

IN THIS CHAPTER

The Linux   Kernel

Managing    Modules

When    to  Recompile

Kernel  Versions

Obtaining   the Kernel  Sources

Patching    the Kernel

Compiling   the Kernel

When    Something   Goes    Wrong

References

A kernel is a complex piece of software that manages the processes and

process interactions that take place within an operating system. As a user, you
rarely, if ever, interact directly with it. Instead, you work with the applications
that the kernel manages.

The Linux kernel is Linux. It is the result of years of cooperative (and
sometimes contentious) work by numerous people around the world. There is
only one common kernel source tree, but each major Linux distribution
massages and patches its version slightly to add features, performance, or
options. Each Linux distribution, including Ubuntu, comes with its own
precompiled kernel as well as the kernel source code, providing you with
absolute authority over the Linux operating system. This chapter covers the
kernel and what it does for you and for the operating system.

In this chapter, you also learn how to obtain the kernel sources and how and
when to patch the kernel. This chapter leads you through an expert’s tour of
the kernel architecture and teaches you essential steps in kernel configuration,