What is the diffrence between bzImage & vmlinux.bin

hq4ever · Apprentice Joined: 15 Aug 2004 Posts: 167

What are the diffrences between bzImage & vmlinux.bin please ?

I've compiled 2.6.11-rc3-nitro0 using make && make modules_install but now when I need to copy the kernel itself I see 2 big files that seem to fit.

file gives
# file bzImage
bzImage: x86 boot sector
$ file vmlinux.bin
vmilnux.bin: data

yes I know I can just do make install but could you please explain to me what is the usage of those 2 files & when should I use which one ?

Thank you very much,
"In the lookout for knowladge" max.
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tetromino · Retired Dev Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Posts: 215

If I remember this right (note: I might remember this wrong...)

vmlinux = the kernel, uncompressed, in ELF format. Generally not used.
vmlinux.bin = the kernel, uncompressed, and all the ELF information stripped out of it (i.e. what's left is the raw machine code). Used in some embedded applications I think.
vmlinuz = the kernel, compressed with gzip and then some extra stuff added, used for booting in the olden days.
bzImage = the kernel, compressed with bzip2 and then some extra stuff added, used for booting. This is probably what you want. Use "make bzImage" to create it.

hq4ever · Apprentice Joined: 15 Aug 2004 Posts: 167

Say, how can the kenrel itself be in ELF (executable) format if the kernel is the one responsible for all the low level memory allocation thearding & stuff ?

I mean who knows to run ELF besides the kernel ? how can it be that the kernel runs it self ?

also in my /boot I have all the kernels in vmlinuz-*, thats why I'm asking, because even on the fedora2 I was using the kernel was bzImage. Did i do something wrong with the gentoo install to have this behavior or is this normal ?

thanx, max.
_________________
"God doesn't play dice with the universe",
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nightblade · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 7:06 pm Post subject:

tetromino · Retired Dev Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Posts: 215

hq4ever · Apprentice Joined: 15 Aug 2004 Posts: 167

Well I did too, that is if you call "menuconfig" manually.

ie make menuconfig && make & make install

and all I got in my /boot is vmlinuz-* and System.map-*
_________________
"God doesn't play dice with the universe",
Albert Einstein.

sig: http://www.jr.co.il/humor/signatur.txt
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nightblade · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject:

jimmywithtorch · n00b Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 27

According to gentoo hand-book you first do 'make && make modules_insall' (for kernel 2.6), and that makes bzImage by default in case of kernel 2.6.

Then you have to copy bzImage and System.map to /boot using manual copy commands 'cp'

So far I haven't read about 'make install' anywhere in gentoo documentations. I know they have it for Redhat, but I have never used 'make install' for gentoo.

So after compiling just manually copy bzImage and System.map to /boot and add extra entry for your new kernel in grub or lilo.

tetromino · Retired Dev Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Posts: 215