kernel compile questions

[shrndegruv]

I almost have my gentoo install complete. I love this distro. Anyhoo, one of the last things I want to do is recompile my kernel to weed out things I dont need and maybe add some stuff I do. I used genkernel during the install process. My questions:

1) In other distros Ive used the process is -- get source, configure your kernel, compile kernel and modules, install. Am I supposed to keep using the genkernel process for further updates, or do I just use the process l know well from using other distros for a number of years...?

2) Is the .config file in /usr/src/linux the .config options that genkernel used? If so I should probably base my configuration of the default.

3) Is this process at all related to the hotplug/coldplug stuff in the gentoo install process? In otherwords, how do I avoid breaking my auto hardware detection...

4) I have an ATI card (Dimension 8400). I got X working fairly quickly by downloading the ATI drivers, but I dont know if the system is set up to fully take advantage of all the stuff the card can do -- how do I verify what I have, and are there any kernel options I need to pay attention to (I remember something about AGP in the ATI docs....)

Thanx

[_loki_]

as fare as I know genkernel is just a auto script for configurating the kernel. If you don't need that you can unemerge genkernel and set up your kernel manully as usual. This will have no effect on hot- and coldplug, just make sure you compile all the modules hot- and coldplug might want to load. I never used genkernel myself, but I guess that the .config in /usr/src/linux can tell you how your kernel is configurated when you use genkernel, too. Someboddy correct me if I'm telling wrong- it jusr makes no sence to me that genkernel saves the kernel configuration somewhere else. For ATI installation have a look on the WIKI http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_ATI_Drivers

[dxq]

Hmm, I only use genkernel to build my first kernel.

Then I manually create a custom kernel (based on the standard procedures).
If you used genkernel to make your kernel config then you should have zipped config file /proc

# zcat /proc/config.gz > /usr/src/linux/.config

Then you can do a make menuconfig to open it.

Know your hardware. Look at your PC spec sheet.
Run lspci and look at the currently loaded modules (lsmod) ... etc.
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[die_vms_die]

I've never use genkernel.
Why are you if you have configured a kernel before?


4) fglrxconfig will produce config file with some interesting options.
If you get