Creating a .config File

The first step to compile the kernel is to create a .config file in which the functions and features that need to be enabled are declared.

1. Install the dependencies for compiling the kernel.

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   # sudo apt install -y build-essential # sudo apt install -y libncurses5-dev openssl libssl-dev # sudo apt install -y pkg-config # sudo apt install -y bison # sudo apt install -y flex # sudo apt install -y libelf-dev

2. Copy the config file in the /boot directory to the source code directory and rename the file to .config.
   

   In the preceding command, the name of the configuration file in the /boot directory is only an example. Run the uname -r command to view the actual file name. The .config file version must match the OS kernel version.

   1	# cp /boot/config-`uname -r` /usr/src/linux-kernel-5.15.98/.config

3. Create a .config file.

   1 2	# cd /usr/src/linux-kernel-5.15.98/ # sudo make menuconfig

4. Click Load in the following window:

   

5. Click OK in the following window:

   

6. Click Save in the following window:

   

7. Click OK in the following window:

   

8. Click Exit in the following window:

   

9. Go to the initial window and click Exit. The .config file is created in the current folder.