Installing and building a custom kernel

This recipe will build the kernel and modules from scratch and copy them to a deploy or temporary directory.

Getting ready

Connect and power up your board via USB to your host computer; then, open a terminal window.

How to do it...

To perform this recipe, follow these steps:

1. First, log in as the root user and then download the kernel file from Robert C. Nelson's git repo:

   $ sudo -i
   # git clone https://github.com/RobertCNelson/bb-kernel.git
   

2. Navigate to the new directory that git created for you on your BBB with this command:

   # cd bb-kernel/
   

3. At this point, you have two options for the kernel version you prefer to use: either v3.8.x or the latest experimental v3.14.x. You'll notice that the git command also generates a tmp directory for the build:

   • For the 3.8.x Wheezy branch (this version comes with full cape support) use this command:

     ~/bb-kernel# git checkout origin/am33x-v3.8 -b tmp
     

   • For the v3.14.x Jessie branch (which comes with better USB and Ethernet...