LinuxWorld: Customizing the FreeBSD Kernel

From: LinuxWorld Customizing a Unix kernel is a rite of passage for the system administrator. Linux and many System V Unixes have a friendly, menu-driven kernel configuration system. A system administrator needs to have a good grounding in a variety of Unixes, however. You would configure FreeBSD's kernel in a manner completely different than the one in which you would System V or Linux. Linux and FreeBSD are frequently found side by side. They're both free Unix-like systems. Each has particular strengths; FreeBSD is known for its network services, and Linux has strong desktop facilities. A multiple-boot system can have both FreeBSD and Linux partitions. With FreeBSD's Linux compatibility and the right kernel options, you can even use both simultaneously. This step-by-step guide includes a discussion of some of the core differences between the FreeBSD kernel and the Linux kernel; descriptions of the kernel configuration, build processes, and common kernel options; ways you can gather more information; and steps to take if you have trouble. The FreeBSD kernel building system is very powerful, and it only requires a bit of familiarity to use it quickly and efficiently. We'll only discuss the i386 kernel here. The Alpha kernel is handled in a very similar manner, but most of us aren't lucky enough to have an Alpha lying around to test new operating systems. Alphas also have slightly different kernel requirements, and not all functions are fully implemented. Check LINT (more on this later) for details. Read the Article