Installing a Custom Linux Kernel in WSL and VMware: Challenges and Solutions
Introduction
This document outlines the process of installing a custom Linux kernel i, detailing the
challenges faced and the solutions implemented.
1. Compiling the Custom Kernel
The Linux kernel was compiled inside the Ubuntu using standard compilation techniques.
Steps to Compile the Kernel:
1. Download and Extract the Kernel Source
wget [Link]
2. tar -xvf [Link]
3. cd linux-6.12.13
1.
4. Configure the Kernel
make menuconfig
2.
○ Customize kernel options as needed.
○ Save the configuration.
5. Compile the Kernel
make -j3
3.
○ This builds the kernel using all available CPU cores.
6. Install Modules and Kernel
sudo make modules_install
7. sudo make install
4.
3. Updating GRUB and Rebooting
Once the new kernel was installed, GRUB needed to be updated to recognize it.
Updating GRUB:
sudo update-grub
After running the command, the system was rebooted, and GRUB presented the newly
compiled kernel as a boot option.
6. Final Outcome
After applying these troubleshooting steps, the custom kernel successfully booted into
Ubuntu. This confirmed that all necessary modules and configurations were properly
applied.
7. Final Submission Checklist
✅ Screenshot of successful kernel build (bzImage is ready).
✅ Screenshot of customized boot message ([Link]).
8. Conclusion
Introduced challenges such as initramfs handling, missing kernel modules, and GRUB
configuration.
This experience highlights the importance of:
● Understanding the Linux boot process.
● Ensuring kernel dependencies are met.
● Properly configuring initramfs and GRUB to avoid boot failures.