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Build Kernel For Raspberry Pi
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Build Kernel For Raspberry Pi
Building a custom Linux kernel for the Raspberry Pi lets you optimize performance, add features, and tailor the system to your needs. It involves configuring and compiling the official kernel source for Raspberry Pi hardware.
Manually Building the Kernel for Raspberry Pi (Cross-compile the kernel)
Requirements
terminal
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install git bc bison flex libssl-dev make libc6-dev libncurses5-dev
sudo apt install crossbuild-essential-arm64
sudo apt install crossbuild-essential-armhfcrossbuild-essential-arm64: install this package if raspberry is 64 bit (raspberry pi 4, raspberry pi 5,...)crossbuild-essential-armhf: install this package if raspberry is 32 bit(raspberry pi 3, raspberry pi 3+,...)
Clone source kernel
terminal
git clone --depth=1 --branch <branch> https://github.com/raspberrypi/linuxIf using: git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/raspberrypi/linux, clone latest branchConfig kernel
To prepare the default configuration, run the appropriate commands from the table below for your Raspberry Pi model.
- 64 bit: Raspberry Pi 3, Compute Module 3, Raspberry Pi 3+, Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, Raspberry Pi 4, Pi 400, Compute Module 4, Compute Module 4S.
terminal
cd linux
KERNEL=kernel8
- 64 bit: Raspberry Pi 5, Pi 500, Compute Module 5.
terminal
cd linux
KERNEL=kernel_2712
- 32 bit: Raspberry Pi 1, Compute Module 1, Zero, Zero W.
terminal
cd linux
KERNEL=kernel
- 32 bit: Raspberry Pi 2, Raspberry Pi 3, Compute Module 3, Raspberry Pi 3+, Compute Module 3+, Zero 2 W.
terminal
cd linux
KERNEL=kernel7
- 32 bit: Raspberry Pi 4, Pi 400, Compute Module 4, Compute Module 4S.
terminal
cd linux
KERNEL=kernel7l
Build kernel
- 64 bit: set ARCH=arm64 and CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu-
terminal
# Raspberry Pi 3, Compute Module 3, Raspberry Pi 3+, Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, Raspberry Pi 4, Pi 400, Compute Module 4, Compute Module 4S
make ARCH=arm64 CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- bcm2711_defconfig
# Raspberry Pi 5, Pi 500, Compute Module 5
make ARCH=arm64 CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- bcm2712_defconfig- 32 bit: set ARCH=arm and CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf-
terminal
# Raspberry Pi 1, Compute Module 1, Zero, Zero W
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- bcmrpi_defconfig
# Raspberry Pi 2, Raspberry Pi 3, Compute Module 3, Raspberry Pi 3+, Compute Module 3+, Zero 2 W
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- bcm2709_defconfig
# Raspberry Pi 4, Pi 400, Compute Module 4, Compute Module 4S
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- bcm2711_defconfigMenuconfig
- 64 bit
terminal
make ARCH=arm64 CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- menuconfig- 32 bit
terminal
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- menuconfigBuild source
- 64 bit
terminal
make -j$(nproc) ARCH=arm64 CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- Image modules dtb- 32 bit
terminal
make -j$(nproc) ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- zImage modules dtbsOn multi-core Raspberry Pi models, themake -j<n>option distributes work between cores. This can speed up compilation significantly. Runnprocto see how many processors you have; we recommend passing a number 1.5x your number of processors.
Install the kernel
- First, you need download a raspi OS and install to SD card. Download it here .
- After install raspi OS, connect your boot media. Run
lsblk; the new device represents your boot media. You should see output similar to the following:
terminal
sdb
sdb1
sdb2If sdb represents your boot media, sdb1 represents the the FAT32-formatted boot partition and sdb2 represents the (likely ext4-formatted) root partition.
3. First, mount these partitions as mnt/boot and mnt/root, adjusting the partition letter to match the location of your boot media:
terminal
mkdir mnt
mkdir mnt/boot
mkdir mnt/root
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 mnt/boot
sudo mount /dev/sdb2 mnt/root4. Next, install the kernel modules onto the boot media:
- 64 bit:
terminal
sudo env PATH=$PATH make -j$(nproc) ARCH=arm64 CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- INSTALL_MOD_PATH=mnt/root modules_install- 32 bit
terminal
sudo env PATH=$PATH make -j$(nproc) ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- INSTALL_MOD_PATH=mnt/root modules_install5. Next, install the kernel and Device Tree blobs into the boot partition, backing up your original kernel.
- 64 bit
terminal
sudo cp mnt/boot/$KERNEL.img mnt/boot/$KERNEL-backup.img
sudo cp arch/arm64/boot/Image mnt/boot/$KERNEL.img
sudo cp arch/arm64/boot/dts/broadcom/*.dtb mnt/boot/
sudo cp arch/arm64/boot/dts/overlays/*.dtb* mnt/boot/overlays/
sudo cp arch/arm64/boot/dts/overlays/README mnt/boot/overlays/
sudo umount mnt/boot
sudo umount mnt/root- 32 bit
Run the following commands to create a backup image of the current kernel and install the fresh kernel image:
terminal
sudo cp mnt/boot/$KERNEL.img mnt/boot/$KERNEL-backup.img
sudo cp arch/arm/boot/zImage mnt/boot/$KERNEL.imgDepending on your kernel version , run the following command to install Device Tree blobs:
terminal
# For kernels up to version 6.4
sudo cp arch/arm/boot/dts/*.dtb mnt/boot/terminal
For kernels version 6.5 and above
sudo cp arch/arm/boot/dts/broadcom/*.dtb mnt/boot/Finally, install the overlays and README, and unmount the partitions:
terminal
sudo cp arch/arm/boot/dts/overlays/*.dtb* mnt/boot/overlays/
sudo cp arch/arm/boot/dts/overlays/README mnt/boot/overlays/
sudo umount mnt/boot
sudo umount mnt/root6. Finally, connect the boot media to your Raspberry Pi and connect it to power to run your freshly-compiled kernel.
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