How to Install Kernel 6.5 Source on CentOS 8 – Step-by-step

GNU/Linux CentOS 8 Building Kernel 6.5 from Source Code Guide

Hi! The Tutorial Shows You Step-by-step How to Build and Install a New Custom Kernel 6.5 from Source Code in CentOS 8.x/8-Stream GNU/Linux.

Especially relevant: this CentOS 8 Kernel 6.5 Setup make use of the latest Source Code.

Again this tutorial make it the Easy Way and so is intended especially for Beginners.

Important to know how this Setup does Not change your existing System and so in any case you will be able to startup with the current Kernel from the GRUB Splash Screen.

For further advanced Kernel Configuration instructions you may see the Linux Kernel Documentation.

But for a Non Bootable System before see: How to chroot on CentOS GNU/Linux Tutorial.

Finally, this Setup is Valid also for All the others Red Hat Linux Based Distros like:

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Oracle Enterprise Linux
• Rocky Linux
• AlmaLinux

1. 1. Installing Requirements

   Open a Terminal Shell emulator window
   (Press “Enter” to Execute Commands)

   
   First, possibly Upgrade your System with:

   sudo dnf upgrade

   And Reboot:

   sudo reboot now

   Then play:

   sudo yum group install "Development Tools"

   Enable PowerTools Repo for CentOS GNU/Linux

   Adding PowerTools Repo for CentOS

   PowerTools Repository for CentOS
   And again:

   sudo dnf install openssl openssl-devel dwarves rpm-build libelf-devel elfutils-libelf-devel ncurses

   Authenticate with the User Admin Pass.
   If Got “User is Not in Sudoers file” then see: How to Enable sudo.

2. 2. Making Target Directory

   Now make the Target Folder
   With:

   mkdir ~/kernel

3. 3. Downloading Linux Kernel

   Download Linux Kernel 6.5 Source Code for CentOS GNU/Linux

   Linux Kernel 6.5 tar.xz Archive

   Downloading Linux Kernel 6.5 for CentOS
   Grab the tar.xz or tar.gz Archive from the List.

4. 4. Extracting Linux Kernel Archive

   Then Extract Linux Kernel into the target Directory
   First, access it:

   cd ~/kernel

   Then to untar the downloaded Kernel Source into the current Folder run:

   tar -xafv ~/Downloads/linux*.tar.xz

   Or in case of a tar.gz Archive use instead:

   tar -xvzf ~/Downloads/linux*.tar.gz