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Linux kernel 2.6.38 compiled for Atom CPUs (64 bit, Debian version)

Here, you can download my self-compiled Linux kernel 2.6.38 for Intel Atom CPUs as a Debian package. You should not use this kernel for other CPUs, it may have performance drawbacks. The kernel is the Debian version of Linux, meaning it contains patches from the Debian team. The sources are from the Debian package linux-source-2.6.38, version 2.6.38-3. I didn't try, but I think the Debian kernel should also be usable within other distributions. If not, I would like to hear from you ;)

UPDATE: I don't recommend using kernel 2.6.38. On my system, it didn't work with NetworkManager. Now, I use kernel 3.1.

I made a self-compiled kernel because I use Debian Squeeze. Squeeze is the newest Debian release (at the time of this writing, Apr 2011), but the kernel is quite old (2.6.32). Since 2.6.38 has a better scheduler, resulting in a faster system, I decided to switch to the new kernel. I use an Asus 1215N notebook (for more info, look at my Debian installation procedure).

I didn't change much of the preset kernel settings. This means it is configured for desktop use. I compiled the kernel using GCC 4.5.2 (Debian subversion 4) for/with support for:

a maximum of 8 CPUs,
SMP (symmetric multi-processing) with SMT (simultaneous multithreading, also called hyperthreading by Intel),
automatic process grouping,
all standard modules,
but WITHOUT rather exotic file systems; I only included ext2, ext3, ext4, Reiserfs, FUSE, eCrypt, JFFS2, UBIFS, cramfs, RomFS, FAT, VFAT, NTFS, ISO 9660 CDROM, UDF, and all standard network file systems;
and WITHOUT any graphics drivers except VESA VGA, EFI, and Xen. I suggest you install the new kernel, then install your graphics driver for it, and then reboot. This is what I did. The official NVIDIA driver package from Debian automatically detects all installed kernels and installs itself for them.

You can download the kernel here and install it via sudo dpkg -i <the debfile>.

In principle, you cannot destroy your working system by installing the new kernel, because in case it doesn't work you can boot the old kernel and deinstall the new one. So, it is safe to try. Unless you are really careless.

last modified: 10 Dec 2011