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Hi, Suppose I get a Kernel source code and try to compile it on Linux which is not having gcc compiler then it will not get compiled for sure b'coz kernel needs gcc for compilation. My question is then how a Linux gets installed on raw hard disk which in not having gcc pre-installed. I also believe gcc can't be installed on raw hard disk (not sure and never tried). So, it is also not the case that Linux installs gcc first and then do the rest later. Can any one explain how the thing works from lower level point of view. |
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gcc was available before linux. you may wish to read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel and links from there :) that answers it all :)
(15 Apr '10, 13:49)
Titus
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i think what he was asking was "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" The answer is the compiler. Linux kernel compiled originally on another system. Don't know what system Torvalds used. He compiled the first kernel and installed it. Gcc is older than Linux. It was originally done at Berkley. If you can read this message, you have a machine that will compile. Not sure why. You can use Gcc on Windows, Linux, Solaris, ATT Unix, Mac, BSD etc.... |
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Hi, Ok, this one is easy...but first: welcome to the pack. If you ask THIS question, you're possibly V-E-R-Y new to Linux, so, again: welcome! Installing Linux...the easy way. Get a distro. Flip to this page (ftp://ftp.belnet.be/mirror/) and select one. I use Fedora, but you are free to choose. If you are that new, though, go for Ubuntu. Download the ISO's. Can you burn a DVD? Cool, get the one big one. No DVD's? Like me, then, get one ISO per CD-rom. Burn the CD-s/DVD. Any package can do that. Install. Put the DVD/first CD in the drive and reboot, follow instructions. It seems that what you are trying to do is build a Lambo from scratch. Well, "Linux from scratch" lets you do just that, but it IS tuff, be warned. Better just use what's already out there, most of us do... Now, however, you are on the right path here assuming gcc is needed somewhere. It is. To recompile a kernel. Wanna give that a whack? No sweat, it is easy, just follow the steps outlined here : http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/compiling-linux-kernel-26.html and you're off. But Linux needs to have been installed already... At install, the installer will ask to prep the drive, let it use the pre-configured settings, they "fit most sizes" - it will (re) format the drive for you. If there is no surface at all - then you'll need to low-level format the thing first. Let the pack know how this turns out!! Happy to have you in the group!! Thor Thanks but my question is how it gets installed not how to install.
(15 Apr '10, 10:32)
Anonymous
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For most distros when you install Linux everything is already pre-compiled so you don't need gcc at all to install the kernel or anything else. You only need gcc if you want to compile source code into binary yourself. In fact Ubuntu didn't used to install a compiler at all (I presume it still doesn't) by default.
(29 Apr '10, 10:01)
Amos
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You need a LiveCD to be able to build linux kernel & coreutils, etc from sources. LiveCD has all above. I prefer using either Gentoo Install CD or Slackware DVD for that(last one is easy for me because I already have it on disc) for that. Also I am a Gentoo Linux user, I've built it from stage 3(meaning I have gcc, coreutils and some other basic soft already compiled), my current kernel is 2.6.33.2 from kernel.org. You may also wish to see LFS project site: * http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/ * http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/livecd/
(15 Apr '10, 09:34)
Web31337
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Don't forget, linux is really just the kernel, and gcc doesn't necessarily need the linux kernel to run. You could for example recompile the gcc compiler for Windows, and then from Windows cross compile the linux kernel. The build environment does not need to be the same as the environment you are trying to build. |
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Hi, I am not asking about the installation process etc ........ As Titus already pointed out I am more into how it all started ?? The question can be generalised for any OS. I tried to look into ULK for system startup but it only talks about how system gets bootup not installed |
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Hi, Thanks all for your answers.Ya, gcc came much earlier then Linux. Still I have some question like while we put Installation media say DVD and start installation process. What it does first of all. Is it install gcc and go for kernel installation process or it does something else. Also can we install gcc on a raw disk. 1
Installing an OS doesn't at all requires a compiler, it is just a matter of laying out the disk and copying files. And what an installation disk does first is booting an operating system that is present on the installation media. About installing gcc on a raw disk, that doesn't makes sense. gcc needs an OS to run and need an filesystem to be installed in and to work with.
(16 Apr '10, 12:57)
jlliagre
Even Gentoo which features specially compiled applications for your specific machine, requires a base system before you are able to do any compilation.
(29 Apr '10, 10:00)
Amos
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Please accept an answer so the question/answer can be finished.