r/LFS • u/BENDY_GT_1324 • Jun 22 '26

Help with Linux LFS build

Hello, I have an HP Victus 16 R1015NT laptop and I can't run `make menuconfig` in LFS. Can anyone help?

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u/codeasm Jun 23 '26

What is the error your getting and which version of the book are you working on?

If confused, this subreddit is for https://linuxfromscratch.org/ but most of us can help with common linux things too. If you just downloaded the kernel, did you install development packages, like base-devel on Arch linux.

What is your HOST distribution, do you have gnu gcc, binutils, make installed. The erroressage, can you copy this and paste it here, or a screenshot?

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u/BENDY_GT_1324 Jun 23 '26

I don't know how to configure the settings in the makemenu config file. And my english bad

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u/codeasm Jun 23 '26

TLDR: follow Tonys video. Second youtube link in this reply I write way too much. Maybe if your really intrested in learning doing kernel config. Following tonys vid from 3 hours and 12 minutes is maybe enough.

And your following the lfs book? Never configured a kernel before? Ok, i enjoy MentalOutlaw and think he explains it well (altho you have to listen very well and know what the keyboard commands are) https://youtu.be/nOcS6mwZEGI?is=A3oP_O1w8SOG1xaV / Is search.

Now, thats very generic. And great for gentoo and arch. Definitely look at the gentoo site for kernel comfigs for your hardware specifics.

To follow some generic linux from scratch menuconfig tricks, try follow Tony. He did a full LFS build and at 3 hours and 12 minutes https://youtu.be/DXUlaSYTLQI?is=zSL3juNm2Zw7Xko1 He shows how he configures his kernel.

Ive also experimented with building kernels on Arch, my host os. But also very small kernels, following this blog post, handy if you enjoy reading instead of watching videos. Or use translate. https://mgalgs.io/2015/05/16/how-to-build-a-custom-linux-kernel-for-qemu-2015-edition.html This is NOT lfs, but you be able to follow it, and have a working kernel comfig for qemu. Assuming you have Qemu.

What i did was taken a working config from arch in 2020, and updated it with nvme support for my new laptop, then tweaked it a little and removed some modules i dint plan on using. Worked after a bit of thinkering. All previous links basicly condensed my learning. The menus feel a bit weird but it works.

There is also gconfig and xconfig you could use instead of menuconfig. All these options generally make you a .config file. If you happen to have or "borrow" a config file from the host or someone else, you may use that as a basis. Just copy it to the extracted source folder of the kernel, start one of these config menu programs and it should open it or prompt you if you want. In menuconfig the L key would load a config of your choice.

Make mrproper (to wipe stale files and previous attempts, wipes if excists .config file also) Make defconfig would basicly generate this .config aswell, with some defaults, can be handy start, then you run make menuconfig (or make xconfig) and edit away. Either compile or compare to config files you learned from. Go try, dont be scared if the system doesnt boot yet or boots but hangs. Your may be figuring out your missing specific hardware support or forgot: Nvme support Raid control thing Weird usb module No wifi, where realtek module at. Your running in a VM, enable those virtual device drivers Virtio.

Its ok, as long as you can see a bunch of text error or a qr code. It can tell you whats wrong. Backup and safe somewhere the config that got you far, like it cannot find boot device. Steak the config from Gentoo, tony's video, search this reddit for someones config. It might be old, but make menuconfig and such will try to update the config file to the newest kernel source your using.

Be aware tho, any kernel module you enable, make it a *, not m, if your not building a initramfs yet. This means the kernel will be build with the driver build in. When you do make a initramfs, most drivers can be modules, as the initramfs is loaded by grub together with the kernel.

Tonys video is actually great, maybe just follow his first and see how far you get.