Running LinuxCNC on fresh Debian Jessie (8) install using custom compiled longterm kernel 4.1.15.

Start with a fresh install of Debian.

Most of the step can be done as a normal user. For apt-get and dpkg commands log in as root or use sudo.

Compile Kernel 4.1.15 with RT patch

With some help from https://rt.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/RT_PREEMPT_HOWTO and http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/debian-ubuntu-building-installing-a-custom-linux-kernel/ .

Install required tools

# apt-get install build-essential ncurses-dev fakeroot kernel-package

Extract kernel and patch

# mkdir /opt/kernel
# cd /opt/kernel
# wget https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/linux-4.1.15.tar.xz
# wget https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/projects/rt/4.1/patch-4.1.15-rt17.patch.gz
# tar xvf linux-4.1.15.tar.xz
# gzip --decompress patch-4.1.15-rt17.patch
# cd linux-4.1.15
# cat ../patch-4.1.15-rt17.patch | patch -p1

Copy current kernel config into this build

# cp /boot/config-$(uname -r) .config

Configure kernel

# make menuconfig
-> Processor type and features
-> -> Preemption Model (Fully Preemptible Kernel (RT))
-> -> Timer frequency (1000 HZ)
<Save>

Compile kernel

# make-kpkg clean
# fakeroot make-kpkg -j4 --initrd kernel_image kernel_headers

Where -j specifies number of cpu cores.
This might take a while and raise room temperature. 🙂

Installing kernel

Execute de following commands as root or use sudo.

# cd ..
# dpkg -i linux-headers-4.1.15-rt17-10.00.Custom_amd64.deb
# dpkg -i linux-image-4.1.15-rt17-10.00.Custom_amd64.deb
# shutdown -r now

Adding LinuxCNC repository to APT

I do not compile my own LinuxCNC, maybe later, for now i am using LinuxCNC APT archive.

Follow http://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/getting-started/getting-linuxcnc.html#_installing_on_debian_wheezy_with_preempt_rt_kernel

Run the following commands as user root or use sudo.

Add the LinuxCNC Archive Signing Key to your apt keyring:

# apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keys.gnupg.net --recv-key 3cb9fd148f374fef

Now edit /etc/apt/sources.list and add the following line:

deb http://linuxcnc.org/ jessie base 2.7-uspace

and update aptitude.

# apt-get update

Now you can install LinuxCNC by using this line:

# apt-get install linuxcnc-uspace

Please let me know if i wrote something wrong.