[GUIDE] How to build a kernel for the Galaxy Player - Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0, 5.0

After numerous requests I've received from users concerning how-to build kernels, this guide will mostly answer your need to do so.
This guide will be separated in 3 distinct parts: Downloading sources, Building the actual kernel and making a working boot image and or zImage. So let's begin!!
Requirements: A linux computer
Part 1: Downloading sources
Before bulding any kernels, you must have it's source code. Every Android device manufacturers have the OBLIGATION to post them in order to comply with the GPL (GNU General Public License). You can mostly find them in their developpers specified site. You have two ways of download the required source in order to build a kernel: The manufacturer website or git.
1.1: Downloading using the manufacturer's website
You can download your Galaxy Player kernel source using mostly this website: opensource.samsung.com
When you're in it, you can go to the MP3 players section and take the source according to your device. To get the kernel source, unzip the xxxopensource.zip and you should see 2 separate files. Unzip the one with the mention KERNEL in it, it is your kernel.
1.2: Using git
Some of you may know it, some others not. For those who don't know what git is, here's a little explication from it's website
Git is a free and open source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of developpers from around the world do use git because of it ease of use. There are several websites that uses the git protocol. The two most known are github and gitbucket. In order to download your kernel source, you must have found someone who uploaded it into these websites. For this example we will use the Cyanogenmod github's profile. You can download the source with 2 ways:
First way
1. Go into a existing kernel source repository (for example this one: https://github.com/CyanogenMod/android_kernel_samsung_aries)
2. Click the Download zip button situated at the mid-right
3. Unzip the zip and you should find your kernel source.
Note: When using this method, you must be sure of the branch choosen. Problems can happen if the wrong branch is used.
Second way
Note: You must have the git dependencies for linux. To download them for Debian, Ubuntu, please run this command: sudo apt-get install git-core, gnupg, flex, bison, gperf, libsdl-dev, libesd0-dev, libwxgtk2.6-dev, build-essential, zip, curl, libncurses5-dev, zlib1g-dev, ia32-libs, lib32z1-dev, lib32ncurses5-dev, gcc-multilib, g++-multilib
1. Go into a existing kernel source repository (https://github.com/CyanogenMod/android_kernel_samsung_aries)
2. We're going to "clone" the repository, to do so you will so this particular command:
Code:
git clone https://github.com/CyanogenMod/android_kernel_samsung_aries.git aries
(the second aries word will be the name of the actual folder)
If you want to download another branch (because the one downloaded is the one shown in the website)
Code:
git clone https://github.com/CyanogenMod/android_kernel_samsung_aries.git -b jellybean aries
(where's the -b means branch)
You should have your kernel source named aries output in the folder you specified.
Second part will cover mostly how to build a kernel.

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Part 2 Building an actual kernel
In order to build a kernel, you must use an arm toolchain.
The GNU toolchain is a blanket term for a collection of programming tools produced by the GNU Project.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's a zip containing the arm-eabi-4.4.3 and arm-androideabi-4.6 toolchains
Toolchains Download
2.1 Exporting the toolchain path
Once you've downloaded a toolchain and are ready to build the kernel source into a kernel binary, enter to the directory of that said kernel, (cd aries in this case). You must export the location of your toolchain so the kernel source can know from where it has to build. To do so:
For arm-eabi-4.4.3
Code:
"export CROSS_COMPILE=~/home/yourusername/toolchains/arm-eabi-4.4.3/bin/arm-eabi-"
"export ARCH=arm"
For arm-linux-androideabi-4.6
Code:
"export CROSS_COMPILE=~/home/yourusername/toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.6/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-"
"export ARCH=arm"
2.2 Using a config file
In order to build a kernel, you MUST use a config file which defines the device's components. The easiest way of doing so is to take the manufacturer's stock configuration file (generaly it's a defconfig file found in arch/arm/configs). To create one, you use the make menuconfig command while in your kernel root directory. If you use a different source than your manufacturer one, You have to either ask the developper or to search for this file. (I can't say really much about it ).
2.3 Building the kernel
Once you've your config file and toolchain set up, you can begin the build. To do so you execute these command:
Code:
make cyanogenmod_galaxys_defconfig (This is just as a example, replace it by whatever your defconfig is)
make -jx (x is the number of jobs your computer can do a the same time. The recommended way to know how many to use is to take the number of cores in your CPU +1
Depending on the number of threads (jobs) used, it will be either long or not to compile your kernel. (Generally it takes between 5-15 minutes to compile a single kernel).
Once your kernel have been built, you will have it into the form of a file named zImage situated in arch/arm/boot. This kernel is usable for some devices, however it is not usable for ours. DO NOT EVER EVER FLASH THIS BINARY. I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY BRICKS!!
The third part will help you getting a bootable kernel for your device.

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Part 3: Making a bootable kernel
Note: This is a in-progress part so it may be unclear to some people. I will try to do it as much as understandable for everybody.
The kernel binary obtained at the second post is mostly not bootable due to the the fact that the initramfs isn't inclued. The initramfs is the actual ramdisk of your device. To find one... well you must find it (I can't really do anything for you). If you do have one initramfs in a folder, you must specify it in the config file with this current line:
Code:
CONFIG_INITRAMFS_SOURCE=""
Once this has been applied, you can make build this kernel and it should boot
Note that this applies mostly to the model of the 4.0 and 5.0 (and for GB as well). 3.6 and 4.2 uses a different method of using a boot image

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One last time...

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thanks!! really gonna try this sometimes!!! (once you get part two and three out of the tutorial XD )

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If someone is interested in the config file for the Galaxy Player 3.6, he can find it on my GitHub: http://www.github.com/team-hurricane-xda.
How to set it up:
0. Download the config file
1. Rename the config file to aalto-deconfig
2. Copy the file to <kernelsource>/arch/arm/config
3. cd ~/path/to/kernel
4. make aalto-deconfig
5. make
MrBrubble
Sent from my YP-GS1 using xda app-developers app

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Build_Error
I've searched and haven't found a straight answer, i get the same build error on every kernel i try to build. Even on this one. Any help is appreciated.
Code:
make: /home/alex/home/alexandroid_toolchains/arm-eabi-linaro-4.6.2gcc: Command not found
scripts/kconfig/conf --silentoldconfig Kconfig
make: /home/alex/home/alexandroid_toolchains/arm-eabi-linaro-4.6.2gcc: Command not found
CHK include/linux/version.h
UPD include/linux/version.h
CC scripts/mod/empty.o
/bin/sh: 1: /home/alex/home/alexandroid_toolchains/arm-eabi-linaro-4.6.2gcc: not found
make[2]: *** [scripts/mod/empty.o] Error 127
make[1]: *** [scripts/mod] Error 2
make[1]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
HOSTCC scripts/selinux/genheaders/genheaders
HOSTCC scripts/selinux/mdp/mdp
make: *** [scripts] Error 2
make: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs..
This is in: file system/usr/include/linux>version.h
#define LINUX_VERSION_CODE 197895
#define KERNEL_VERSION(a,b,c) (((a) << 16) + ((b) << 8) + (c))
Anything in particular that should be here?
Also I have tried to use the linaro toolchains and the one included in the ndk.

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2.1 Exporting the toolchain path
Once you've downloaded a toolchain and are ready to build the kernel source into a kernel binary, enter to the directory of that said kernel, (cd aries in this case). You must export the location of your toolchain so the kernel source can know from where it has to build. To do so:
For arm-eabi-4.4.3
Code:
"export CROSS_COMPILE=~/home/yourusername/toolchains/arm-eabi-4.4.3/bin/arm-eabi-"
"export ARCH=arm"
For arm-linux-androideabi-4.6
Code:
"export CROSS_COMPILE=~/home/yourusername/toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.6/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-"
"export ARCH=arm"
2.2 Using a config file
Can you please explain where I need to put the folders/files to make this cmd work. I am using windows7 if that helps. I currently have them in the C:\ thanks. I am hung up here and would greatly appreciate some extra guidance.

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po8pimp said:
2.1 Exporting the toolchain path
Once you've downloaded a toolchain and are ready to build the kernel source into a kernel binary, enter to the directory of that said kernel, (cd aries in this case). You must export the location of your toolchain so the kernel source can know from where it has to build. To do so:
For arm-eabi-4.4.3
Code:
"export CROSS_COMPILE=~/home/yourusername/toolchains/arm-eabi-4.4.3/bin/arm-eabi-"
"export ARCH=arm"
For arm-linux-androideabi-4.6
Code:
"export CROSS_COMPILE=~/home/yourusername/toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.6/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-"
"export ARCH=arm"
2.2 Using a config file
Can you please explain where I need to put the folders/files to make this cmd work. I am using windows7 if that helps. I currently have them in the C:\ thanks. I am hung up here and would greatly appreciate some extra guidance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zaclimon said:
...
Requirements: A linux computer
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's in the OP

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seriously I must have totally missed that, I read it over again just to make sure. I will try it again in Ubuntu. Thanks for such a quick reply and apologize for my ignorance. Most things are compiled using Linux, however some I have been doing with windows lately so my assumptions got the best of me it seems. Thanx again

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Ok so I am at the point where I need to make the Kernel. I am at this point:
make cyanogenmod_galaxys_defconfig (This is just as a example, replace it by whatever your defconfig is)
My question is which .defconfig do I use and how can I find the current one running on my device? I am assuming the best to fit all different platforms would be to chose the "android_hugo_r03_eng_defcongfig". Is this correct. I currently own the USA model if that helps. However I want to be able to help out all models without building 3 different kernels. Thank you in advance.
Here are the options available:
android_hugop2p_r01_eng_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r01_user_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r02_eng_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r02_user_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r03_eng_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r03_user_defcongfig
android_hugo_r01_eng_defcongfig
android_hugo_r01_user_defcongfig
android_hugo_r02_eng_defcongfig
android_hugo_r02_user_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_eng_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_user_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_eng_EUR_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_user_EUR_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_eng_KOR_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_user_KOR_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_eng_USA_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_user_USA_defcongfig

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po8pimp said:
Ok so I am at the point where I need to make the Kernel. I am at this point:
make cyanogenmod_galaxys_defconfig (This is just as a example, replace it by whatever your defconfig is)
My question is which .defconfig do I use and how can I find the current one running on my device? I am assuming the best to fit all different platforms would be to chose the "android_hugo_r03_eng_defcongfig". Is this correct. I currently own the USA model if that helps. However I want to be able to help out all models without building 3 different kernels. Thank you in advance.
Here are the options available:
android_hugop2p_r01_eng_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r01_user_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r02_eng_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r02_user_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r03_eng_defcongfig
android_hugop2p_r03_user_defcongfig
android_hugo_r01_eng_defcongfig
android_hugo_r01_user_defcongfig
android_hugo_r02_eng_defcongfig
android_hugo_r02_user_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_eng_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_user_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_eng_EUR_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_user_EUR_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_eng_KOR_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_user_KOR_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_eng_USA_defcongfig
android_hugo_r03_user_USA_defcongfig
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In your case, it is more than just using different configs, sometimes there are more than one config because the different variants of the device uses drivers for other components. If you want to make 1 kernel for all the device, you need to modify it's source so that you can include all the variants drivers. Things like this requires a bit of comparing and programming skills.

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I have the zImage created, now I need to make it bootable, can someone please fill me in on what is the next step. I have a bootable kernel to use as a shell if need be. Thank you in advance. This is for the 4.2 by the way.
EDIT: Figured it out I think. I am now running off a new kernel. How do I tell what the actual Kernel Version is? I used the toolchain provided here arm-eabi-4.4.3 to build it. Is there a way to know what the kernel version is from the toolchain?
---------- Post added at 11:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 AM ----------
Looking at the readme in the folder for the toolchain, it says this is for ICS. If that is correct, then it is a step in the right direction. Here is the download link to the recovery/kernel
EDIT: removed link to kernel as it does not have wifi working.

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po8pimp said:
I have the zImage created, now I need to make it bootable, can someone please fill me in on what is the next step. I have a bootable kernel to use as a shell if need be. Thank you in advance. This is for the 4.2 by the way.
EDIT: Figured it out I think. I am now running off a new kernel. How do I tell what the actual Kernel Version is? I used the toolchain provided here arm-eabi-4.4.3 to build it. Is there a way to know what the kernel version is from the toolchain?
---------- Post added at 11:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 AM ----------
Looking at the readme in the folder for the toolchain, it says this is for ICS. If that is correct, then it is a step in the right direction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Code:
cat /proc/version

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Meticulus said:
Code:
cat /proc/version
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks I will try that
EDIT: Linux version 2.6.35.7 (gcc version 4.4.3 (GCC))