Difference between config, menuconfig and defconfig

[Aruna Hewapathirane]

<snip>

>> make defconfig:
>> Generates a new config with default from the ARCH supplied defconfig
file.
>> Use this option to get back the
>> default configuration file that came with the sources.
>
> Actually, that *won't* get you back "the config that came with the
sources".
> If you look in a release source tarball from kernel.org, there *isn't* a
> .config in there, you need to create one somehow (copying a distro .config
> and then running 'make localmodconfig' is a popular choice).
>
> And there's no guarantee that 'make defconfig' will re-create whatever
> your distro shipped - in fact, it probably *won't* do so, because distros
> rarely, if ever, ship a kernel that's built with a Linus-approved
defconfig.

Yes true and agreed. I should have been a bit more specific.

Many times I have seriously screwed up my kernel to a point where it
suddenly refuses to boot. Every single time this has happened to me what
saved me was make defconfig. You may not have your internet connection
working, your sound may be kaput, the webcam not functional BUT defconfig
has invariably *every single time* given me back a kernel I can boot into.

>From there takes a wee bit of meddling with make menuconfig and I am good
to go :)

I forgot to cite where I got the earlier information from so here it is:
https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Kernel/Configuration

Thank's Valdis for pointing that out - Aruna
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