FreeBSD make: don't know how to make buildkernel. Stop Error and Solution

by nixCraft on June 21, 2008 · 7 comments· last updated at June 22, 2008

Q. I'm trying to recompile my kernel by tying the following commands:

cd /usr/src/sys/i386/conf
cp GENERIC NEWKEN
vi NEWKEN
cd /usr/src
make buildkernel KERNCONF=NEWKEN

But I'm bumped with an error that read as follows:

make: don't know how to make buildkernel. Stop Error and Solution

How do I fix this error?

A. This is well known problem. You need an up to date and complete copy of the FreeBSD source including kernel at /usr/src and /usr/src/sys. To grab latest FreeBSD kernel source use cvsup or sysinstall command.
# sysinstall
Select > Configure > Distributions > Src > Select Base, Sys and all other required source code > Ok > Ok > Select Internet > FTP Main site and install the source code.

Once installed type the following command to compile the kernel:
# cd /usr/src # make buildkernel KERNCONF=NEWKEN # make installkernel KERNCONF=NEWKEN # reboot

You should follow me on twitter here or grab rss feed to keep track of new changes.

Featured Articles:

{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

1 hoaintv September 24, 2008 at 4:08 am

Thanks

2 SIFE August 27, 2009 at 9:33 pm

Salamo Alikom
even i install the source from sysinstall and make a shortcut link ti /sys ,i still get this error .

3 Edward Sudhahar ( SSIET ) September 14, 2009 at 9:24 am

make: don’t know how to make bonnie. Stop

What is dis error about. Why do i get it. Giv me solution for dat…

4 Edward Sudhahar ( SSIET ) September 14, 2009 at 9:25 am

[root@freebsd /usr/ports/benchmarks/bonnie]# make install bonnie
make: don’t know how to make bonnie. Stop

Why do i get dis

5 Vivek Gite September 14, 2009 at 10:09 am: type
make install clean
Reply

6 Dmitry September 20, 2012 at 10:08 pm

su
cd
fastest_cvsup -c ru
ee /root/9rel-supfile
cat ee /root/9rel-supfile
Code:
*default host=cvsup7.ru.freebsd.org
*default base=/var/db
*default prefix=/usr
*default release=cvs tag=RELENG_9_0
*default delete use-rel-suffix
*default compress
src-all
csup 9rel-supfile
..
ETA: 5 Hours..
ok.
uname -a
FreeBSD estaf.users.trc.local 9.0-RELEASE FreeBSD 9.0-RELEASE #0: Tue Jan 3 07:46:30 UTC 2012 root@farrell.cse.buffalo.edu:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC amd64

cd /usr/src/sys/amd64/conf/
cp GENERIC ROUTER
ee ROUTER
ok

cd /usr/src/
pwd
/usr/src
ok

make buldkernel KERNCONF=ROUTER
make: don’t know how to make buldkernel. Stop

7 Thomas Mack September 25, 2012 at 7:12 pm

You have a typo in your command, it’s buildkernel not buldkernel

Another question: Updated from 7.1 to 8.3 successfully, then added sources as described above, but make buildkernel ends up with:

#:/usr/src> make buildkernel
make: no system rules (sys.mk).
*** Error code 2
Stop in /usr/src.
#:/usr/src>

What’s going on?

FreeBSD make: don't know how to make buildkernel. Stop Error and Solution

Featured Articles:

Related Faqs