They are created during a kernel build (make dep && make ....).

vmlinuz is a linux kernel.  Some distros use this while others use bzImage.  
Wen I move bzImage to /boot I usually rename the Gentoo bzImage to 
vmlinuz-x.y.z where x.y.z is a version such as 2.4.20.  I'm just used to 
seeing vmlinuz due to past experience.

System.Map contains symbols used for debugging as far as I know.  You 
probably can live without it as I've had System.map for kernel x when I'm 
running kernel y.

LILO records the location of the kernel - vmlinuz, or whatever you named it.

On Monday 15 September 2003 17:10, you wrote:
> Hi Mark,
> I'm, not an expert with this, but I'll try...
>
> Am Montag, 15. September 2003 18:57 schrieb Mark Knecht:
> > Hi,
> >    I've never received an answer for these question in the Redhat
> > reflectors, and never asked here. Please excuse my ignorance on this
> > subject.
> >
> >    I just did a kernel build of gentoo-sources-2.4.20-r7 by hand (make
> > dep clean bzImage modules modules_install & then copy bzImage to /boot by
> > hand) and I do not get the System.map, config and vmlinuz files in /boot.
> > However, I apparently did a build of 2.4.20-r5 some other way (possibly
> > make install?) and these files, plus their links were created.
>
> I think, there is a make bzlilo. Maybe you used this one?
>
> > QUESTION 1: What do these files do, and are they necessary?
>
> Afaik system.map is created and needed by your bootmanager (lilo?). vmlinuz
> is your kernel or a symlink to it. I dont know what config could be. I
> don't have this file and my machine boots quite good. I use grub now, but I
> had lilo installed before.
>
> > QUESTION 2: What is the process to create these files if I want them?
>
> vmlinuz is created by you, when you copy your kernel after compiling with
> cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz. Maybe make bzlilo does that for
> you, I never used this. System.map is created by your bootloader, when you
> install it (call /sbin/lilo, setup in grup?).
>
> > QUESTION 3: What is the difference between booting from a vmlinuz file
> > and a bzImage file?
>
> There is none. It's just the name of your kernelimage.
>
> > QUESTION 4: Does having these -r5 files impact running -r7 if the -r7
> > versions don't exist and the links point to the -r5 versions?
>
> No, if you have a section in the configfile of your bootloader, that starts
> the -r7 kernel. Don't forget to call /sbin/lilo, if you use lilo (/boot
> mounted). After that there should be a System.map.
>
> > Thanks,
> > Mark
>
> Hand
> Michael

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