Hi, When a kernel is loaded (the system boots it) the vmlinuz file is pulled apart and you get the vmlinux-2.x.gz file.
the vmlinux-2.x.y.gz is a valid gzip file. the vmlinuz-2.x.y file is a special form of a zip file. The vmlinuz-2.x.y file consists of a small executable concatenated with a gzip file. the vmlinux-2.6.5-7.145-default.gz is the gzip part, and I guess the difference in size with vmlinuz-2.6.5-7.145-default is the size of the executable.... Now, if you are not running that kernel, it is "somewhat difficult" to obtain the gzipped part. Much easier to inspect the contents of the initrd file, which is easily accessible. Derek. > > I made the brave assumption (which perhaps wiser heads on this list will > refute) that the (decompressable) vmlinux* file was equivalent to the > (bootable) vmlinuz* file. > > $ gunzip -c vmlinux-2.6.5-7.145-default.gz | strings | grep "gcc version" > Linux version 2.6.5-7.145-default ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) (gcc version 3.3.3 > (SuSE Linux)) #1 Thu Jan 27 09:19:29 UTC 2005 -- Derek Smithies Ph.D. IndraNet Technologies Ltd. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ph +64 3 365 6485 Web: http://www.indranet-technologies.com/
