# [SOLVED] The Kernel does not support inotify

## mankatoee

I am installing Gentoo for the first time. It boots ok, but I get the message that udevd says "the kernel does not support inotify..."  Following a previous FAQ of this same subject I found where to change the configuration file to include INOTIFY. I did this and have recompiled the kernel, but still get the message.

What else do I need to do to have the configuration change take effect? 

I do not understand the exact scope of what emerge does compaired with what make && make modules-install does so i may have missed a step.

Thanks in advance.

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## NeddySeagoon

mankatoee,

Welcome to Gentoo.

In general, emerge fetches, builds and installs packages but the kernel is an exception.

emerge only fetches the kernel sources and unpacks it into /usr/src. You need to configure, compile and install, it for yourself. 

```
make && make modules-install
```

compiles the kernel and its modules, then installs the modules. It does not install the kernel itself.

You must mount /boot and copy the kernel file there.

```
mount /boot

cp /usr/src/linux/arch/<your_arch>/boot/bzImage /boot/<kernel_name>
```

<your_arch> is either i386 or x86_64

<kernel_name> is the name you want to give the kernel in boot.

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## donjuan06

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> mankatoee,
> 
> Welcome to Gentoo.
> 
> In general, emerge fetches, builds and installs packages but the kernel is an exception.
> ...

 

Yeah to install my kernel I use 

```
make install
```

, which makes a file called 

```
/boot/vmlinuz-<kern-version> 
```

 then I just point 

```
/boot/grub/menu.lst
```

 to it.

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## NeddySeagoon

donjuan06,

That looks good providing you mount /boot too.

make install does not do it for you.

If you have a separate /boot and install the kernel while its not mounted the kernel goes to the /boot dir on the root filesystem, wich is not what you want at all.

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## mankatoee

Thanks for you help. I believe that my problem was that /boot was not mounted properly as I just went through the process VERY CAREFULLY with /boot mounted and it all worked. I now have two working kernels that boot correctly and most important have learned a lot.

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