Installing a Custom Linux Kernel in a Virtual Machine

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article has one goal: compile and install a custom kernel in Ubuntu running inside VMware, then load a .ko module I wrote myself.

Compilation and kernel replacement both happen in that virtual machine. They consume CPU, memory, and disk space and involve GRUB. Unstable networking can interrupt long builds or SSH sessions; without booting the new kernel, the module will not match the running version. The order is therefore static IP first, custom kernel second, and module last.

VMware on YHY Study Website

Installing a Custom Linux Kernel in a Virtual Machine