1.Setup environment

The environment and tools needed to build JLoader are the same used in building a hobby OS kernel.

If you already have a cross compiler and is following this page just to find something neat, you can skip the steps below.

You shall build your own cross compiler. I am currently working on a Ubuntu 16.04 host OS, and was able to build GCC 7.2, along with binutils 2.29. The target is i686-elf. For more information please check OSDev wiki for how to build a gcc cross compiler.

After finishing creating your cross compiler, next step is getting the sources of a kernel skeleton. For a initial set you can both clone Meaty Skeleton repository (more information at OSDev wiki) or clone JLoader commit cd571cd.

If you clone JLoader (recommended) you will get improved versions of tty initial driver, printf, and some extra string functions. There will be also some differences to the boot.S file in the kernel/arch/i386/ directory. Check that.

For both options you need to change the following line in your config.sh file:

export PATH="$HOME/opt/cross/bin:$PATH"

to the right path to your cross compiler.