compiling linux kernel

compiling linux kernel

[Tyler Littlefield]

hello,
menuconfig seems to be going rather well, I'm able to navigate with grml, *cheers*
I've got a question though, I'm not totally sure what all I do and don't need in my kernel. Is there somewhere that would show a minimal kernel with other options?
I don't want to use my kernel that came with deb because it's huge, and I think I might get some better performance if there wasn't so much there, in terms of everything being modules, etc.

Thanks,
~~TheCreator~~
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Re: compiling linux kernel

[Samuel Thibault]

Tyler Littlefield, le Thu 21 Aug 2008 12:19:07 -0600, a écrit :
> I don't want to use my kernel that came with deb because it's huge, and I think I might get some better performance if there wasn't so much there, in terms of everything being modules, etc.

There is _no_ performance loss in everything being a module.  Really,
there is little point in using one's own kernel nowadays (except
applying patches).

Samuel

Re: compiling linux kernel

[Tyler Littlefield]

ok, and assuming that I want to anyway. :)
I understand how to install it, etc etc, and found a bit of info on each 
catigory.
My question is, it was talking about the box being checked or not... how 
does speakup notice a "checked box?" or... does it.
Thanks,
~~TheCreator~~
Visit TDS for quality software and website production
http://tysdomain.com
visit the piratecafe for programming related resources:
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msn: tyler@tysdomain.com
skype: st8amnd127
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Samuel Thibault" <samuel.thibault@ens-lyon.org>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:25 PM
Subject: Re: compiling linux kernel


Tyler Littlefield, le Thu 21 Aug 2008 12:19:07 -0600, a écrit :
> I don't want to use my kernel that came with deb because it's huge, and I 
> think I might get some better performance if there wasn't so much there, 
> in terms of everything being modules, etc.

There is _no_ performance loss in everything being a module.  Really,
there is little point in using one's own kernel nowadays (except
applying patches).

Samuel
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Speakup mailing list
Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

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Re: compiling linux kernel

[Gregory Nowak]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 12:32:24PM -0600, Tyler Littlefield wrote:
> My question is, it was talking about the box being checked or not... how  
> does speakup notice a "checked box?" or... does it.

That depends on the application. If you're using lynx for example to
view a web page, and there is a checked checkbox, you'll see a x next
to that item. In the case of make menuconfig, if I remember correctly,
an option configured as "y" has an asterisk (*) next to it, "m' if
configured as a module, and is empty if not configured in.

Greg


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Re: compiling linux kernel

[Tyler Littlefield]

awesome. thanks... gonna see about rebuilding my kernel so I can get 
software speech on my other system.
Thanks,
~~TheCreator~~
Visit TDS for quality software and website production
http://tysdomain.com
visit the piratecafe for programming related resources:
http://piratecafe.net
msn: tyler@tysdomain.com
skype: st8amnd127
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gregory Nowak" <greg@romuald.net.eu.org>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:46 PM
Subject: Re: compiling linux kernel


> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 12:32:24PM -0600, Tyler Littlefield wrote:
>> My question is, it was talking about the box being checked or not... how
>> does speakup notice a "checked box?" or... does it.
>
> That depends on the application. If you're using lynx for example to
> view a web page, and there is a checked checkbox, you'll see a x next
> to that item. In the case of make menuconfig, if I remember correctly,
> an option configured as "y" has an asterisk (*) next to it, "m' if
> configured as a module, and is empty if not configured in.
>
> Greg
>
>
> - -- 
> web site: http://www.romuald.net.eu.org
> gpg public key: http://www.romuald.net.eu.org/pubkey.asc
> skype: gregn1
> (authorization required, add me to your contacts list first)
>
> - --
> Free domains: http://www.eu.org/ or mail dns-manager@EU.org
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux)
>
> iEYEARECAAYFAkitt/4ACgkQ7s9z/XlyUyC5dwCfebigia/kTFpSRrv/cujaSyBP
> ivMAn0OsvkaElkxqJX/YdHOAR6bAOzyX
> =nyto
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
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> http://www.eset.com
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> 

Re: compiling linux kernel

[Tyler Spivey]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Here's a shot at answering some of your questions that didn't quite get
answered earlier. In grml, some of the consoles bring up screen by
default which has a status line, at least in the grml versions - hence
the 0 ssh that it was trying to read. Just type exit or hit control d in
the shell and it should exit the screen, then you can ssh as usual.
Regarding menuconfig, you can hit caps lock + f5 to edit the some
punctuation setting, hit star and space to enable the star to be spoken.
Alternatively, caps + f9 through f12 control the reading punctuation and
the screen punctuation - setting them to 3 should work (f9 and f11
decrease, f10 and f12 increase).
maybe this will help a bit.

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Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux)

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Re: compiling linux kernel

[Tyler Littlefield]

hello,
it does. thanks.
I figured out the zed-sh, for some reason, it was tossing me to zsh... 
typing bash fixed it.

Thanks,
~~TheCreator~~
Visit TDS for quality software and website production
http://tysdomain.com
visit the piratecafe for programming related resources:
http://piratecafe.net
msn: tyler@tysdomain.com
skype: st8amnd127
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tyler Spivey" <tspivey@pcdesk.net>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:54 PM
Subject: Re: compiling linux kernel


> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Here's a shot at answering some of your questions that didn't quite get
> answered earlier. In grml, some of the consoles bring up screen by
> default which has a status line, at least in the grml versions - hence
> the 0 ssh that it was trying to read. Just type exit or hit control d in
> the shell and it should exit the screen, then you can ssh as usual.
> Regarding menuconfig, you can hit caps lock + f5 to edit the some
> punctuation setting, hit star and space to enable the star to be spoken.
> Alternatively, caps + f9 through f12 control the reading punctuation and
> the screen punctuation - setting them to 3 should work (f9 and f11
> decrease, f10 and f12 increase).
> maybe this will help a bit.
>
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux)
>
> iEYEARECAAYFAkitx9sACgkQTsjaYASMWKQzZgCeNoaypinUS3giaH1EUk9/wYrx
> LS0An3t6Krubu23GXwZ3gr13ndOU2mbq
> =oRXl
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
> __________ NOD32 3375 (20080821) Information __________
>
> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> http://www.eset.com
>
> 

Re: compiling linux kernel

[John Heim]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Samuel Thibault" <samuel.thibault@ens-lyon.org>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:25 PM
Subject: Re: compiling linux kernel


Tyler Littlefield, le Thu 21 Aug 2008 12:19:07 -0600, a écrit :
> I don't want to use my kernel that came with deb because it's huge, and I 
> think I might get some better performance if there wasn't so much there, 
> in terms of everything being modules, etc.

There is _no_ performance loss in everything being a module.  Really,
there is little point in using one's own kernel nowadays (except
applying patches).


And bragging rights.

Well, I suppose that would only work on the uninformed. If you tell someone 
in the know that you're using a custom kernel they might think you're a 
dope.


When I was fairly new to linux, I ran into somebody at a party and the 
conversation turned to how we spent our spare time. I said I was trying to 
get up to speed on linux. This other guy said he was into linux too so I 
asked which distro. He said, "I make my own." At the time I was very 
impressed. But now I say, "What a waste of time."

Re: compiling linux kernel

[Tyler Littlefield]

hmm, I just want the experience.
There's some to be learned from tinkering with linux, and I'd like to do 
that; sure it does look cool too, but I just mainly want to learn how things 
work, how they don't work, etc.
Thanks,
~~TheCreator~~
Visit TDS for quality software and website production
http://tysdomain.com
visit the piratecafe for programming related resources:
http://piratecafe.net
msn: tyler@tysdomain.com
skype: st8amnd127
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Heim" <jheim@math.wisc.edu>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 11:22 AM
Subject: Re: compiling linux kernel



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Samuel Thibault" <samuel.thibault@ens-lyon.org>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:25 PM
Subject: Re: compiling linux kernel


Tyler Littlefield, le Thu 21 Aug 2008 12:19:07 -0600, a écrit :
> I don't want to use my kernel that came with deb because it's huge, and I 
> think I might get some better performance if there wasn't so much there, 
> in terms of everything being modules, etc.

There is _no_ performance loss in everything being a module.  Really,
there is little point in using one's own kernel nowadays (except
applying patches).


And bragging rights.

Well, I suppose that would only work on the uninformed. If you tell someone
in the know that you're using a custom kernel they might think you're a
dope.


When I was fairly new to linux, I ran into somebody at a party and the
conversation turned to how we spent our spare time. I said I was trying to
get up to speed on linux. This other guy said he was into linux too so I
asked which distro. He said, "I make my own." At the time I was very
impressed. But now I say, "What a waste of time."

_______________________________________________
Speakup mailing list
Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

__________ NOD32 3380 (20080822) Information __________

This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.eset.com

Re: compiling linux kernel

[luke]

On Thu, 21 Aug 2008, Tyler Littlefield wrote:

> menuconfig seems to be going rather well, I'm able to navigate with 
> grml, *cheers* I've got a question though, I'm not totally sure what all 
> I do and don't need in my kernel. Is there somewhere that would show a 
> minimal kernel with other options?

Have you been looking at the help screens for the various options?

If not, those can be accessed by typing, if I recall correctly, a 
questionmark while your cursor is on the option in question.

Most of those are helpful in determining whether you need the 
functionality the option provides.  However, a word of warning -- kernel 
compiling is not for the faint of heart: you really should know the 
specifications of the system you are compiling for.
That said, if you aren't sure, and there is an option to modularize 
something, it's often okay to just do that to be safe.
As long as you don't modularize anything you need to mount file systems 
and the like--A.K.A. things you would need to actually load the modules.

Questions you should know the answers to:

What buses do you have?  Surely PCI, and USB at the least.
Are you using SATA, PATA (Ultra ATA), SCSI, or something else to access 
your drives?
What kind of networking do you need to configure for?
What kind of processor do you have?
Do you have more than 2 GB of physical RAM?

Those are probably the most basic questions.

lsmod, lshw, lspci, lsusb, and similar tools are your friend, to see the 
configuration of your current (working) system.

Regards,

Luke

Re: compiling linux kernel

[Gregory Nowak]

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Hash: SHA1

On Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 05:56:58PM -0400, luke wrote:
> As long as you don't modularize anything you need to mount file systems 
> and the like--A.K.A. things you would need to actually load the modules.

That used to be the case in the past, but I think it's ok nowadays to
modularize everything from controllers, to file systems, if you're
going to be using an initrd. I do stand to be corrected on that as
always though.

Greg


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Re: compiling linux kernel

[Samuel Thibault]

Gregory Nowak, le Fri 22 Aug 2008 17:10:35 -0700, a écrit :
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
> 
> On Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 05:56:58PM -0400, luke wrote:
> > As long as you don't modularize anything you need to mount file systems 
> > and the like--A.K.A. things you would need to actually load the modules.
> 
> That used to be the case in the past, but I think it's ok nowadays to
> modularize everything from controllers, to file systems, if you're
> going to be using an initrd. I do stand to be corrected on that as
> always though.

It is completely correct.

Samuel

Re: compiling linux kernel

[Georgina Joyce]

> That used to be the case in the past, but I think it's ok nowadays to
> modularize everything from controllers, to file systems, if you're
> going to be using an initrd. I do stand to be corrected on that as
> always though.
> 
No, you are correct.  Infact, in a few cases it's the opersit.  This
Asus board using the NVidia GeForce 6100 chipset requires such
controllers to be modulerised.
 
Gena
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M0EBP

Re: compiling linux kernel

[luke]

On Fri, 22 Aug 2008, Gregory Nowak wrote:

> On Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 05:56:58PM -0400, luke wrote:
> > As long as you don't modularize anything you need to mount file systems 
> > and the like--A.K.A. things you would need to actually load the modules.
> 
> That used to be the case in the past, but I think it's ok nowadays to
> modularize everything from controllers, to file systems, if you're
> going to be using an initrd. I do stand to be corrected on that as
> always though.

I was assuming that he was not using an initrd.  For his first kernel 
compile, he probably doesn't need the potential headache, although yes: if 
he's using an initrd, he can modularize those things.

Thanks for correcting that, as I'm a bit behind.  Just a bit.

Luke