Bug#214441: debian-installer: should suggest a sane default kernel

[Goswin von Brederlow <brederlo@informatik.uni-tuebingen.de>]

Andre Lehovich <andrel@U.Arizona.EDU> writes:

> Package: install
> Version: N/A, jigdo image of 3 Oct 2003
> 
> The kernel installer still needs some UI work.  In
> particular, it should suggest a sane default kernel.
> Currently the first kernel presented is
> kernel-image-2.6.0-test4-1-386 which is almost surely the
> wrong choice.

I guess the best choice (unless one has very good reasons) would be
the currently running kernel. We know that that one _is_ working.
 
> Could the installer detect the number and type of CPUs and
> use that to suggest the default?  Something like "Here are

Type of pu is easy. Number of cpus is tricky. Unless you use a SMP
enabled kernel you don't see the extra cpus in /proc/cpuinfo.

The i386 kernel image has no SMP support. If you have time you could
build a 486/SMP kernel image instead. I'm sure that would be welcome.

> all the available kernels.  Based on your detected hardware
> configuration the best choice appears to be 2.4-386".
> 
> (I realize that UMP vs SMP is an important difference.  But
> do all the 686, K6, K7 kernels really result in noticeable
> peformance differences?)

If you stress the kernel with benchmarks or have a big server (in wich
case you should hire an admin with a clue) you will see a difference.

Software raid and crypto stuff might benefit the most on "normal"
systems but iirc raid does some boottime optimization for the best
code.

MfG
        Goswin