Re: Kernel choices
On Wed, Apr 20, 2005 at 03:43:11PM -0400, Stephen R Laniel wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 20, 2005 at 11:25:58AM +0200, Matthias Kaeppler wrote:
> > So only 2 and 3 are sane options for you I guess, but whether you're
> > running an Intel or AMD CPU is something you should know yourself :p
>
> This relates to a question I often have. Let's say that I
> want to compile a customized kernel for my machine that
> only compiles modules for hardware that I have, is tailored
> specifically to my processor (right now a Pentium M 1.5GHz),
> compiles into the kernel only those modules corresponding to
> hardware that is always attached to my computer (hence
> wasting no memory), etc.
>
> As of right now, the easiest way to do this isn't easy at
> all: I have to go through a long list of kernel options and
> pick the ones that apply to me. This often involves knowing
> extreme arcana about my machine. Quite often this arcana can
> be deduced from a combination of
>
> a) lspci, /proc, etc.,
> b) general knowledge of my system (I have no gaming
> hardware), and
> c) inferences from other hardware selections I've made (the
> Hopkins Frommit 831G contains a Kerwin Dingle 918X
> Fromulator, so if I select the former I should also select
> the latter).
>
> But I'd really like a computer to take care of this for me.
> So are there any packages that will {semi-,}automate the
> kernel-install process for me?
>
I suggest that you start by finding a stock kernel that runs
on your hardware. Grab the config file that comes with it
from /boot. Use this config as the starting point in a run
of make menuconfig, or whatever. Accept all config selections
that you don't understand, and change only things that you
think you understand. If the kernel doesn't work, you made
a change that you don't understand. Do binary search on
your changes to find what kills the kernel for your hardware.
Of course, there may be more than one killer, so exercise
caution in your reasoning. But you know you have made a
small number of changes from a config that is OK for your
hardware, so you can't get irrecoverably lost.
--
Paul E Condon
pecondon@mesanetworks.net
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