Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

mac57 · 2006-02-22 18:02:24

Based on an earlier thread here, and my frustration at having 149 modules loaded by my Arch Linux 0.7.1 (Noodle) boot sequence, I decided to take the plunge and start optimizing. It was VERY successful, and I thought I would pass the results along, to encourage others to do the same.

Here's what I did:

1) Built a new initrd. It was incredibly easy and very smooth. I backed up the current /boot/initrd26.img, and /etc/mkinitrd.conf. Then I edited initrd.conf and turned off the SATA, SCSI and CD systems (remember, in your initrd, all you need is support for things Arch will *boot* from - if you don't realize this, turning off CD might seem counter intuitive). Then I really went out on a limb and turned ON the AUTODETECT flag. Finally, I set the FILESYSTEMS line to just "ext3 reiserfs". Then, just issue the command "mkinitrd auto --show" and the new initrd builds and places itself into /boot.

Net result: I went from 149 modules loaded to only 68. By restricting the file systems to just ext3 and reiserfs (again, remember that this just applies to boot time - Arch still supports all those other wonderful file systems once booted) I also eliminated about 8 processes that used to launch in support of the XFS and JFS filesystems. Excellent!

2) Next I edited /etc/rc.conf, and eliminated another four modules related to gameport support, which I did not need, by placing them on the module BLACKLIST. Net result, down to 64 modules loaded. Most of them looked pretty necessary, and I stopped there.

3) Finally I edited /etc/rc.conf again, and put an "@" in front of the last two daemons in my DAEMONS list, those being "hplip" and "cups" (support for my HP Deskjet 952c). This causes those daemons to load in the background, instead of "in-line" with the boot process. Net result: 4 seconds saved off a 22 second boot time (Grub prompt to console login prompt). Not a dramatic change, but nice.

So, when it is all said and done, my Arch now loads fewer than half the modules it used to, uses less memory, starts fewer processes, and boots faster than before. Pretty pleasing results for an hour or two of work.

All of this was done on standard Arch 0.7.1 (Noodle), pretty much "right out of the box". I have loaded lots of apps of course, and configured menus and the like, but this is the first material tinkering I have done with *Arch* itself.

So, all you folks who are upset like I was that this lovely streamlined and speedy releases loads SO many modules, take heart, and take steps. It works!
:!:

Tommy Angelo · 2007-04-13 16:06:51

can you describe or write what exactly you change in these files? "/boot/initrd26.img" "/etc/mkinitrd.conf" "rc.conf" and can be this applied on Arch Voodoo?

pelle.k · 2007-04-13 17:09:13

You know that 0.8 (Voodoo) has initramfs, and thus only loads the modules it needs through udev right? I guess you would have figured that out if you had updated your system... hehe

venox · 2007-04-13 18:06:38

Just disable MOD_AUTOLOAD on rc.conf, make your own MODULES list, mkinitcpio.conf (I never use the autodetect hook) and bam! You've just got full control over your loaded modules.

Last edited by venox (2007-04-13 18:07:30)

Tommy Angelo · 2007-04-14 16:20:17

super and how can I realize which modules are loaded? (than I try to add these modules to "mkinitcpio.conf")

Tommy Angelo · 2007-04-14 17:52:59

which modules I need?

lsmod

Module Size Used by
ipv6 252736 8
nls_cp437 5888 1
vfat 10624 1
fat 46108 1 vfat
ntfs 219540 2
radeon 121248 2
drm 70804 3 radeon
snd_seq_oss 29184 0
snd_seq_midi_event 6528 1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq 46672 4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_pcm_oss 39072 0
snd_mixer_oss 14464 1 snd_pcm_oss
analog 10144 0
ppdev 7556 0
lp 9604 0
ns558 4224 0
usbhid 34592 0
rtc 10416 0
snd_via82xx 23320 2
gameport 11784 4 analog,ns558,snd_via82xx
snd_ac97_codec 91940 1 snd_via82xx
ac97_bus 2432 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm 68484 4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec
snd_timer 18820 2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc 7816 2 snd_via82xx,snd_pcm
snd_mpu401 6376 0
snd_mpu401_uart 7040 2 snd_via82xx,snd_mpu401
snd_rawmidi 19104 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device 6796 3 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi
snd 43492 15 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mpu401,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device
soundcore 6496 1 snd
hid 25088 1 usbhid
parport_pc 35940 1
parport 31176 3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
ppp_generic 23444 0
slhc 6272 1 ppp_generic
ff_memless 5256 1 usbhid
pcspkr 2816 0
i2c_viapro 7956 0
i2c_core 17792 1 i2c_viapro
via_ircc 19604 0
irda 113464 1 via_ircc
crc_ccitt 2304 1 irda
via_agp 8448 1
agpgart 26200 2 drm,via_agp
sg 26652 0
shpchp 29588 0
pci_hotplug 27976 1 shpchp
tsdev 6336 0
evdev 8192 4
via_rhine 20360 0
mii 4992 1 via_rhine
sr_mod 14372 0
cdrom 34464 1 sr_mod
sd_mod 16768 8
ehci_hcd 29964 0
uhci_hcd 21520 0
usbcore 112392 4 usbhid,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
ata_generic 5380 0
pata_via 8580 6
libata 94100 2 ata_generic,pata_via
ext3 119688 1
jbd 55336 1 ext3
mbcache 7044 1 ext3
reiserfs 234624 1

Ramses de Norre · 2007-04-14 18:15:26

That's a pretty unanswerable question... That's really hardware and purpose dependent.
I guess you'll need to look into what each module does and try rmmod'ing it if you think it isn't needed.

pelle.k · 2007-04-14 21:24:55

You shouldn't add these modules to mkinitpcio.conf. You should disable module autoload in rc.conf and then put the modules you need in MODULES= array.
Use hwdetect. I quote from "hwdetect --help";

For /etc/rc.conf use:
--net show network MODULES
--modules show all detected MODULES

Also, you do have arch linux 0.8 now, right?

Arch Linux

#1 2006-02-22 18:02:24

Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

#2 2007-04-13 16:06:51

Re: Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

#3 2007-04-13 17:09:13

Re: Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

#4 2007-04-13 18:06:38

Re: Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

#5 2007-04-14 16:20:17

Re: Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

#6 2007-04-14 17:52:59

Re: Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

#7 2007-04-14 18:15:26

Re: Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

#8 2007-04-14 21:24:55

Re: Boot Time, Memory Optimization Very Successful

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