Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

pogeymanz · 2008-08-05 01:48:50

If I strip down a kernel, it wont help my overall system performance, will it?

(I realize that even if it does theoretically increase responsiveness, it most-likely wont be noticeable)

Also, what are these custom kernels floating around with -mm and -zen in the name? Why are they special?

whargoul · 2008-08-05 01:55:45

Read this http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ker … _Patchsets and this http://zen-source-org

But it helps to have custom build kernel. You can strip all those things out that you don't use, thus keeping it smaller in size and make it lighter in RAM. There is also a lot performance related patchsets, like -rt, -mm etc.

smurnjiff · 2008-08-05 01:56:45

I recently compiled the latest git kernel. My load avg decreased by about 0.15. Great stuff.

pogeymanz · 2008-08-05 02:02:02

whargoul wrote:

Read this http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ker … _Patchsets and this http://zen-source-org
But it helps to have custom build kernel. You can strip all those things out that you don't use, thus keeping it smaller in size and make it lighter in RAM. There is also a lot performance related patchsets, like -rt, -mm etc.

So, does the whole kernel stay loaded in RAM? Is that why it would be lighter in RAM?

iphitus · 2008-08-05 05:45:33

Um, the Arch kernel is reasonably light, as almost everything is built as modules.

There's not really any point compiling custom kernels unless you need to patch for a feature you require or a hardware issue. Setup initcpio right and it'll be as fast as any self compiled kernel.

whargoul · 2008-08-05 13:16:46

iphitus wrote:

There's not really any point compiling custom kernels unless you need to patch for a feature you require or a hardware issue. Setup initcpio right and it'll be as fast as any self compiled kernel.

Maybe, but the last couple of days I have had a lot troubles getting a right setup for initcpio.

iphitus · 2008-08-05 13:40:15

whargoul wrote:

iphitus wrote:
There's not really any point compiling custom kernels unless you need to patch for a feature you require or a hardware issue. Setup initcpio right and it'll be as fast as any self compiled kernel.
Maybe, but the last couple of days I have had a lot troubles getting a right setup for initcpio.

Just workout what modules you need for filesystem and ide/sata then you should be able to set those to MODULES="" in mkinitcpio.conf. More complicated configurations will need more effort.

whargoul · 2008-08-05 16:13:43

iphitus wrote:

whargoul wrote:
iphitus wrote:
There's not really any point compiling custom kernels unless you need to patch for a feature you require or a hardware issue. Setup initcpio right and it'll be as fast as any self compiled kernel.
Maybe, but the last couple of days I have had a lot troubles getting a right setup for initcpio.
Just workout what modules you need for filesystem and ide/sata then you should be able to set those to MODULES="" in mkinitcpio.conf. More complicated configurations will need more effort.

I have tried that, but I can't boot nevertheless. I can't even use the 'autodetect' hook.

whargoul · 2008-08-05 16:48:13

Oh I figured it out. Apparently modules from kernel26tp was build into the kernel26's image. Still, I need udev to boot. Does the 'resume' hook depend on the 'udev' hook?

Last edited by whargoul (2008-08-05 16:54:04)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-08-05 01:48:50

Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

#2 2008-08-05 01:55:45

Re: Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

#3 2008-08-05 01:56:45

Re: Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

#4 2008-08-05 02:02:02

Re: Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

#5 2008-08-05 05:45:33

Re: Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

#6 2008-08-05 13:16:46

Re: Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

#7 2008-08-05 13:40:15

Re: Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

#8 2008-08-05 16:13:43

Re: Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

#9 2008-08-05 16:48:13

Re: Will a custom kernel improve anything but boot time?

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