Modules configuration, help needed!

debsuvra · 2008-08-12 20:36:14

I was customizing Arch for last few days I now want to shed some extra seconds from the boot time. I am posting my bootchart and lsmod results here. Please tell me which modules should I need to disable.

[root@localhost ~]# lsmod        
Module                  Size  Used by
bsd_comp                7424  0 
ipt_LOG                 7684  3 
xt_tcpudp               4736  6 
iptable_filter          4608  1 
ip_tables              13072  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               14724  3 ipt_LOG,xt_tcpudp,ip_tables
ppp_synctty             9216  0 
ppp_async              10880  1 
crc_ccitt               3840  1 ppp_async
ppp_generic            24988  7 bsd_comp,ppp_synctty,ppp_async
slhc                    7680  1 ppp_generic
fuse                   51228  2 
nvidia               7096900  34 
agpgart                29652  1 nvidia
ext2                   66184  1 
shpchp                 31512  0 
pci_hotplug            27812  1 shpchp
pcspkr                  4352  0 
i2c_i810                6020  0 
i2c_algo_bit            7556  1 i2c_i810
i2c_core               21140  3 nvidia,i2c_i810,i2c_algo_bit
sg                     28596  0 
evdev                  10880  3 
thermal                16796  0 
processor              33836  1 thermal
fan                     6020  0 
button                  7824  0 
battery                12036  0 
ac                      6020  0 
snd_seq_oss            31872  0 
snd_seq_midi_event      8192  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                49968  4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          8332  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_intel8x0           30748  4 
snd_ac97_codec         99748  1 snd_intel8x0
snd_pcm_oss            40192  0 
snd_pcm                69636  4 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              21384  3 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc          9608  2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
snd_mixer_oss          16512  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd                    50724  15 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mixer_oss
soundcore               8032  1 snd
ac97_bus                3584  1 snd_ac97_codec
8139too                24192  0 
8139cp                 20992  0 
mii                     6528  2 8139too,8139cp
rtc_cmos               11424  0 
rtc_core               17436  1 rtc_cmos
rtc_lib                 4480  1 rtc_core
ext3                  125704  2 
jbd                    45716  1 ext3
mbcache                 8708  2 ext2,ext3
usbhid                 46016  0 
hid                    40960  1 usbhid
ff_memless              6664  1 usbhid
sr_mod                 16836  0 
cdrom                  36128  1 sr_mod
sd_mod                 25240  5 
ehci_hcd               35596  0 
uhci_hcd               23952  0 
usbcore               132080  4 usbhid,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
ata_piix               17924  4 
ata_generic             6788  0 
pata_acpi               6016  0 
libata                150048  3 ata_piix,ata_generic,pata_acpi
scsi_mod               95692  4 sg,sr_mod,sd_mod,libata
dock                    9488  1 libata

Can I safely disable all the modules which have 'Used by' value of 0 ? I have confusions with some modules like thernal, fan etc.

And here is the bootchart pic :

debsuvra · 2008-08-12 20:37:54

Please do not have a wrong idea about the boot time from the pic as bootchart showed the time as 30:34 which should be 00:34 only.

smurnjiff · 2008-08-12 22:52:05

I'm skeptical about the time you will save by doing this. The used_by column indicates how many times the module is loaded (see cat /proc/modules). In this case, all the modules with Used by = 0 are not being accessed at all. However, an unused module can still be a dependency for another module. All of the modules that are not being used are using less than a MB of memory, so I don't see what you are to gain by rmmod.

Like you said, entries such as 'fan' and 'thermal' are important: they are part of the acpi system.

debsuvra · 2008-08-13 03:13:50

smurnjiff wrote:

I'm skeptical about the time you will save by doing this. The used_by column indicates how many times the module is loaded (see cat /proc/modules). In this case, all the modules with Used by = 0 are not being accessed at all. However, an unused module can still be a dependency for another module. All of the modules that are not being used are using less than a MB of memory, so I don't see what you are to gain by rmmod.
Like you said, entries such as 'fan' and 'thermal' are important: they are part of the acpi system.

I understand your reasons but still I need to know which modules I should disable. Also please analyze the bootchart and give suggestions accordingly.

SiC · 2008-08-13 11:14:26

The problem with disabling modules is that mostly they are drivers, things like filesystem drivers, hardware drivers. I really wouldn't want to disable those drivers without a good breakdown of how your system works. How are you connecting to the internet for example? What hardware do you have in your machine, are your drives sata or ide? What filesystems are you using? What's your (detailed) network configuration. Looks like you are using an iptables firewall, are you going to continue using that, or don't you want it.

tomk · 2008-08-13 12:23:09

Also, Used by = 0 does not necessarily mean that the module is not in use e.g. b43 shows up as 0 on my system, but it's in use, driving my wireless adapter.

debsuvra · 2008-08-14 04:45:01

SiC wrote:

The problem with disabling modules is that mostly they are drivers, things like filesystem drivers, hardware drivers. I really wouldn't want to disable those drivers without a good breakdown of how your system works. How are you connecting to the internet for example? What hardware do you have in your machine, are your drives sata or ide? What filesystems are you using? What's your (detailed) network configuration. Looks like you are using an iptables firewall, are you going to continue using that, or don't you want it.

As you requested for the system configuration, I'm posting the list of hardwares and the result of lspci below.

Processor : Intel Pentium 4 1.80 Ghz (Overclocked to 2.25 GHz)
RAM : 1.25 GB DDR SDRAM
HDD : 80 GB PATA + 40 GB PATA
Motherboard : AsRock P4I45Gx_PE
Graphic Card : nVidia GeForce FX 5200 (128MB DDR)

lspci output :

[root@localhost ~]# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82845G/GL[Brookdale-G]/GE/PE DRAM Controller/Host-Hub Interface (rev 03)
00:02.0 Display controller: Intel Corporation 82845G/GL[Brookdale-G]/GE Chipset Integrated Graphics Device (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-M) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 82)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL (ICH4/ICH4-L) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801DB (ICH4) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 02)
03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200] (rev a1)
03:0a.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)

debsuvra · 2008-08-15 06:04:06

NONE is interested!!!

I was expecting some good suggestions.

debsuvra · 2008-08-16 03:35:20

THREAD BUMPED

Please take a look at the thread people.

whargoul · 2008-08-16 14:07:22

Well I don't use dial-up, so every module that has ppp* is disabled by me. Mostly when I compile a kernel I remove every driver that I know I don't use.

debsuvra · 2008-08-17 06:27:27

whargoul wrote:

Well I don't use dial-up, so every module that has ppp* is disabled by me. Mostly when I compile a kernel I remove every driver that I know I don't use.

I am using a PPPoE connection over the rp-pppoe thing invoking the command pppoe-start. So I think ppp is needed for my system On the other hand, people cant you tell me which modules my PC is using ? I posted the hardware config there and also the lspci and lsmod results.

whargoul · 2008-08-17 08:24:59

debsuvra wrote:

whargoul wrote:
Well I don't use dial-up, so every module that has ppp* is disabled by me. Mostly when I compile a kernel I remove every driver that I know I don't use.
I am using a PPPoE connection over the rp-pppoe thing invoking the command pppoe-start. So I think ppp is needed for my system On the other hand, people cant you tell me which modules my PC is using ? I posted the hardware config there and also the lspci and lsmod results.

Well it would seem that every module is used and others are just a dependency of an another module. But you don't need the 'battery' module if you don't use a laptop.

vkumar · 2008-10-06 03:27:13

I hope I'm not just exacerbating the situation here, but I do have to ask you, "debsuvra", to be more polite.

Everyone at the forums does their best to help each other, but demanding help for trivial pursuits and bumping (in the same day?!) is a sure way to be ignored.
At the very least, try to phrase your posts as questions - not demands.

That said, I think you can get rid of the following;
* snd_pcm_oss
* 8139cp
* pcspkr
* ipv6?
- and a few others.

Edit /etc/mkinitcpio.conf to get rid of un-needed hooks.
Edit /etc/rc.sysinit to remove LUKS, RAID, or other un-needed checks.
Edit /etc/rc.conf to cut down on daemons.
- Also, run "hwdetect --modules >> /etc/rc.conf", and turn of module autoload for a significant 4 - 12 second improvement.
Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and disable dri if you don't use it.

Last edited by vkumar (2008-10-06 03:31:02)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-08-12 20:36:14

Modules configuration, help needed!

#2 2008-08-12 20:37:54

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#3 2008-08-12 22:52:05

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#4 2008-08-13 03:13:50

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#5 2008-08-13 11:14:26

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#6 2008-08-13 12:23:09

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#7 2008-08-14 04:45:01

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#8 2008-08-15 06:04:06

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#9 2008-08-16 03:35:20

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#10 2008-08-16 14:07:22

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#11 2008-08-17 06:27:27

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#12 2008-08-17 08:24:59

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

#13 2008-10-06 03:27:13

Re: Modules configuration, help needed!

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