Kernel with I/O accounting support to make iotop.py run

Bebo · 2007-10-16 22:02:45

Hi,

I just had a look at Wikipedias article on dtrace and followed the link to Top Ten DTrace scripts. Seeing the #1 script on that list, I googled for "iotop for linux" and found a Python script called iotop.py (almost at the bottom on that page). I had a look at the script and tried to run it but it failed since it couldn't find /proc/self/io. The script says it needs a kernel >= 2.6.20 which shouldn't be a problem since I'm up-to-date with pacman. I had a look at /proc/config.gz and tried to find some config option that would have anything to do with I/O accounting, but couldn't find any. Does anyone know how to enable this? It would be really nice to get it working, since the current tools for Linux don't allow for pinpointing the I/O hogs - at least the ones I know of.

Bebo · 2007-10-25 12:25:13

Hello again,

I've been in contact with the author of iotop.py, and the "fix" was to enable four options in the kernel:

CONFIG_TASKSTATS=y
CONFIG_TASK_DELAY_ACCT=y
CONFIG_TASK_XACCT=y
CONFIG_TASK_IO_ACCOUNTING=y

So, I synced my ABS tree, copied the kernel26 stuff to another directory, and edited the config file to include these four options. There is a spot for them, just replace the line

# CONFIG_TASKSTATS is not set

So after a makepkg and installing the new kernel package, all is good - except for a custom kernel that I have to rebuild with every new kernel26 package

brain0 · 2008-04-19 19:05:07

There is a bugtracker and you can actually file feature requests. Had I known about this this morning, the kernel in testing would probably already have these options. Funny thing is: I wanted to use iotop this morning after the kernel had been built.

However, there will be another kernel or two until this goes to core anyway, so I'll hopefully look into it with the next rebuild.

Bebo · 2008-04-19 20:06:52

Well, I haven't used iotop for 3 or 4 months, and at the time I thought I was the only one interested so I saw no reason to file a feature request. But if these options get enabled, I guess I'll start using it again

sweiss · 2008-04-20 07:27:06

brain0 wrote:

There is a bugtracker and you can actually file feature requests. Had I known about this this morning, the kernel in testing would probably already have these options. Funny thing is: I wanted to use iotop this morning after the kernel had been built.
However, there will be another kernel or two until this goes to core anyway, so I'll hopefully look into it with the next rebuild.

That would be great.
Finally, a kernel feature that I could actually use

Arch Linux

#1 2007-10-16 22:02:45

Kernel with I/O accounting support to make iotop.py run

#2 2007-10-25 12:25:13

Re: Kernel with I/O accounting support to make iotop.py run

#3 2008-04-19 19:05:07

Re: Kernel with I/O accounting support to make iotop.py run

#4 2008-04-19 20:06:52

Re: Kernel with I/O accounting support to make iotop.py run

#5 2008-04-20 07:27:06

Re: Kernel with I/O accounting support to make iotop.py run

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