Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

ScottArch · 2010-02-20 11:18:19

Hi folks,

I am currently running the -ck kernel, the same as I have on my laptop, but I am currently thinking that a more specialised kernel may give me better performance on my MSI Wind U100 netbook. I reckon that the Aspire One kernel may fit the bill because of the similar hardware, but I wanted to hear about anyone's experience with this kernel (or any other) on the Wind. Recommendations welcome!

Cheers,

scott

MAroco · 2010-02-21 22:48:45

I have no netbook experience at all but you could always build your own kernel specialized for the U100...
A good starting point may be the kernel26-ice from AUR http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=15224, since it will also give you better hibernation support via Tuxonice. You can certainly use the -ck one you are using right now as well and adopt it to your needs (the ice-Kernel also optionally integrates the bfs-patch so you wouldn't loose your scheduler).
The crucial part would be to edit the Kernel config-file especially the settings for the processor it is build for.

You may want to look here: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Kernel_Compilation and here http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Cus … n_with_ABS for more info.
Hope it helps a little

Last edited by MAroco (2010-02-21 22:49:24)

ScottArch · 2010-02-22 09:04:44

Thanks for your help there.

I have not been confident enough to manually build the kernel, opting for a pkgbuild instead. Maybe now is a good time to get my hands dirty.

On a general note, do you get better optimization if you use the AUR and build the kernel manually for your processors vs. using a pkgbuild and configuring makepkg.conf?

Thanks again,

Scott

noreaga · 2010-02-22 09:19:24

I have Msi Wind U100 as my primary machine at home. I use the normal kernel. My window manager is Openbox. For me the performance is good. I have no complains. Good luck

ScottArch · 2010-02-22 15:00:07

Hi noreaga,

Yeah, I used the standard kernel for ages and the -ck kernel I currently use has an improved scheduler and some other patches, but is otherwise vanilla and it does function very well. I am just always on a quest for improved performance...

Thanks Scott

MAroco · 2010-02-24 17:02:05

Hi Scott,

On a general note, do you get better optimization if you use the AUR and build the kernel manually for your processors vs. using a pkgbuild and configuring makepkg.conf?

well that confuses some things I'd say, so let's take it in small steps

A) You can either use a self-compiled or a precompiled kernel ie the standard arch kernel. With the latter you won't have much optimization, cause it is designed to run on *all* i686 systems (or x86-64 for the 64 bit version) so most likely some optimizations that your machine could use won't be active due to backwards compatibility. But either of them will at some point have been based on a PKGBUILD-file. The PKGBUILD gives instructions HOW TO BUILD a package, it is NOT the program (ie the binary) itself.

B) Using a self-compiled kernel doesn't necessarily mean that it is optimized though! You could also build the standard-kernel on your local machine and would end up with no more optimization than with the binary.
The "optimization" of the kernel will take place not in the makepkg.conf you mention but in the kernel config file. You can find the one of the running kernel in /proc/config.gz. I'd recommend to use this as a starting-point for your optimization. This file includes literally hundreds of "tuneable" settings, so you will need some reading and probably testing to get best results for your machine. (Keep a fallback-kernel around and include it in /boot/grub/menu.lst, so in case you make a mistake you are still able to boot your system!) The most interesting point will probably be the *processor-type* the kernel is build for.

C) Just to make it clear: as the name implies "makepkg.conf" is the config-file for the makepkg program, which you will use to compile your kernel NOT the config for the kernel itself. You use makepkg for EVERY package you compile on your system, so settings in makepkg.conf will influence all of your AUR packages for example. You optimize in two different areas so to speak. I think what you are after is more the optimization of the kernel-config NOT the makepkg.conf though optimizing one doesn't exclude optimizing the other. It's just different aspects/areas.

So you would probably get the best performance possible by
1) optimizing the makepkg.conf AND
2) using a kernel PKGBUILD which let's you tune the kernel config-file for your system.
The command for that will be menuconfig or xconfig or gconfig or the like. Depending on the PKGBUILD you use you may have to activate this manual config step. For example the kernel26-ice package comes with it's own config which will be used by default if you just run makepkg on it, but you can open the PKGBUILD in any editor and set "menuconfig" active and then you will be asked to manualy optimize the kernel-config before the actual building takes place if you run makepkg. You may also optionally activate the bfs-scheduler from ck in this PKGBUILD).

Hope I've made things more clear and not confused you to the end

[Edit: typo-devil... And anyway, don't expect to make a ferrari out of a volkswagen... ]

Last edited by MAroco (2010-02-24 17:11:25)

ScottArch · 2010-02-25 11:53:18

Thanks,

That was very clear and consicse, thanks.

In a nutshell, I should have my makepkg.conf configured for my system (which i guess is good practice anyway), and then I can continue to use the AUR by uncommenting the menu config (and reading lots) to compile a custom kernel for my system.

One last thing, are defaults highlighted for anything you don't know the answer for, so that in the short term I can compile my (-ck) kernel with the defaults and make one change so that it is specific to my CPU?

Cheers once again,

Scott

MAroco · 2010-02-25 21:08:25

To the nutshell: Seems we understand, great

Regarding the defaults:
Well most of the kernel options have a little help text associated that *may* give an idea what it's about... But I guess you rather look for a good place to start.

You could either use the config of your running kernel: look inside /proc/config.gz. Or you could start with the one that comes with the AUR. If you already run the -ck kernel now, you unknowingly used the config it provides and the above will be the same of course.
I still recommend kernel26-ice with enabled -bfs patch but I guess -ck will in the end use the same scheduler...? Whatever

So in -ck look for this section:

  # get kernel version  
  make prepare
  # load configuration
  # Configure the kernel. Replace the line below with one of your choice.
  #make menuconfig # CLI menu for configuration
  #make xconfig # X-based configuration
  #make oldconfig # using old config from previous kernel version
  # ... or manually edit .config
  ####################
  # stop here
  # this is useful to configure the kernel
  #msg "Stopping build"
  #return 1
  ####################

Activate "load configuration" (hopefully that uses /proc/config.gz automatically) and either "menuconfig" or "xconfig" so you later get a menu/gui to edit that file.
The commented "stop here" part irritates me, though... I would think the msg and return 1 line should be uncommented as well but - not sure at the moment. Try it, you will see if it stops building while you see the config. It should do...

In -ice-kernel you'd look for

### User/Environment defined variables
bfs_scheduler=${bfs_scheduler:-0}
enable_fastboot=${enable_fastboot:-0}
keep_source_code=${keep_source_code:-0}
menuconfig=${menuconfig:-0}
realtime_patch=${realtime_patch:-0}
use_config_gz=${use_config_gz:-0}
enable_reiser4=${enable_reiser4:-0}
###

and replace "0" with "1" for bfs_scheduler, menuconfig and use_config_gz and maybe also enable_fastboot.

(optionally look for something like this:

 # configure kernel
    if [ "$menuconfig" = "1" ]; then
      make menuconfig     ## <-- this one 
    fi
    yes "" | make config

and replace the "make menuconfig" with "make xconfig"or whatever. I prefer gconfig)

Save the PKGBUILD and run makepkg

After some downloading, extracting and patching you should finally SEE the menu/gui. Tada.
To make sure you can now load the config file you saved above but it *should* allready be done...

Now look at "General Setup->Local Version". The -ck kernel will most likely say -ck there, standard arch says -ARCH. It may be wise to give your kernel a uniqe name so you don't overwrite your working one... (Remember to add an entry for it in /boot/grub/menu.lst to be able to start it later.) You will need to take care of updates manually then, though.

And at last: "Processor-type and features" seems to be the most interesting region for you
(For the other options - well there are LOTS of them. Some will also influence performance.... So I guess best advice is take your time and only fiddle with options you understand.)

If you are done save the setting and exit the program. Now "the real work" should start. If you do it on the netbook - you will probably need SOME patience for that too!

When it's done install the kernel with pacman -U </patch/to/directory/where/I/just/build/the/kernel.tar.gz

If you changed menu.lst you can select YOUR kernel on next boot and try if it does what it should.
Good look

Oh and you may need to (re)install some modules for graphic cards, wifi or whatever for this kernel too...

[Edit: Me needs antiverbose-switch! just wanted to give a *short* answer:) ]

Last edited by MAroco (2010-02-25 21:14:25)

ScottArch · 2010-02-25 23:26:45

The verbose answer works for me. Thanks for this. I will test this out on my Core 2 Duo first just to see and then maybe go for the Netbook. I will report back.

P.S. I looked at the -ice kernel. I think you might have a convert. Thats a nice set of patches, very versatile.

"bad gateway" on the TuxOnIce patch at the moment. Will try again tomorrow

Last edited by ScottArch (2010-02-25 23:46:57)

ScottArch · 2010-02-27 02:08:02

Thanks,

Tried out the kernel26-ice and I really like it. My CPU seems to idle even lower than the -ck kernel set (1%). Perhaps this is from the Gentoo patchset. Either way, cheers anyway. Just trying it out on my Atom now...

Scott

MAroco · 2010-02-27 18:19:16

Good to hear

Make sure you read http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Tuxonice to really get hibernation working. Some progs need to be installed and some settings require changes.

You may also want to have a look at cpufreq (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Cpufreq). I activated it mainly for the learning effect on a i7 920 Desktop, but on a netbook this should proove quite usefull to increase battery-life. The idea is to change the default-CPU-frequency governor from "performance" (always use max CPU-Freq) to "ondemand" (only use full power, if needed but lower Freq and in turn heat-development and Power Consumption when idling).
For some yet unknown reason I had to define "ondemand" as the default governor in the kernel-compile-step. Though the wiki explains, how the governor could be changed on boot via settings in rc.conf this never worked here - but including it in the kernel-config did.

In addition I changed the "trigger-value" from the default 85% to 11% (link above explains how) meaning if the CPU-load goes above the value Freq will imediately be triggered to max-possible. This way if I'm just browsing the net, reading an email etc. CPU Freq will drop to around 1,7GHz (lowest possible on this Proc.) but as soon as I start something more CPU-intensiv, Freq will increase as needed, here to around 3 GHz max. You 'll probably have to experiment a little to find a suitable value here. ie. if the "background-noise" on your system in "downclocked-idle-state" were let's say 15% you would want to set the trigger-value a little higher or it won't ever be able to do the downlocking at all.

Well wish you luck with your experiments.
Oh and could you please mark the thread as solved? - If it is

Arch Linux

#1 2010-02-20 11:18:19

Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#2 2010-02-21 22:48:45

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#3 2010-02-22 09:04:44

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#4 2010-02-22 09:19:24

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#5 2010-02-22 15:00:07

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#6 2010-02-24 17:02:05

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#7 2010-02-25 11:53:18

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#8 2010-02-25 21:08:25

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#9 2010-02-25 23:26:45

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#10 2010-02-27 02:08:02

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

#11 2010-02-27 18:19:16

Re: Recommended Kernel For The MSI Wind U100

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