Arch Linux

srivo

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2009-10-17

Posts: 60

kernel module or integrated

I should  probably read Linux Kernel in a nut shell but I didn't have the time yet! Is there some improvement in building certain feature or driver inside the kernel instead of module? For example if I now that my machine has a Broadcom B43 wireless, should I build it into the kernel instead of module?

ChoK

Member

From: France

Registered: 2008-10-01

Posts: 346

Re: kernel module or integrated

There shouldn't be difference in performance.

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srivo

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2009-10-17

Posts: 60

Re: kernel module or integrated

Merci!

Any difference also in boot time?

bluepumpkin

Member

Registered: 2009-08-28

Posts: 58

Re: kernel module or integrated

Merci!

Any difference also in boot time?

I don't think that you would notice any. It would technically be a bit faster if it was compiled in, but loading a single module hardly takes any time.

dyscoria

Member

Registered: 2008-01-10

Posts: 1,007

Re: kernel module or integrated

If you compile modules that are needed for booting (such as filesystem modules) into the kernel, then you don't have to use an initrd image. This can speed your bootup a little (a few seconds for me).

What I've done for my current kernel is compile into the kernel the majority of modules that are always loaded anyway (wireless, USB, iptables etc) with a few left as modules that only get used rarely (NTFS, VFAT) or might be required in the future (all the crypto modules). There shouldn't really be much of a difference, but it just feels cleaner to me to have fewer modules Of course, one advantage of leaving stuff as modules is that it becomes easy to load/unload/block certain modules.

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srivo

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2009-10-17

Posts: 60

Re: kernel module or integrated

Thanks Dyscordia,

This is exactly what I was planning to do. For now the test that I made with my kernel didn't show a lot of performance improvement compare to the generic Kernel. Maybe the system is a little more reactive but it's hard to notice.

Happy to have someone that confirm my thought!