Pentium M processor family on kernel config

jrdioko · 08-14-2005, 07:37 PM

When recompiling my kernel (2.4.26), I see in the configuration a "processor family" setting that has options for most processors (386, Pentium II, Pentium III, etc.). I looked online to see what category the Pentium M (not 4-M, the one in my IBM Thinkpad T41) would be in, and I see it has it's own option for the 2.6.x kernels. I'm not ready to go to 2.6.x yet, and I was wondering what the right choice would be on a 2.4.x system.

Thanks in advance.

jtshaw · 08-14-2005, 09:28 PM

The Pentium III category will get you closest. The Pentium M is basically a Pentium III core with SSE2 added on and some cleanup.

jrdioko · 08-14-2005, 10:09 PM

Thanks, I'll change it to that. How much of a performance difference is there, by the way, between compiling the kernel for 386 and Pentium III, and between Pentium III and the Pentium M in 2.6.x?

jtshaw · 08-14-2005, 10:13 PM

That is kind of hard to say. The biggest performance increase would probably be between i386 and Pentium III. The big thing you get with a 2.6.x kernel is a preemtable kernel which makes your machine much snappier even when under load.

jrdioko · 08-14-2005, 10:14 PM

Interesting, thanks again!