LinuxQuestions.org - [SOLVED] kernel compiliing - howto diminish the number of drivers and modules

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kernel compiliing - howto diminish the number of drivers and modules

hello

i have been reading on how to compile the Kernel (using debian)

such as following this doc:
http://www.howtoforge.com/kernel_com...on_debian_etch

but i would like to find out if there is some technique to allow me to compile only those drivers required by my hardware.

is this a possible scenario? is there a script/program that probes the hardware for requirements to facilitate the compiling?

thanks,

Nicolas

Hi,

To get info about hardware you can use:

- lspci possibly using -v,
- lsusb the -v option is also available,
- Have a look at the /var/log/dmesg file,
- The manuals that came with your hardware,
- If you are running Debian: Sysinfo (Applications -> System Tools).

Do make sure you have a working kernel to fall back on!

Hope this helps.

Plug in all the hardware that you want to run on that machine and make sure that the drivers are loaded. Then make a new configuration with

Code:

make localmodconfig

, edit it to your needs and compile. After that try if the kernel works with your hardware.
And I second druuna's recommendation to have a working backup kernel.

You can also look at the output of lsmod to see which modules have been loaded.

Booting up one of those stand-alone CD-ROMs can also be informative since those are "designed to run on anything at all."

The recommendation of always having a known-good kernel at your disposal is, of course, crucial. :eek:

You can expect to have some false starts with getting it to work. But you'll be rewarded by a Linux system that can be up-and-running in six seconds flat.

thanks TobiSGD

that is what i was looking for.

since you gave that info - i was also able to find this other nugget from ArchLinux:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...on_From_Source

Quote:

$ make localmodconfig

Note: for more information about the new build target "localmodconfig" refer to the 2.6.32 release notes.
Note: There is a companion to localmodconfig called localyesconfig. Running it as a make target will convert all modules in the .config into[*] enabled with the net effect being all modules getting hard-coded into the kernel.

there is a lot of good info on ArchLinux wiki - maybe i should run that distro instead of Ubuntu

many thanks,

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicolasdiogo (Post 4452951)

there is a lot of good info on ArchLinux wiki - maybe i should run that distro instead of Ubuntu

You don't have to change the distro (while Arch is a fine distro), the information on Arch's wiki works for many distros.

Tobi

i am stuck (sorry)

i have compiled the kernel but it is failing to find my network adapter

Code:

04:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Device 1083 (rev c0)

        Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation Device 1083

        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-

        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-

        Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes

        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11

        Region 0: Memory at fe900000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]

        Region 2: I/O ports at c000 [size=128]

        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3

                Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=375mA PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+)

                Status: D0 NoSoftRst+ PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-

        Capabilities: [48] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

                Address: 0000000000000000  Data: 0000

        Capabilities: [58] Express (v1) Endpoint, MSI 00

                DevCap:        MaxPayload 4096 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s unlimited, L1 unlimited

                        ExtTag- AttnBtn+ AttnInd+ PwrInd+ RBE+ FLReset-

                DevCtl:        Report errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-

                        RlxdOrd- ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop-

                        MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 512 bytes

                DevSta:        CorrErr- UncorrErr+ FatalErr- UnsuppReq+ AuxPwr+ TransPend-

                LnkCap:        Port #0, Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, ASPM L0s L1, Latency L0 unlimited, L1 unlimited

                        ClockPM+ Surprise- LLActRep- BwNot-

                LnkCtl:        ASPM Disabled; RCB 64 bytes Disabled- Retrain- CommClk+

                        ExtSynch- ClockPM- AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-

                LnkSta:        Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, TrErr- Train- SlotClk+ DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-

        Capabilities: [6c] Vital Product Data

pcilib: sysfs_read_vpd: read failed: Connection timed out

                Not readable

        Capabilities: [100 v1] Advanced Error Reporting

                UESta:        DLP- SDES- TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF- MalfTLP- ECRC- UnsupReq+ ACSViol-

                UEMsk:        DLP- SDES- TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF- MalfTLP- ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-

                UESvrt:        DLP- SDES+ TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF+ MalfTLP+ ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-

                CESta:        RxErr- BadTLP- BadDLLP- Rollover- Timeout- NonFatalErr-

                CEMsk:        RxErr- BadTLP- BadDLLP- Rollover- Timeout- NonFatalErr+

                AERCap:        First Error Pointer: 14, GenCap+ CGenEn- ChkCap+ ChkEn-

        Capabilities: [180 v1] Device Serial Number ff-b6-e0-9d-00-25-22-ff

it was meant to be supported by the kernel that i compiled from sources:
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kern...6.39.4.tar.bz2

any suggestion on how i can fix this?

thanks,

After running make localmodconfig run start the menu with make menuconfig, search for your adapter in the network drivers section and enable the driver, then recompile.
I don't have experience with Atheros chips, so that is all I can give as help.

apparently all the atheros drivers are set as modules in the kernel 2.6.39.4

Code:

~# cat /boot/config-2.6.39.4-brainpowered-20110825-amd64 | grep -i ather

~# cat /boot/config-2.6.39.4-brainpowered-20110825-amd64 | grep -i atl

CONFIG_ATL2=m

CONFIG_ATL1=m

CONFIG_ATL1E=m

CONFIG_ATL1C=m

CONFIG_INPUT_ATLAS_BTNS=m

but when i compiled kernel 3 the network is fine, and it seems to have the same set of modules/drivers loaded.

Code:

~# cat /boot/config-3.0.3-brainpowered-01 | grep -i ather

~# cat /boot/config-3.0.3-brainpowered-01 | grep -i atl

CONFIG_ATL2=m

CONFIG_ATL1=m

CONFIG_ATL1E=m

CONFIG_ATL1C=m

CONFIG_INPUT_ATLAS_BTNS=m

any suggestion?

thanks,