linux benchmark methods for the kernel?
 

Yesterday I recompiled the Debian kernel with gcc flags optimized for the processor (tx to the Gentoo docs) and it does seem snappier. Since my mind might as well be playing tricks on me, I would like to run some benchmark.

Are there benchmark tools for Linux users? Or if I use something simple as bunzipping a 500 mb file how do accurately measure the time it takes?

I figured something out. Running something like:

# time zip -r test.zip some-very-large-dir/

shows the real, user and sys time. The optimized kernel shows an improvement of 0% to 2%...a complete waste of time! There goes Gentoo down the drain ;) (don't get touchy)

I will try a more scientific approach with proper mathematic correction for the results, but this unscientific starting point shows little promise.

I'll give it go, tx