Hello All,

Now I am using the LZO algorithm to compress and decompress a Vmlinux kernel. Now I have a plan to use LZ4.

I have done the all following changes available in internet to add lz4 feature, Because Im using 3.8 kernel version and this LZ4 feature available from 3.12 only,

arch/arm/Kconfig | 1 +
arch/arm/boot/compressed/.gitignore | 1 +
arch/arm/boot/compressed/Makefile | 3 +-
arch/arm/boot/compressed/decompress.c | 4 +
arch/arm/boot/compressed/piggy.lz4.S | 6 +
arch/x86/Kconfig | 1 +
arch/x86/boot/compressed/Makefile | 5 +-
arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.c | 4 +
include/linux/decompress/unlz4.h | 10 ++
include/linux/lz4.h | 62 +++++++++++
init/Kconfig | 13 ++-
lib/Kconfig | 7 ++
lib/Makefile | 2 +
lib/decompress.c | 5 +
lib/decompress_unlz4.c | 199 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
lib/lz4/Makefile | 1 +
lib/lz4/lz4_decompress.c | 199 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
lib/lz4/lz4defs.h | 129 ++++++++++++++++++++++
scripts/Makefile.lib | 5 +
usr/Kconfig | 9 ++

The following changes in kernel defconfig,

CONFIG_RD_LZ4=y
CONFIG_HAVE_KERNEL_LZ4=y
CONFIG_KERNEL_LZ4=y
CONFIG_LZ4_COMPRESS=y
CONFIG_LZ4_DECOMPRESS=y
CONFIG_DECOMPRESS_LZ4=y

After compiling the rpm I have checked the .config which is present in inside /root/build/kernel.x.x/linux.x.x folder,

All the changes are reflected in .config file except CONFIG_LZ4_COMPRESS and CONFIG_LZ4_DECOMPRESS. Still it shows CONFIG_LZO_COMPRESS=y and CONFIG_LZO_DECOMPRESS=y. I just want to understand even though I am giving compression and decompression parameter with LZ4 bt still .config using LZO.

After installing the kernel on the target, I have checked /proc/kallsyms and the output looks for decompressing a VMlinux using LZO only.

Any comments or suggestions are highly appreciated.

if the version of your kernel doesnt support a feature, it doesn't matter what you put in the config it will just get ignored/overitten/kicked out etc, setting an option in the config file wont suddenly make the code understand new features.

Hi Hedger,

We can enable the LZ4 algorithm to compress and decompress a vmlinux by applying a few patches and some config changes. And Finally I able to use LZ4 for compress and decompress a vmlinux.

After added the lz4 seems the boot time is improved. I found one command to get the decompress details from the system.

cat /proc/kallsyms |grep lz4

c114bc34 t _lzo1x_1_do_compress
c114bf73 T lzo1x_1_compress
c114c030 T lzo1x_decompress_safe
c114c538 T lz4_decompress_unknownoutputsize
c114c6fb T lz4_decompress
c1209f98 t regcache_lzo_sync
c120a03c t regcache_lzo_exit
c120a09c t regcache_lzo_decompress_cache_block.clone.4
c120a0f9 t regcache_lzo_read
c120a19b t regcache_lzo_compress_cache_block.clone.5
c120a201 t regcache_lzo_write
c120a313 t regcache_lzo_init
c14fb2d9 T unlz4

Now I'm seeing both LZO and LZ4 from output. How to debug which algorithm will be used for decompress a static kernel.

Thanks in Advance,
Jegathesan

Assuming that your patch works...

Open the .config file. Set ALL compression algorithms to "is not set", for example:
Save changes. Now execute:
The configuration script will now start with asking you what compression method you want to use (as the default one).
.

Hi zk1234,

This is the .config file content related compression algorithm by default,

# CONFIG_KERNEL_GZIP is not set
# CONFIG_KERNEL_BZIP2 is not set
# CONFIG_KERNEL_LZMA is not set
# CONFIG_KERNEL_XZ is not set
# CONFIG_KERNEL_LZO is not set
CONFIG_KERNEL_LZ4=y

So I already modified and compiling a kernel with this changes.

If you are going to patch the kernel anyway why not just use an upto date one that has the options you want? Seems a bit like re-inventing the wheel to me, or is there some specific reason to use the older kernel.

Also, I would candidly suggest that a change to the (de-)compression algorithm would change boot-time, "at best, only slightly." The things that slow down system initialization usually occur well after the resident-kernel itself has been decompressed and loaded into memory.

Hi jegadezz,

Please provide the kernel configuration and patches to enable lz4 in linux kernel.