Can't run iotop on the latest PCLinuxOS, kernel parameters missing

Iron Mew · 07-15-2015, 08:42 AM

I'm determined to have a go at using a distro that isn't Debian- or Ubuntu-based, so I'm giving a shot to PCLinuxOS. I installed the 2014.12 Mate version, and after a couple tweaks it's working pretty well, but I can hear constant disk access. I'd like to figure out what's accessing the drive, so I installed iotop, but it gives me this output:

Code:

[root@longcat ~]# iotop
Could not run iotop as some of the requirements are not met:
- Linux >= 2.6.20 with
  - I/O accounting support (CONFIG_TASKSTATS, CONFIG_TASK_DELAY_ACCT, CONFIG_TASK_IO_ACCOUNTING)

I checked the options by zcatting /proc/config.gz

Code:

[root@longcat ~]# zcat /proc/config.gz | grep TASKST
CONFIG_TASKSTATS=y
[root@longcat ~]# zcat /proc/config.gz | grep TASK_DE
CONFIG_TASK_DELAY_ACCT=y
[root@longcat ~]# zcat /proc/config.gz | grep CONFIG_TASK_IO
[root@longcat ~]#

So apparently I'm missing the last option. What do I do to enable it? I don't know the first thing about kernel tinkering (hence my posting in this subforum), so if there's any recompiling to be done I've no idea how to do it.

syg00 · 07-16-2015, 01:30 AM

According to the Kconfig, CONFIG_TASK_IO_ACCOUNTING depends on CONFIG_TASK_XACCT. May explain it's absence.

So yes, you'll need to get hold of the kernel source tree, make your changes, compile and install it. PCLinuxOS may have a patched tree available (so you get all their changes) - their support fora/wiki would be the place to look.
Else there are innumerable how-to's on the web - search "kernel compile linux".