Slackware 14.1-64 how to create vmlinux-huge-3.10.17

colweb · 10-14-2014, 09:16 AM

Hi all,

After installing Slackware 14.1-64 I see that vmlinuz-huge-3.10.17 is 6.290 kb in size. And I'm wondering what config file is/was used to create such a big file. And where can I find that config file?

When I compile the kernel (no matter what config file I use), the biggest vmlinux that I can create is about half the size.

greetings,
Colweb

frushiyama · 10-14-2014, 09:24 AM

Hi colweb, in the source dir:
ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/s...14.1/source/k/
The config file for the huge:
ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/s...ge-3.10.17.x64

GazL · 10-14-2014, 09:53 AM

Depends on how much you build-in as modules. Slackware's generic kernel runs in at 3,372k. My hand crafted 'custom' kernel runs in at 4,164k, which looks bigger but I build-in almost everything I want and have far fewer kernel modules as a result.

keefaz · 10-14-2014, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GazL

4,164k... I build-in almost everything I want and have far fewer kernel modules as a result.

I just configure some filesystems and sata drivers as built-in but always end with a ~4.2MB kernel file size, I guess I need to remove more features

colweb · 10-14-2014, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frushiyama

Hi colweb, in the source dir:
ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/s...14.1/source/k/
The config file for the huge:
ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/s...ge-3.10.17.x64

Well, I did download that source and places config-huge-3.10.17.x64 in the same directory. Of course, I copied it to .config and then did make -j200

After a very long time (dual core 2.66 Ghz machine) I have a vmlinux that is 27270182 bytes (26 MiB). That's 4.2 times bigger then vmlinuz-huge.3.10.17 as found in /boot.

Still wondering what Pat used to create the vmlinuz-huge that is in /boot and where I can find that config file.

frushiyama · 10-14-2014, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colweb

Well, I did download that source and places config-huge-3.10.17.x64 in the same directory. Of course, I copied it to .config and then did make -j200

After a very long time (dual core 2.66 Ghz machine) I have a vmlinux that is 27270182 bytes (26 MiB). That's 4.2 times bigger then vmlinuz-huge.3.10.17 as found in /boot.

Still wondering what Pat used to create the vmlinuz-huge that is in /boot and where I can find that config file.

You did not run make oldconfig ?
It is your premise but why 200 multiple jobs on a dual core? Just curious because i have a dual core machine too.

colweb · 10-14-2014, 12:26 PM

No, didn't run make oldconfig.

I thought that if there is a .config file you don't need to run make oldconfig. Maybe I'm wrong here.

200 multiple jobs to speed things up. Just doing make takes forever. Make -j did run out of memory (while it has 6 gig intern and 6 gig swap).

frushiyama · 10-14-2014, 12:49 PM

I always follow some parts of http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sla...nd_configuring when i build my kernels.
From the link

Quote:

Run make oldconfig in the kernel source directory so that the defaults are used from the .config file you just installed.

Maybe what you built is the whole kernel (with what all config to default?)...

Didier Spaier · 10-14-2014, 12:51 PM

Just use a provided -generic kernel and be happy.

Unless you need to build you own, of course, but unless I missed something you didn't state that need yet.

colweb · 10-14-2014, 01:38 PM

Usually I build my own kernel. And currently it is about 2.8 MiB.

It is not that I need to build vmlinuz-huge but when you do a clean install of 14.1-64 you would expect to be able to build both the huge and generic kernels that are installed in /boot

There are 2 config files in /boot as well and I tried both of them. But no matter what I tried, it never creates the same 6.1 MiB vmlinuz-huge file. Why not? Is /boot/config-huge-3.10.17 not the config file that is used to create vmlinuz-huge?

Didier Spaier · 10-14-2014, 01:51 PM

The procedure used by Pat is here.

rogan · 10-14-2014, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colweb

Usually I build my own kernel. And currently it is about 2.8 MiB.

It is not that I need to build vmlinuz-huge but when you do a clean install of 14.1-64 you would expect to be able to build both the huge and generic kernels that are installed in /boot

There are 2 config files in /boot as well and I tried both of them. But no matter what I tried, it never creates the same 6.1 MiB vmlinuz-huge file. Why not? Is /boot/config-huge-3.10.17 not the config file that is used to create vmlinuz-huge?

There are a few steps to carry out:
cd /usr/src/linux
make mrproper
cp /boot/config-huge-3.10.17 .config
make oldconfig
and/or make menuconfig and add/remove the stuff you want/don't want
make -j(number of processors*cores on your computer NOT more) bzImage

Now go check the size of arch/x86/boot/bzImage:
ls -l arch/x86/boot/bzImage

colweb · 10-18-2014, 03:10 AM

I want to thank you all for telling me how to compile a kernel.

But... so far, none of you could tell me what to do to create an exact copy of the huge kernel found in /boot.

Even if I follow the steps that Pat uses, it doesn't create the same file. And please take notice: I don't need to re-create the same file, I'm just wondering what to do to create the same thing.

If anybody managed to re-create the same file, please don't hesitate to post how you did it.

pamu1 · 10-18-2014, 03:56 AM

Maybe Pat has a special configuration file. For the purposes of the new edition of Slackware.
Or something in your machine is wrong

55020 · 10-18-2014, 05:40 AM

When I use the documented procedure, arch/x86/boot/bzImage is 6438016 bytes. /boot/vmlinuz-huge-3.10.17 is 6441264 bytes. That's 3248 bytes difference. That's plenty close enough.

If you want a bit-for-bit exactly reproducible executable, that is not possible without the use of experimental tools. There are multiple sources of nondeterminism; date and time stamps are just one example. We already had another thread about that this week (here). If you want to know more, look at https://wiki.debian.org/ReproducibleBuilds and https://wiki.debian.org/SameKernel