On machines used as audio workstations i build a new kernel with the realtime patch (jackd and fellows), and at this occasion i do some adjustments, like building a more monolithic kernel (but that's more superstition than a decision based on measured facts), ramdisk size/numbers, and so on, as hardware doesn't change on those machines. Otherwise (simple desktops) i leave the original kernel untouched.
Years ago i had the ambition to build a specialized kernel for each machine, but now...
Probably again just for curiosity when i get my raspberry.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

That's how I handle every package, and the kernel is nothing special in this respect. I don't follow -current, so no rolling releases for me. Also the times of recompiling kernels as a configuration measure are long gone.

In BSD/Unix land, the kernel is integrated tightly with the rest of the operating system and only upgraded together with it. Doing the same on Slackware looks like a sane strategy to me. I never had any stability issues with Pat's kernel choices.

I was just reading up about this yesterday, over at the Slackermedia website:

http://slackermedia.info/html/kernel.html

Their take: "These issues are ancient history now. The Linux kernel version 2.6.38.4 received a 200-line block of code that drastically changed its ability to work with near-realtime performance, and multimedia producers haven't looked back since."

...i should read more changelogs...

Thank you for the hint, on a rainy Saturday-afternoon i'm going to try with the original kernel.
lambo

If hardware still works, and I don't see the security fixes, I use the kernel from Slackware's distribution. Otherwise, I upgrade the kernel to the next or recent stable release.

Have you reported this bug?

I just stick with the stock kernel unless it doesn't support hardware that I use (Toshiba Satellite, I'm looking at you).

If it's not broken, don't fix it.

kernel version 3.5.0-2 hangs at boot with modesetting: "conflicting fb hw usage radeondrmfb vs VESA VGA - removing generic driver"

Yes, on Redhat's bugzilla; if I switch back to Slackware on my laptop I will re-report to the real kernel devs. Fedora has once again disappointed me and I have switched to Ubuntu for the time being (12.04 uses 3.2.x kernel so my video works)

I'll upgrade if there's security concerns or hardware issues. Had issues with piledriver cpu and xbox controller which got resolved after upgrading kernel from stock slackware 14 kernel.

I back to running slackware after several years. One thing I like about slackware is there are no distro-dependant patches.

One of the first things I usually want to do when installing slackware is compile a kernel that includes whatever filesystem (ext3 right now) ether-net and maybe other things that are in the computer that aren't going to change. I don't use initrd after install unless I screwup and have to but with the original kernel.

I'm up to 3.4.40 right now and I have been tweaking it almost every day, since I have the time, and I'm about 10 years behind on some of this. I just wish I didn't have the nvidia graphics, that I have to reinstall the module for each time. This computer wasn't originally bought with linux in mind. It was my ex girlfriend's computer.

That will just build the module and copy it to /lib/modules/3.4.40/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.ko, and you won't need to reconfigure anything (it should just work when you reboot into the new kernel).

Not sure if you knew that already or not, but just thought I'd mention it -- no need to rebuild/reinstall the whole thing. If you use a LOCALVERSION tag then be sure to specify that (3.4.40-tag instead of 3.4.40).

You could always use nouveau instead of nvidia.

Not sure which GPU's have the best open source module support but Nvidia has the best in house Linux binary driver with ATI second. I'd imagine you need a very old GPU for a great open source module.

Cheers, same here. I tend to steal Pat's current configs lately, they just seem more stable than my own configuration efforts.

Member Response
 

Hi,

I tend to work for a while on PV's kernels for my stable Slackware. Lately, I have been experimenting with linux-3.8.7 & now using linux-3.8.10 with slackware64 14.0. Moving to linux-3.9 version in a few weeks. Linux 3.9 Clamps Down on Power Speeds Up with SSD options will be a decision for testing on my new hardware since these have system 'SSD'. Love that Solid State hardware at my age! :)

So far no real issues with any of the newer kernels.