From owner-freebsd-questions Sun Oct 20 08:41:41 1996 Return-Path: owner-questions Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) id IAA26817 for questions-outgoing; Sun, 20 Oct 1996 08:41:41 -0700 (PDT) Received: from gatekeeper.barcode.co.il (gatekeeper.barcode.co.il [192.116.93.17]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) with ESMTP id IAA26812 for ; Sun, 20 Oct 1996 08:41:36 -0700 (PDT) Received: (from nadav@localhost) by gatekeeper.barcode.co.il (8.7.5/8.6.12) id RAA12895; Sun, 20 Oct 1996 17:40:52 +0200 (IST) Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 17:40:52 +0200 (IST) From: Nadav Eiron To: Donny Lee cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Rebuilding a new kernel. What I should take care? In-Reply-To: <199610201433.WAA02360@ms1.hinet.net> Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Sender: owner-questions@freebsd.org X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk On Sun, 20 Oct 1996, Donny Lee wrote: > Since I have to rebuild a new kernel for my IDE CD-ROM, > I'd like to hear you all in some points: > > 1) Should I comment out those devices or options I don't need in > MY_KERNEL config file? Basicly, the answer is yes. Note, however, that you need to be sure of what you need and what not. Read through LINT (and Installing and Running FreeBSD if you have that). Some devices (for example ether, loop, npx) should *not* be removed. Removing things you don't need will make your kernel smaller. > > 2) What's good and bad if, for example, I comment out those > scsi devices except the one fits my scsi card? Good: The kernel will be smaller and it will not probe for devices you don't have (though you can get that effect by just disabling the probe on the devices). This means that you'll have more memory free for useful stuff, and the machine will boot faster (device probes are very time-consuming). Bad: Very little I guess. If you add cards, you'll have to make a new kernel, but I guess people aren't changing their SCSI controller that frequently. Ugly: When you have to shoot - shoot, don't talk :-) > > 3) Will a smaller kernel speed up ay boot time? if so, how to > make a kernel small? See above. The size of the kernel is not the major factor in boot time. Probing for devices is. > > BTW, thanks for you all. I can't fine many FreeBSD companions > here in Taipei, and worse no FreeBSD related local news groups, > I then have to post every questions here. > > // Donny > Nadav