[Ilugc] Kernel Compilation: Modules vs Built-In
- From: andyetitmoves@xxxxxxxxx (Ramkumar R)
- Date: Mon Jan 17 10:45:12 2005
This is very wrong perception for modular kernel. Though Linux kernel
is monolithic kernel, but it has few features of microkernel and so as
modularity.
I never denied that (I guess you meant linux has _a_ few features of a
microkernel, the meaning isn't quite the same otherwise :)....My point
is that this run-time modularity is needed much for distros - as a
single user, you know most of your requirements beforehand, and hence
can use the performance compile time selection offers.
Seems you are note very clear with ( whether all the modules can
compile or not with kernel ), but defenitely, compiling all the module
in kernel will make the kernel faster, and also, it will effect the
size of the kernel and also it requires more amount of resources.
NO...your argument is valid only when you don't use all the modules -
as is the case with a distro...if that's not the case, it is the other
way round, though only by a small measure.
Also, I prefer compiling modules you know will be used always, not
*all* modules...
Let me point out very significat point here. Linux does not require
reiserfs/ext3/ext2 to bootup. It explodes the kernel into ram and then
depending on whether fs is modular or inbuilt in kernel, get loaded
and root file system get mounted on that and the reason you can see
that fs loaded as module and / mounted on same fs. Actually this is
break through for Linux Kernel, which was implemented for almost all
the devices.
Well, again I never said that you can't do it...I know about initrd
and its benefits...
I quote myself -
amt though...) - come on, there is no point in having a reiserfs
module with reiserfs on your hard disk. it is anyway needed right from
bootup to shutdown
Are you going to umount the root partition? No. So that module is
going to be referenced throughout. Now, in such a case a module
doesn't offer any advantage...On the other hand, take the floppy
driver - it makes sense to use it as a module if you don't use the
floppy too often. Gets loaded only when you actually use the floppy
and then can be removed after you finish using it.
Do remember that initrd does have its overhead - so, why use it when
not required?
it moves on...
Regards,
Animesh.
not use that frequently, or for those which I may not need now, but
may require it some time in the future - in fact, even for the second
case, it isn't that difficult to do a recompile anyway...
--
If you want to travel around the world and be invited to speak at a lot
of different places, _just_ write a Unix operating system.
- Linus Torvalds
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