Modules vs. built-in to kernel

static · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2002 6:23 pm Post subject: Modules vs. built-in to kernel

Hey guys! I'm a moderator for the upcoming new mandrakeuser board (mandrake was the first I ever heard of linux in february) I went gentoo this morning before work (and it'll be sitting in a stage 3 when I get home) and I was wondering (considering I do kernel stuff next)

What should be a module and what should be built-in? Basically there's just the ATA, DMA and ext2&3 disk stuff (built-in, obviously), and then ethernet card, video (radeon 64MB DDR vivo), sound (sblive!)...

Sould I just make it all built-in?? Someone told me modules are better because the kernel is sitting in memory the whole time, but I want speed, and my biggest problem is I'm clueless about the step following kernel compiling about "adding module names to that autoload file" so they load on boot - how do I know their names?

Take it easy on me! I'm almost in the clear! thanks for your help,

static

moderators - guess I should have put this into installing gentoo
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Gentoo and Doom III. 'Nuff Said.
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prolific · Guest

You can find out the name of the module by pressing the Question Mark key when you go over a module at the Kernel Configuration screen. It should usually at the botom say like input.o, hid.o, etc. depeding on which modules you choose.

Definetely go for modules for your NIC, sound card, etc. All you need to do is edit the modules.autoload file in the etc directory. Just add a new line for each different module..

EG. Mine looks something like this

tulip
input
keybdev
mousedev
hid
usb-uhci

static · Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2002 2:36 pm Post subject:

Awesome - thank you. Will do

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Gentoo and Doom III. 'Nuff Said.
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freefall · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 13 Apr 2002 Posts: 89

I never compile as modules. I see no reason.

If I compile as modules and load them during boot, then why not just compile them directly into the kernel? Is there something I´m missing?

Does a few hundred kb make such a difference in speed? I can imagine it making a difference on an old comp, but on a reasonably new one?

fghellar · Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2002 7:29 pm Post subject:

http://people.debian.org/~psg/ddg/node136.html
http://www.luv.asn.au/overheads/kernelmodules/
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salsashark · n00b Joined: 17 Apr 2002 Posts: 24 Location: Houston, TX

I didn't compile one single thing as a module.

Maybe that's blasphemy, or heretical or somehting, but I went ahead and just compiled everything into the kernel. Sound, Framebuffer support, devfs, NIC, etc. It works great!

Putzer · Guest

One thing nice about compiling items as modules is that you can compile one kernel and use it on other PCs. Just compile all the various types of NICs, sound cards, and asundries you have as modules. Then, on each separate box, you activate the modules you like.

I have 3 PCs networked together. Since they all use the same make and model NIC, I compiled it directly into the kernel. Sound and video are compiled as modules. :wink:

static · Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2002 1:45 pm Post subject:

I'm not used to this much freedom! Wow. I decided I don't have cashto upgrade, and I won't be transfering, and because of security/speed, I'd just go right for built-in. Those articles and your replies were much appreciated, guys. Keep on gentooing in the free world!
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Gentoo and Doom III. 'Nuff Said.
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