Should I use genkernel?

Avicus · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 107

I know everyone suggests compiling a kernel manually and I've done so many times. I'm just trying to see if there is a good reason to use genkernel instead....

I am a Systems Analyst that also does troubleshooting of computers and peripherals. I have recently put Gentoo on my work computer (in a Win2000 domain) and have found every way to stay in Gentoo and not boot into Windows.

So, anyway, would genkernel be useful in my environment as I wish to be able to support all peripherals on my computer, much the same way Windows could? I know manually compiling the kernel often leads to optimizing it for only the hardware you know you'll use on it, could I "max out" the kernel and modules manually to provide the same level of versatilty a genkernel kernel provides?

Any thoughts?

thepi · Guru Joined: 06 Jan 2004 Posts: 352 Location: Tokyo, Japan

I'd rather suggest you compile as many parts of the kernel as modules. That way you can try & load every module to check out if they work for you, then put all those you need in /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-<version>. That'd spare you the hassle of a bloated kernel which occasionally produces incompatibilities (see forum posts, there were some problems w/ genkernel a while ago).

my 2¢
pi~
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Avicus · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 107

So to support a network card, I have to find out what module it uses and then load it? That seems kind of tedious.... I want to be able to just stick in whatever peripheral (network card, usb devices, sound card, etc.) and have it work... is this impossible or unreasonable to expect from linux just yet?

Kurse · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 3:44 pm Post subject:

It works just fine in Linux, but you need to take the time and learn the naming, etc. of the drivers you need for your devices the same way you did in Windows.

If you watch during installation from a LiveCD you will see the names of most, if not all, of your devices as it probes them. Write them down if you need to.

You will need to do at least a LITTLE preparation if you are not familiar with the *nix way of doing things.

You could start with Genkernel, just to get the hang of things, but eventually you will learn enough that you will want to use a kernel tailored to your system. There is no sense in supporting tons of hardware that your system does not have, or features you will never need/use. Thats just a waste of system resources, and your time.

Naib · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 3:44 pm Post subject:

Avicus · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 107

Haha I didn't mean to sound like that! But anyway, at least I am getting my questions answered!

OK so thats fair, I know windows need drivers and also agree linux 'drivers' are handled nicer.

SO, I can compile everything as modules and then expect hotplug to load the required modules on boot up?

Naib · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:03 pm Post subject:

Almost.
Compiling things as modules is the best way to do things (thus they are used ONLY when needed)

However, some things need to be compiled into the kernel.
Things like the driver for the filesystem your "/" is on (eg Ext3).
Drivers for SCSI (if your "/" is on a SCSI disc)
Drivers for RAID (if your "/" is part of a RAID).

Basically anything that your kernel will need to be able to load modules from disc. IF it doesn't understand how to talk to a piece of hardware to start INIT then it will panic. Common mistake is forgetting to compile something into the kernel

thepi · Guru Joined: 06 Jan 2004 Posts: 352 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Well, no, actually you can't. IIRC the LiveCD is compiled with genkernel, that means (almost) everything is activated. It's just "if it's not there, it's not used(tm)", that means the kernel has the support built-in so that all the hardware would just work. Knoppix on the other hand has a kind of hardware-detection which loads the appropriate modules while scanning for them. Maybe Gentoo LiveCDs do the same, and I just didn't recognize it.

However, it's your choice. Have a (propably bloated) genkernel config where everything *should* just work, or fiddle around a bit, and maintain the modules autoload list for yourself. Personally I prefer having the control, knowing what my machine's doing, but if you don't care, propably genkernel is the perfect choice for you.

hth,
pi~
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frilled · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:12 pm Post subject:

iainvt · Guru Joined: 12 Sep 2004 Posts: 462 Location: UK

i would say start with genkernel if you want you can learn as you go, once you have a working kernel you can always boot into your on a winner
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frilled · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 5:20 pm Post subject:

Well ... I came to hate genkernel from the bottom of my heart ;-)

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iainvt · Guru Joined: 12 Sep 2004 Posts: 462 Location: UK

Linux is about choice after all.
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frilled · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:50 pm Post subject:

Yup, and remember I didn't say "Don't use it!".
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iainvt · Guru Joined: 12 Sep 2004 Posts: 462 Location: UK

ok you got me, just been having a flame at some guy trying to start a chain letter in the forum, came here in a bad mood, appologies.
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frilled · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:09 pm Post subject: