ARMedslack Slackware ARM port ()

Davide | 22 Apr 2011 15:23

kernel setup linux-2.6.38.3

While going about recompiling kernel for micro root I noticed a few things that one can do without at least
for kirkwood:

Fusion MPT device support 
  (this is a hardware RAID SCSI controller ... I doubt anyone will ever 
    have one connected to an ARM based embedde system even if a working 
    pcie slot. 
  )

IEEE 1394 (FireWire) support 
  (The kirkwood SOC does not have firewire in it so unless you have a 
    usb2firewire adapter, which would not make much sense anyway, 
    or a pci* slot where to place one in you wont need this.
    Those who have a kirkwood based system with working pcie slot and
    a pcie firewire card can recompile kernel 
  ) 

Regards
David

headers

Stuart Winter | 23 Apr 2011 10:09

Re: kernel setup linux-2.6.38.3


> Fusion MPT device support
>   (this is a hardware RAID SCSI controller ... I doubt anyone will ever
>     have one connected to an ARM based embedde system even if a working
>     pcie slot.
>   )
>
> IEEE 1394 (FireWire) support

There are many other things which are compiled as modules but aren't
needed. One of the reasons (apart from it takes time and there's no
reward) that there are unnecessary modules being built is that some
other modules which *are* needed and can be used, sometimes depend upon
others which cannot.  Without knowing what the dependencies are, they
won't be removed from the config.

However, since they *are* modules, the only slight niggle I have
is that the modules consume extra disc space.
My thoughts are that if anybody cares enough they can review them and
delete the modules they don't need: more over if someone's building an
embedded system, they'd rebuild the kernel with a tuned config file rather
than the kitchen sink config that comes with armedslack.

headers

Davide | 24 Apr 2011 17:28

Re: kernel setup linux-2.6.38.3

> > Fusion MPT device support
> >   (this is a hardware RAID SCSI
> controller ... I doubt anyone will ever
> >     have one connected to an ARM
> based embedde system even if a working
> >     pcie slot.
> >   )
> >
> > IEEE 1394 (FireWire) support
> 
> There are many other things which are compiled as modules
> but aren't
> needed. One of the reasons (apart from it takes time and
> there's no
> reward) that there are unnecessary modules being built is
> that some
> other modules which *are* needed and can be used, sometimes
> depend upon
> others which cannot.  Without knowing what the
> dependencies are, they
> won't be removed from the config.

Cannot think of anything that requires the fusion MPT module and I'm not sure that anything that is not
firewire will possibbly never need anything from the firewire stack appart from firewire2* adapter.

But don't get me wrong I was just reporting that as far as I know some things could possibly be never needed on a
kirkwood based system

> However, since they *are* modules, the only slight niggle I
> have

(Continue reading)