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hpr_transcripts/hpr0309.txt

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+Episode: 309
+Title: HPR0309: Compiling a linux kernel
+Source: https://hub.hackerpublicradio.org/ccdn.php?filename=/eps/hpr0309/hpr0309.mp3
+Transcribed: 2025-10-07 15:58:37
+
+---
+
+.
+Deep Geek here, welcome to today's episode of Hacker Public Radio.
+Today I'm going to give you a short episode telling my experience custom-compiling a Linux
+kernel from my computer, which happens to be an AMD opt-iron computer, a single core
+model.
+Now, the reason I decided to do this was because the how-to type of documents and podcasts
+are bound, such as ones right here at hackerpublicraer.org, as well as ones referred to us and you
+can find them easily.
+So I thought it would be just too repetitious to tell you how to do it again.
+I didn't want to bore you, but I thought instead you might like to hear my impressions
+of what it was like to have gone through the process.
+So here goes.
+Now why did I decide to custom-compile a Linux kernel?
+Well many reasons are often given about why one should custom-compile.
+Two common reasons are to learn about Linux internals and to tailor the kernel for your
+hardware.
+I found that I was drawn to compiling because I want to get a quicker boot from my system.
+I thought that I could build a monolithic kernel with all the drivers built in and avoid
+a step called initrd loading.
+What initrd is is right when you start the computer, it quickly loads, your bootloader
+quickly loads a initial RAM disk image into the system.
+When that RAM disk image looks around, it's a version of the kernel, it's a micro-linux
+system, it looks around and loads the drivers it needs to load, then it switches to the actual
+kernel on your hard disk.
+And I thought I could build all the drivers built into the hard disk version and skip that
+step.
+Now without that step, if your disk needs a driver, you can't switch the disk because there's
+no driver for the disk and that's why that step is there.
+So I thought I could shave that time off.
+So what I found out was that I was mistaken about this because my main computer's hardware
+uses an Nvidia Sator driver and I could not work things out so that loading this as a
+module could be avoided.
+However, I did manage to make a kernel that offered me a feature that I would otherwise
+had to do without.
+So I can say that I will be back to doing this again sometime as I like the feel of the
+feature I have discovered.
+So what was the learning experience like?
+Well, to put it succinctly, it was frustrating.
+I know, and you want more than that.
+Well, the first thing I decided to do was to use the method known as MakeK Package and
+have a Debian tool do the work for me.
+I wanted to concentrate on the actual kernel, not the process, so I loaded up the tools
+and followed a handy how-to podcast I found on using this Debian tool.
+I began with the X-Base Configuration tool and found many interesting things in there.
+But after finding my way around, I realized that the logical thing for me to do was to
+take the configuration from my distribution stock kernel and modify it.
+And that was as easy as copying a file from the slash boot directory to the directory
+I was working in.
+I started by getting out of the generic processor and specifying the processor I know I owned.
+I then de-slurced the compile for best size option as I did not want to sacrifice any
+speed for compactness.
+Then I discovered all the things in there I did not need.
+I took them out, not only for making better kernel size, but also because each one I
+removed bit up the compiling time.
+You see, I found that a stock kernel could take like an hour to compile.
+During the stuff I did not need to cut that down to something like 20 minutes of compile.
+It took me about 10 compiles to get a working system going.
+So you can see that the time saved was important.
+So I took out the things that I didn't need, like dial-up support and WAN support, as
+I don't use dial-up anymore, and will probably never have a T3 line into my own computer.
+Then I took out support for all the sound cards, not on my system, as well as using only
+the SATA disk driver for my specific chipset.
+It was relatively easy, as some of the help files named the module that would be loaded
+if it was enabled, and X term and LS mod, the list mod command, became my best friend
+for a while, because I could, LS mod, see what was actually installed, find that module,
+enable it, and de-select the other ones.
+All of these changes resulted in a smaller kernel.
+As well as a smaller init RD file, however there was no speed enhancement, I could find
+for doing this, there also was no slow down and speed either.
+I did however find a feature that did cause a speed up, and that is a feature that allows
+the kernel to have more of voluntary give-ups processor control.
+And it is under load.
+The x-base configuration did have this mock as being for desktop environments, and I guess
+it is because Debian is a server as well as a desktop, as well as a development platform
+that they did not have this feature as being on.
+Now, while I did not notice any speed ups, I did notice that during my next backup,
+which I have automatically scheduled under Cron, that the system was more responsive.
+That takes a little explaining.
+You see, speed is how fast things get done.
+Nothing was faster.
+However, while I have a backup running, I tend to launch web browser windows, open up
+audio streams from radio stations, check e-mails, stuff like that.
+Well, when the system was under the load of a full backup, it would launch quite slowly,
+and typing would take longer to show up on the screen.
+But with the more give-ups feature, the system would launch just as quickly as if it weren't
+under load, and the typing speed was always responsive.
+So having done this, what is my conclusion?
+Should everybody compile?
+I don't think everybody should try to run a custom kernel.
+Your favorite distribution security updates to the kernel package is a huge trade-off.
+This is different if you make a significant gain in speed, or a feature you really need,
+or turning off a feature you don't want.
+Else, the educational benefit, just being able to know that you have done it, may make
+you want to do this.
+That concludes today's episode of Hacker Public Radio.
+I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you'll tune in tomorrow for yet something completely
+different.
+Thank you.