Gentoo Forums
Gentoo Forums
Gentoo Forums
Quick Search: in
Modulelization
View unanswered posts
View posts from last 24 hours

 
Reply to topic    Gentoo Forums Forum Index Installing Gentoo
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
yojimbosteel
n00b
n00b


Joined: 11 Nov 2006
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:19 am    Post subject: Modulelization Reply with quote

Hello

I am manually configuring the linux kernel using:
Code:
make menuconfig

I was wondering if anyone could point me to an article or discussion about the pros/cons of adding items as modules vs getting compiled in the kernel. I am sure this varies on a case by case basis, so any direction would help.
Thanks :)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Clad in Sky
l33t
l33t


Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 885
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 6:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Gentoo Kernel Configuration Guide has something to say about that.
I'd recommend to build in all file systems you need. I personally also compile in most drivers except the one for my wireless usb adapter and alsa drivers. I dunno if that is the thing to do but it works very well so far.
_________________
Kali Ma
Now it's autumn of the aeons
Dance with your sword
Now it's time for the harvest
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MaximeG
l33t
l33t


Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 722
Location: Belgium

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,

Usually, you want to build as module anything you want to have the opportunity to load and unload.

- It's useful for testing purpose : you load a module, test it, unload it, reload another one, test this one .... without the need of recompiling your kernel and restarting your computer.

- It is also useful when you don't need a module to be loaded all the time, such as a wireless device driver module or an ntfs module.

Otherwise, you can build in kernel.

Regards,
Maxime
_________________
Future is wide open.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
timeBandit
Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva


Joined: 31 Dec 2004
Posts: 2719
Location: here, there or in transit

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One more category I would include: if any of your hardware has proven even slightly unreliable, or if driver support for it is immature, build those drivers as modules (and don't forget to auto-load them at boot). Similar to the testing purposes noted by MaximeG, if you have trouble with some hardware you can often reload the relevant module(s) and avoid a reboot.
_________________
Plants are pithy, brooks tend to babble--I'm content to lie between them.
Super-short f.g.o checklist: Search first, strip comments, mark solved, help others.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
i92guboj
Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva


Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 10315
Location: Córdoba (Spain)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

timeBandit wrote:
One more category I would include: if any of your hardware has proven even slightly unreliable, or if driver support for it is immature, build those drivers as modules. Similar to the testing purposes noted by MaximeG, if you have trouble with some hardware you can often reload the relevant module(s) and avoid a reboot.


For example if your external usb case turns to have a faulty power input, something which is turning to be more frequent that I'd like lately for me :p



Nowadays the kernel has become that good at loading external modules that you rarely need to modprobe anything by hand at all. So I'd say that the only things you strictly need builtin are those that you can't boot without (chipset, sata driver, fs's...). On servers some times people disable the module support from the kernel to avoid rootkits that come as kernel modules. But my humble opinion is that, given the fact that to load such a rootkit you already need to be root, by that time is already too late to stop the attacker, and you have more important things to worry about that the rootkit itself.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Gentoo Forums Forum Index Installing Gentoo All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum