Building kernel witout some modules

kris27 · n00b Joined: 02 Jun 2010 Posts: 47 Location: Sydney

runing make nconfig or menuconfig as usual.
There are zilions of supported chips - I need just support for devices that are on my mother board.

Disabling (say <n>) does not make any difference on many or seems not having desired effects,
kernel compilation takes long time building modules that are not enabled or not needed.

Any idea how to modify Konfig or .config or what to do ??? please

Could not find answers on forum(s) ...

Buffoon · Veteran Joined: 17 Jun 2015 Posts: 1369 Location: EU or US

Try /usr/src/linux/README ... what you think why they called it README? Rolling your own kernel is great. Take your time to read the basics developers want you to know. Kernel is the most important part of your Linux after all, it pays off to know more about it.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 4:55 pm Post subject:

kris27,

There is a post from 2005 that gives the basics.
The method is still correct. 11 years on, you just need a bigger pot of coffee.

You only do this once per install, then you migrate your lean mean config from kernel to kernel.

My kernel seeds mirror has a much more detailed guide. Whiles its been unmaintained for a few years the method is still correct. There have been no new seeds since Pappy ran out of spare time due to real life.
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NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

Buffoon · Veteran Joined: 17 Jun 2015 Posts: 1369 Location: EU or US

I had in mind make targets, these are not mentioned in your guide. Also there is make nconfig now, happens to be my favorite.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 5:32 pm Post subject:

Buffoon,

The make targets only change your starting point. You still need to review all the settings yourself.
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NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

Buffoon · Veteran Joined: 17 Jun 2015 Posts: 1369 Location: EU or US

Correct, but OP was complaining about having too many modules. There are make targets that can cut off the bloat from defconfig.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 6:29 pm Post subject:

Buffoon,

I'll bet you a bacon buttie, the problem is building one kernel and booting another.
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Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

kris27 · n00b Joined: 02 Jun 2010 Posts: 47 Location: Sydney

kris27 · n00b Joined: 02 Jun 2010 Posts: 47 Location: Sydney

kris27 · n00b Joined: 02 Jun 2010 Posts: 47 Location: Sydney

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 8:28 am Post subject:

kris27,

In your example, you need to go through the SATA menu and turn each item off.
The alternative is to start from a mostly off configuration, and turn on everything that you need.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

szatox · Advocate Joined: 27 Aug 2013 Posts: 3134

I know there was some script that can analyse your system and prepare a .config file without stuff you don't use.
The downside it you must start with a bigger kernel. Good news is you can use one from liveCD or something like that and use it as the base.
Perhaps someone could remind us its name?

Well, you could also try hacking that config yourself: start with modular kernel and drop stuff that wasn't loaded. And try skipping modules used by 0 things (lsmod can show that).
Or try to get some information from /sys/.
If you happen to create an invalid config, you will find out early during build time. Make will complain and initiate the config wizzard.