SMP Question

DRosenthal · n00b Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 17

I have searched the forums and not found the info I was looking for. I did find info I didn't know I needed (edit the /etc/make.globals file for SMP compiling) but I still have a question. Sorry if my search missed it.

What I need to know is, do I have to do anything special for the 2.4 kernel to recognize multiple processors or will it detect them and compile SMP into the kernel if I just set that switch (-j3) in /etc/make.globals? A Giga-byte GA-6BXD motherboard with dual 500 MHz P3's, 256 MB of RAM, and an 80 Gig IDE HD, is the system I am going to be installing Gentoo on.
Many thanks in advance!!

David

securiteaze · Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2002 6:04 pm Post subject:

Usually I add the following line to /etc/make.conf

phong · Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2002 6:38 pm Post subject:

You have to explicitly configure your kernel for SMP support - no part of the kernel compilation uses settings in make.conf or make.globals. Also note, you should never, ever edit make.globals - always put changes in make.conf.
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DRosenthal · n00b Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 17

Many thanks for the replys. I'm still pretty new to Linux in general and Gentoo in specific.

Could you please tell what step of the install (assuming a stage 1 tarball) that I would edit /etc/make.conf ?
Thanks again!

David

phong · Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2002 8:43 pm Post subject:

It's step 11.

DRosenthal · n00b Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 17

Thanks again for all the good info. I had stopped reading the install guide at step 10 (where my CD-less install of Gentoo cratered).

I guess my next question is should I install 1.2 or 1.4? Or more accurately, is there any reason (e.g. stability) not to install 1.4? Personal reasons for building a Gentoo box are that I am building a test server to study for my SAIR/GNU Linux certification. I have taken test 1, Install and Config, now I'm getting ready for tests 2 & 3, System Administration, and Networking. I intend to use this server in my home network (NIS, YP, Samba, etc.), but that's a secondary goal. I must have a server I can practice on, and I don't have the time to be constantly repairing stuff I'm not trying to study at the moment.
Thanks again,

David

masseya · Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2002 8:53 pm Post subject:

This is a debate that many have waged.

The short answer is that there have been more problems with 1.4rc1 because of GCC 3 than with the old more established GCC 2.95. This "more problems" is highly relative. I haven't really encounted any problems with 1.4rc1 in terms of stability. Please note that I am not using SMP and I haven't really read a lot of dicussion about GCC 3 and SMP systems.

The longer and more painful answers are About Gentoo 1.4... and Would u install GENTOO as a SERVER?

There may not be a whole lot of information in those for SMP issues, but there's a good deal of speculation about stability issues in 1.4 vs. 1.2.
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DRosenthal · n00b Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 17

Thanks again for pointers to relevant threads and good info. Just a few more questions before I'm ready to actually install then.

I notice that the install document is listed as being for 1.4. Since I've decided to install 1.2, am I going to need to change anything, or is there a link you can give me to the 1.2 install document? Are the USE flags the same between 1.2 and 1.4?
Thanks,

David

rac · Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2002 10:14 pm Post subject:

USE flags are constantly being added, but it's not a compiler version-specific thing. IOW, even if you choose to install GCC 2.95 (Gentoo 1.2), you can still use any of the latest and greatest USE flags supported by ebuilds you install. The 1.2 install guide is here.
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nE0 · Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2002 7:48 am Post subject:

DRosenthal · n00b Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 17

masseya · Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2002 4:22 am Post subject:

The gentoo web developers are upgrading quite a few things at the same time. This is why the link is now dead. Hopefully, they will have everything straight soon. In all honesty, I don't see a whole lot of reason to not go with 1.4. The install guide for 1.4 is very straightforward. If you want more information on the USE flags there's a doc on that too.

That being said. If you really want to install 1.2 please don't think that a lack of a document has to stop you. There are many people on the forums who have done this install many times and several (including myself) have printed copies with notes on them.

Feel free to ask questions. The overall process is pretty similar.
_________________
if i never try anything, i never learn anything..
if i never take a risk, i stay where i am..