How to find needed modules for rebuilding kernel

[Pat Maddox]

Thanks for the info.  My terminology is off...apparently what I really
meant is I'm wondering what drivers I need to compile into the kernel.
 I've done what you've suggested - removed SCSI support, all of the
NIC drivers besides the one I need, etc.  I'm just wondering how I can
find out EXACTLY what I need in there, so I can have as little as
possible.  It's a server, so it has a pretty narrow purpose, and I'd
like to keep the kernel as small and fast as I can.


On Fri, 1 Apr 2005 00:31:36 +0200, Danny Pansters <danny at ricin.com> wrote:
> On Thursday 31 March 2005 19:43, Pat Maddox wrote:
> > In rebuilding a kernel, how do you know exactly what modules you need?
> >  The Handbook is a good start, and a lot of them are obvious (i.e. if
> > I have no SCSI disks, disable all SCSI modules).  Others aren't so
> > easy, particularly serial devices, and the pseudo devices.  How can I
> > find out exactly what I need to enable, so I can make the kernel as
> > tight as possible?
> 
> Modules are not your concern, they get built anyway (or mostly .. not sure but
> probably not each and every possible module gets built). The idea is that if
> you for example need support for a new soundcard, you can just load the
> module (loader.conf) without needing to recompile the kernel. On an IDE/ATA
> system I generally turn down the scsi delay (I always do) and remove:
> 
> - all scsi raid cards and support
> - all ethernet cards, both pci/isa and usb except the one(s) I have (most can
> be loaded as a module also); beware whether it needs mii too
> - from the pseudo devices ppp/tun/slip as I'm connected via ethernet (cable)
> sometimes I disable ipv6 and gif/faith, sometimes I don't
> - all CPUs except the one you actually have (performance!)
> 
> I also remove most scsi support but beware that cdrecord (atapicam) requires
> the basic scsi devices, as does umass (camera's, cf fards, usb scanners, ..).
> 
> Generally unless you need to _add_ something to your kernel you don't really
> need to stray from GENERIC at all. If you want to have a kernel at least
> tuned for your CPU and without a lot of stuff you don't have anyway, do the
> above). But depending on the purpose of the box you can strip out quite a
> lot. Check NOTES, both in /usr/src/sys/conf and /usr/src/sys/<yourarch>/conf.
> (on FreeBSD4 that is LINT).
> 
> Also most if not all drivers and devices have manual pages and from the
> synopsis you can see which other devices or options come with them.
> 
> HTH,
> 
> Dan
> 
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