[PLUG] RH 8.0 Kernel Compiling

[Richard Steffens]

"Karl M. Hegbloom" wrote:

> For playing MP3's, you might like to try "xmms", make it SUID root, and
> check off the "use realtime priority" option.

Thanks. I'll look into that.

> > I'm assuming that the solution is optimizing the kernel for each
> > machine. I understand from replies to an earlier post that I need to
> > read up on the low latency patch, and have done some of that.
> 
> The performance problems might have more to do with disk I/O latency
> than anything else.  Install and read about the "hdparm" tool.  You can
> use it to improve disk performance by quite a lot.  Turn on 32bit I/O,
> and DMA, and set multi count to 16.  That alone will often give you
> another several megabytes per second throughput.  If you've got UDMA 33
> or 66 hard drive + controller, but the BIOS does not set the disks into
> that mode automaticly, then you can also use "hdparm" to set the UDMA
> mode.  It only works when the hardware can do it though.

Lots of good stuff to learn. I think this machine may be old enough that
most of the higher performance stuff won't be there, but I'll look into
it.

> > Today's question is, where do I start reading about what options to
> > specify (or however it's done) to get a kernel that works well with the
> > AMD K6 chip as opposed to the Pentium chip.
> 
> There's a checkoff in the kernel configuration (make menuconfig) for
> what type of CPU you have.

I guess I'll just give that a try. I understand that compiling the
kernel doesn't change what's installed, so I won't really hurt anything
if I get it wrong the first (or second, or third) time. The important
thing is to make sure I don't overwrite the boot image (or whatever that
file is called), and add another option to GRUB. When I get back this
evening, I'll give it a try.

-- 
Regards,

Dick Steffens
http://rsteff.home.attbi.com/