From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Dec 10 09:12:44 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9B34D1065693 for ; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:12:44 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from m.seaman@infracaninophile.co.uk) Received: from smtp.infracaninophile.co.uk (gate6.infracaninophile.co.uk [IPv6:2001:8b0:151:1::1]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id EF0CC8FC19 for ; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:12:43 +0000 (UTC) Received: from significant-gravitas-shortfall.thebunker.net (gateway.ash.thebunker.net [213.129.64.4]) (authenticated bits=0) by smtp.infracaninophile.co.uk (8.14.3/8.14.3) with ESMTP id nBA9CWhU001236 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NO); Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:12:39 GMT (envelope-from m.seaman@infracaninophile.co.uk) X-DKIM: Sendmail DKIM Filter v2.8.3 smtp.infracaninophile.co.uk nBA9CWhU001236 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=simple/simple; d=infracaninophile.co.uk; s=200708; t=1260436359; bh=zJKHKD0Krd3cBKG1eHHyduRZPaHIqUJmfvHc5JNbHfI=; h=Message-ID:Date:From:MIME-Version:To:CC:Subject:References: In-Reply-To:Content-Type:Cc:Content-Type:Date:From:In-Reply-To: Message-ID:Mime-Version:References:To; z=Message-ID:=20<4B20BB7A.7050502@infracaninophile.co.uk>|Date:=20T hu,=2010=20Dec=202009=2009:12:26=20+0000|From:=20Matthew=20Seaman= 20|Organization:=20Infracaninophi le|User-Agent:=20Thunderbird=202.0.0.23=20(X11/20091202)|MIME-Vers ion:=201.0|To:=20David=20Naylor=20|CC:=2 0freebsd-questions@freebsd.org|Subject:=20Re:=20Monolithic=20vs=20 Modular=20Kernel?|References:=20<200912100939.07116.naylor.b.david @gmail.com>|In-Reply-To:=20<200912100939.07116.naylor.b.david@gmai l.com>|X-Enigmail-Version:=200.95.7|OpenPGP:=20id=3D60AE908C|Conte nt-Type:=20multipart/signed=3B=20micalg=3Dpgp-sha1=3B=0D=0A=20prot ocol=3D"application/pgp-signature"=3B=0D=0A=20boundary=3D"-------- ----enig8592FF8EC37D1930B0DE3125"; b=R+ZKpde9yzL291QceOYZk18EnbT3i3NvnM6VJYE5ob8rPhr3+Ler+unuW5d4K6CTM orAuMhc7oFZtdsbBqsd/gWVTLpsJhm1xtPBK2jTlOe/Z0VigEiyoIFNdfWqDDOIAQM 0vGfxVNh21m+GKktbQ5MUlivP1CUJsC784XIBNjw= X-Authentication-Warning: happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk: Host gateway.ash.thebunker.net [213.129.64.4] claimed to be significant-gravitas-shortfall.thebunker.net Message-ID: <4B20BB7A.7050502@infracaninophile.co.uk> Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:12:26 +0000 From: Matthew Seaman Organization: Infracaninophile User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.23 (X11/20091202) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: David Naylor References: <200912100939.07116.naylor.b.david@gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <200912100939.07116.naylor.b.david@gmail.com> X-Enigmail-Version: 0.95.7 OpenPGP: id=60AE908C Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="------------enig8592FF8EC37D1930B0DE3125" X-Virus-Scanned: clamav-milter 0.95.3 at happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk X-Virus-Status: Clean X-Spam-Status: No, score=-2.6 required=5.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_00,DKIM_SIGNED, DKIM_VERIFIED,SPF_FAIL autolearn=no version=3.2.5 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.2.5 (2008-06-10) on happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Monolithic vs Modular Kernel? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:12:44 -0000 This is an OpenPGP/MIME signed message (RFC 2440 and 3156) --------------enig8592FF8EC37D1930B0DE3125 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable David Naylor wrote: > Hi, >=20 > What are the pros and cons of building a stripped down kernel and loadi= ng all=20 > the missing parts via modules (such that you end up with the same=20 > functionality as generic kernel) vs having a kernel with all the module= s built=20 > in?=20 Flexibility mainly. The default kernel is pretty highly modularized nowa= days, meaning that it doesn't need to be enormous but can still support most ha= rdware encountered in the field. Even so, it still contains some wired-in code = to=20 support certain classes of functionality that will not be necessary on al= l=20 systems. =20 In general, there's not a huge benefit compared to the inconvenience to b= e gained=20 from aggressively stripping down your kernel nowadays, unless you have a = particular need for a really minimal system. > Also, is there anyway to detect if there are hardware without drivers (= such as=20 > a sound card without any snd_ loaded) and to detect the type of device = (e.g.=20 > network, usb, sound, graphics)? Running: # pciconf -lv will show up any devices on the PCI busses without any attached drivers. Similarly usbconfig(8) will tell you all about attached USB busses and de= vices. > Lastly, is there any way to determine what 'modules' a kernel is build = with? Examine the kernel configuration file. If you don't have access to this,= you might be able to extract it from the kernel image if it has been built wi= th options INCLUDE_CONFIG_FILE however, AFAIK this isn't the default for GENERIC kernels.=20 Cheers, Matthew --=20 Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil. Flat 3 7 Priory Courtyard PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey Ramsgate Kent, CT11 9PW, UK --------------enig8592FF8EC37D1930B0DE3125 Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name="signature.asc" Content-Description: OpenPGP digital signature Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="signature.asc" -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.13 (FreeBSD) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iEYEARECAAYFAksgu38ACgkQ3jDkPpsZ+VaMuACgkdoEiHCIlgFRRk172olfMJUI CYIAnAn1rN3d+zxHZSbfLIvQR8A7OSzX =SGF7 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --------------enig8592FF8EC37D1930B0DE3125--