Some questions about kernel tailoring

Some questions about kernel tailoring

[dfsd df]

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Hello, everybody:
     Now, I participate to porting linux to MIPS platform. I'm a newbie.
 
     I met some questions, I hope somebody can tell me why or give me some hints! thanks!
 
The board is Malta, CPU is MIPS4kc. I downloaded kernel src from ftp.mips.com
 
    1. I use "make zImage" for kernel-2.4.3, everything is ok!
 But using "make zImage" for kernel-2.4.18, I failed, It could only build a vmlinux file. 
I  find it's because of no rules in arch/mips/boot/Makefile to build zImage. 
So I modified the arch/mips/boot/Makefile, It worked fine.
 but when excuted "./mkboot zImage.tmp zImage", It generated a very big zImage file. After noticing "file size exceed", the system delete the zImage file automatically!
 
what's wrong about it? It's ok for kernel-2.4.3. and I can make sure that the mkboot is no problem.
 
2. I only selectd board and cpu type when compiling the kernel-2.4.3. 
If using make ,the vmlinux size is about 780k. If using "make zImage", the zImage file is about 580k.
I think that's a minimun size by using "make menuconfig". 
but I use gzip to compress this two files, its size became only 1/3 of their original size.
 
So I'm puzzled why "make zImage" don't use gzip compress method? If so , we can get a more small kernel, isn't it?
 
thanks again!
 



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Re: Some questions about kernel tailoring

[Stuart Longland]

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dfsd df wrote:
> Hello, everybody:
>      Now, I participate to porting linux to MIPS platform. I'm a newbie.
>  
>      I met some questions, I hope somebody can tell me why or give me
> some hints! thanks!
>  
> The board is Malta, CPU is MIPS4kc. I downloaded kernel src from
> ftp.mips.com <ftp://ftp.mips.com>
>  
> 1. I use "make zImage" for kernel-2.4.3, everything is ok!
> But using "make zImage" for kernel-2.4.18, I failed, It could only
> build a vmlinux file.

That's correct... 'vmlinux' is your kernel.  mips doesn't use zImages.

> I find it's because of no rules in arch/mips/boot/Makefile to build
> zImage.
> So I modified the arch/mips/boot/Makefile, It worked fine.
>  but when excuted "./mkboot zImage.tmp zImage", It generated a very big
> zImage file. After noticing "file size exceed", the system delete the
> zImage file automatically!
> 

Try running mkboot on the vmlinux file.

> what's wrong about it? It's ok for kernel-2.4.3. and I can make sure
> that the mkboot is no problem.

A newer kernel mightn't be a bad idea either... 2.4.3 is very old now.

> 2. I only selectd board and cpu type when compiling the kernel-2.4.3.
> If using make ,the vmlinux size is about 780k. If using "make zImage",
> the zImage file is about 580k.
> I think that's a minimun size by using "make menuconfig".
> but I use gzip to compress this two files, its size became only 1/3 of
> their original size.
>  
> So I'm puzzled why "make zImage" don't use gzip compress method? If so ,
> we can get a more small kernel, isn't it?
>  
> thanks again!

I'll let the guru's chime in here :-)

(PS... Please refrain from HTML email on this list)

-- 
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Stuart Longland -oOo- http://stuartl.longlandclan.hopto.org |
| Atomic Linux Project     -oOo-    http://atomicl.berlios.de |
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| I haven't lost my mind - it's backed up on a tape somewhere |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

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Re: Some questions about kernel tailoring

[Ralf Baechle DL5RB]

On Thu, Mar 31, 2005 at 08:20:17AM +1000, Stuart Longland wrote:

> (PS... Please refrain from HTML email on this list)

The list is configured to reject HTML email.  But - the filter didn't
detect this broken use of HTML.

  Ralf

Re: Some questions about kernel tailoring

[dfsd df]

Thanks for your reply!

> That's correct... 'vmlinux' is your kernel.  mips
> doesn't use zImages.

But , the vmlinux is too big, Waht should I do? Is the
vmlinux already compressed?

> (PS... Please refrain from HTML email on this list)

Sorry, I'm a newbie, I really don't know what you
mean. :-)

--- Stuart Longland <stuartl@longlandclan.hopto.org>
wrote:
> dfsd df wrote:
> > Hello, everybody:
> >      Now, I participate to porting linux to MIPS
> platform. I'm a newbie.
> >  
> >      I met some questions, I hope somebody can
> tell me why or give me
> > some hints! thanks!
> >  
> > The board is Malta, CPU is MIPS4kc. I downloaded
> kernel src from
> > ftp.mips.com <ftp://ftp.mips.com>
> >  
> > 1. I use "make zImage" for kernel-2.4.3,
> everything is ok!
> > But using "make zImage" for kernel-2.4.18, I
> failed, It could only
> > build a vmlinux file.
> 
> That's correct... 'vmlinux' is your kernel.  mips
> doesn't use zImages.
> 
> > I find it's because of no rules in
> arch/mips/boot/Makefile to build
> > zImage.
> > So I modified the arch/mips/boot/Makefile, It
> worked fine.
> >  but when excuted "./mkboot zImage.tmp zImage", It
> generated a very big
> > zImage file. After noticing "file size exceed",
> the system delete the
> > zImage file automatically!
> > 
> 
> Try running mkboot on the vmlinux file.
> 
> > what's wrong about it? It's ok for kernel-2.4.3.
> and I can make sure
> > that the mkboot is no problem.
> 
> A newer kernel mightn't be a bad idea either...
> 2.4.3 is very old now.
> 
> > 2. I only selectd board and cpu type when
> compiling the kernel-2.4.3.
> > If using make ,the vmlinux size is about 780k. If
> using "make zImage",
> > the zImage file is about 580k.
> > I think that's a minimun size by using "make
> menuconfig".
> > but I use gzip to compress this two files, its
> size became only 1/3 of
> > their original size.
> >  
> > So I'm puzzled why "make zImage" don't use gzip
> compress method? If so ,
> > we can get a more small kernel, isn't it?
> >  
> > thanks again!
> 
> I'll let the guru's chime in here :-)
> 
> (PS... Please refrain from HTML email on this list)
> 
> -- 
>
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
> | Stuart Longland -oOo-
> http://stuartl.longlandclan.hopto.org |
> | Atomic Linux Project     -oOo-   
> http://atomicl.berlios.de |
> | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> - - - - - |
> | I haven't lost my mind - it's backed up on a tape
> somewhere |
>
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
> 

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Re: Some questions about kernel tailoring

[Stuart Longland]

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dfsd df wrote:
> Thanks for your reply!
> 
>>That's correct... 'vmlinux' is your kernel.  mips
>>doesn't use zImages.
> 
> But , the vmlinux is too big, Waht should I do? Is the
> vmlinux already compressed?

Normally you manually gzip it -- but it will largely depend on what the
bootloader for your device expects.  Incidentally, are you trying to
boot the kernel directly, or via something like U-boot or YAMON?
AFAIK these evaluation boards are not designed to directly boot a kernel.

>>(PS... Please refrain from HTML email on this list)
> Sorry, I'm a newbie, I really don't know what you
> mean. :-)

Rich text emails -- in layman's terms.  Couple of reasons for this:
* They do make the email slightly larger
* Not everyone can see HTML
* SPAM and Viruses commonly exploit HTML

Never mind though, as it seems your mail client has figured to use
plaintext already. ;-)

-- 
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Stuart Longland -oOo- http://stuartl.longlandclan.hopto.org |
| Atomic Linux Project     -oOo-    http://atomicl.berlios.de |
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| I haven't lost my mind - it's backed up on a tape somewhere |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

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Re: Some questions about kernel tailoring

[dfsd df]

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Thanks again!
 
Because of the limitation of memory, I don't want to use YAMON. 
Using gzip -9, I can get a kernel more small than the kernel made by "make zImage". 
So I want to write a very simple bootloader and make a self-decompressed kernel.
 
But why everyone use "make zImage" instead of my method? That's what puzzles me? 

Stuart Longland <stuartl@longlandclan.hopto.org> wrote:
dfsd df wrote:
> Thanks for your reply!
> 
>>That's correct... 'vmlinux' is your kernel. mips
>>doesn't use zImages.
> 
> But , the vmlinux is too big, Waht should I do? Is the
> vmlinux already compressed?

Normally you manually gzip it -- but it will largely depend on what the
bootloader for your device expects. Incidentally, are you trying to
boot the kernel directly, or via something like U-boot or YAMON?
AFAIK these evaluation boards are not designed to directly boot a kernel.

>>(PS... Please refrain from HTML email on this list)
> Sorry, I'm a newbie, I really don't know what you
> mean. :-)

Rich text emails -- in layman's terms. Couple of reasons for this:
* They do make the email slightly larger
* Not everyone can see HTML
* SPAM and Viruses commonly exploit HTML

Never mind though, as it seems your mail client has figured to use
plaintext already. ;-)

-- 
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Stuart Longland -oOo- http://stuartl.longlandclan.hopto.org |
| Atomic Linux Project -oOo- http://atomicl.berlios.de |
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| I haven't lost my mind - it's backed up on a tape somewhere |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+



---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
150万曲MP3疯狂搜，带您闯入音乐殿堂
美女明星应有尽有，搜遍美图、艳图和酷图
1G就是1000兆，雅虎电邮自助扩容！

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Re: Some questions about kernel tailoring

[Stuart Longland]

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dfsd df wrote:
> Thanks again!

BTW: Your mail client has just switched back to its fixation on HTML.
Could you please have a close look at the settings and disable HTML mail
composition?  (at least for this email address/domain)

> Because of the limitation of memory, I don't want to use YAMON.
> Using gzip -9, I can get a kernel more small than the kernel made by
> "make zImage".
> So I want to write a very simple bootloader and make a self-decompressed
> kernel.

AFAIK the bootloader is only resident during the initial bootup, and is
normally gone by the time userland kicks in.  (Think about it -- what's
 the point in it sticking around, its job is done ;-)

If you've got at least 8MB RAM you should be okay.  (And lets face it --
Linux on 4MB *IS NOT PRETTY* -- Been there, done that)  How much RAM are
you working with?
-- 
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Stuart Longland -oOo- http://stuartl.longlandclan.hopto.org |
| Atomic Linux Project     -oOo-    http://atomicl.berlios.de |
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| I haven't lost my mind - it's backed up on a tape somewhere |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

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Re: Some questions about kernel tailoring

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <20050331094116.66254.qmail@web15805.mail.cnb.yahoo.com> you wrote:
>  
> So I want to write a very simple bootloader and make a self-decompressed kernel.

Don't re-invent the wheel. Consider using (porting) U-Boot.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
Software Engineering:  Embedded and Realtime Systems,  Embedded Linux
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd@denx.de
A supercomputer is a machine that runs an endless loop in 2 seconds.

Re: Some questions about kernel tailoring

[dfsd df]

Sorry, I used YAHOO web e-mail.I'm not familiar with
it.and I have set the edit mode to plain text. Pls
help me to check whether the e-mail is still on HTML,
thanks!

Now, I have 4M flash memory and 8M SDRAM can use.any
suggestion?

Thanks again!

--- Stuart Longland <stuartl@longlandclan.hopto.org>
wrote:
> dfsd df wrote:
> > Thanks again!
> 
> BTW: Your mail client has just switched back to its
> fixation on HTML.
> Could you please have a close look at the settings
> and disable HTML mail
> composition?  (at least for this email
> address/domain)
> 
> > Because of the limitation of memory, I don't want
> to use YAMON.
> > Using gzip -9, I can get a kernel more small than
> the kernel made by
> > "make zImage".
> > So I want to write a very simple bootloader and
> make a self-decompressed
> > kernel.
> 
> AFAIK the bootloader is only resident during the
> initial bootup, and is
> normally gone by the time userland kicks in.  (Think
> about it -- what's
>  the point in it sticking around, its job is done
> ;-)
> 
> If you've got at least 8MB RAM you should be okay. 
> (And lets face it --
> Linux on 4MB *IS NOT PRETTY* -- Been there, done
> that)  How much RAM are
> you working with?
> -- 
>
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
> | Stuart Longland -oOo-
> http://stuartl.longlandclan.hopto.org |
> | Atomic Linux Project     -oOo-   
> http://atomicl.berlios.de |
> | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> - - - - - |
> | I haven't lost my mind - it's backed up on a tape
> somewhere |
>
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
> 

_________________________________________________________
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