ia64 kernel config

[Anton Shterenlikht]

Hi Marcel
Can you advise on a ia64 kernel config file
for a portscluster node (see below).
In particular, I don't think I need usb subsystem, do I?

USB is not required, but why trim it down so much?

#options NFS_ROOT # NFS usable as root device
#options PREEMPTION # Enable kernel thread preemption
options PROCFS # Process filesystem (/proc)
options PSEUDOFS # Pseudo-filesystem framework
options SCHED_ULE # ULE scheduler

Overall, looks ok.
It is better to use SCHED_4BSD. SCHED_ULE may not work
reliably at all. I worked on it before, but I don't
think I got it stable.
As a general comment: do not stray from the path, unless
you're able and willing to deal with the problems. If
GENERIC has SCHED_4BSD while SCHED_ULE is the default
nowadays, you need to ask yourself why that is. Sure, it
can be an oversight. Then again, it may not be.
I see you add options and make changes left and right
and it actually introduces breakages that aren't even
ia64 specific. It's just a bad configuration. You're
making things much more difficult than it already is and
I really wonder if that's such a good thing at this
time. I'd rather get things stable, no matter what the
configuration and then change options and settings and
test if it's still stable. In the end you get where you
want much faster and without all the frustration of
having to deal with breakages.
Just a thought,
http://ns1.xcllnt.net/~marcel/machines/ia64/hob/HOB

Marcel, why do you build GPT support as a module,
and not straight in the kernel? I thought you need
GPT support for ia64 in any case. Am I wrong?

In particular, if one uses GEOM_MIRROR for root
partition, I imagine GPT module must be loaded
prior to mirror creation. Am I right?

thank you

[Marcel Moolenaar]

Post by Anton Shterenlikht

http://ns1.xcllnt.net/~marcel/machines/ia64/hob/HOB

Marcel, why do you build GPT support as a module,
and not straight in the kernel? I thought you need
GPT support for ia64 in any case. Am I wrong?

I'm a developer. I wrote GEOM_PART. Building them all
by default and having them as modules helps me test
the various partitioning schemes.

If you look closely, you'll see "device scc" in my
config as well. There's no need for it to be there,
because I don't have the hardware in my ia64 box.
But, I wrote the driver and this way I keep it
included when I change something in uart (which I
wrote too).

Post by Anton Shterenlikht
In particular, if one uses GEOM_MIRROR for root
partition, I imagine GPT module must be loaded
prior to mirror creation. Am I right?

Yes. Remember that modules can be loaded from the
loader, prior to booting the kernel. In that sense
there's virtually no difference from having them
compiled-in.

FYI,