Need some advice on kernel modules.

[Wallex]

From what I've read, it appears to be a good idea to use as many modules as possible, but I've also read that you need to compile into the kernel the essential stuff to be able to boot up without the modules. Before I run into the surprise that I can't boot my computer, I wanna know if these would be 'enough' essential stuff to include in my kernel:
The keyboard support
The monitor/videocard support
The harddrive IDE support
The ReiserFS filesystem support (all my partitions but the windows one are Reiser)
Floppy support (and minix fs, too)
Think that's enough or I am forgetting something? Also.. on modules, do these get 'auto-enabled' when I need them? Or must I go and create/modify scripts so that I 'mount' (or whatever the right term is) them when needed?
I've been reading some kernel NHF and the Linux Kernel HOWTO (plus another document called Mastering Kernel Modules with Caldera), so I kinda know what I am doing. I just wished I could have found the "Module mini-HOWTO", but it didn't show up on Google's search results, and if it isn't there, I don't know how else to find it.

EDIT: Oops I almost forgot the most important: support for the floppy within the kernel.

[aboringman]

hi,
the only difference in a standard working environment between a bigger kernel with less modules and a smaller kernel with more modules is a 1/2 second kernel loading time, so if you don't have some exotic hardware and everything runs fine, don't compile a new kernel, unless you only want to be one of these "heyicompiledmyownkernel"-guys:)
ok, it's boring, but: never change a running system!
Jochem

[bskahan]

running a precompiled kernel is like eating sausage; you don't have any idea what "they" put in it.

compiling a kernel is like preparing a five star meal; you pick the choice ingredients and make sure not overcook the macaroni....

or something like that.

actually monitor/video support can happily exist as modules.

if you want to use /dev fs you should include that in the kernel proper.

my autoloaded modules are:


# video
mga
mga_vid
bttv

# filesystems
fat
vfat
ntfs
smbfs

input
usb-uhci
hid
mousedev
keybdev
i2c-core
i2c-dev
i2c-proc

# from sensor-detect
i2c-viapro
lm75
eeprom
it87
i2c-isa


and it works quite happily, there may be some there that are overkill but ...

as for autoloading modules its generally done by a runtime script in /etc/init.d/

[Hayl]

my personal preference is to compile everything into the kernel. (i don't care for modules). th eonly module i load is the nvidia driver.

[Wallex]

So it doesn't makes much difference? Alright.. I guess I'll just send into the kernel everything I use normally.. and leave stuff not used often for modules then.
And Kahan.. the reason I am doing this is not to be bleeding edge, but I am trying to use a new hd, but it keeps asking for the ide-disk module which I do not have installed... and since I don't have the kernel's source either, I thought it would be a good idea to just update everything. Plus, I should be able to get speed improvements if my current kernel was compiled for the i386 architecture... my Pentium III is not an 386!

EDIT: Oops I misread the thread. The answer wasn't to Kahan, but the one before... because Kahan is completely right, I should be able to get the most out of my machine by having a kernel made fit to it. Of course, if I don't know what I am doing, I could forget something important and end up with a screwed system, but it's worth the risk.

[Tequila]

Well said, bskahan. It's especially true of the RH monolithic kernels. They get carried away with some of the options they make standard like XT hard disk support..uh let's see the last time I used a puter with an XT harddrive was uh....about 20 years ago in college. I don't need EISA support either and many of the experimentals I removed. I shaved 300k off the stock RH kernel.

And regarding modules vs bigger kernel. I prefer modules because I don't always need them. For instance I rarely mount my NTFS windoze partitions so it's a waste to build it into the kernel, just make it a module and it will get loaded when I need it.

ok, it's boring, but: never change a running system!

So if RH ships me a kernel that by default doesn't have NTFS turned on then I should just accept it and not change it? That's basically what you are saying :) It's Linux, play with it, experiment and learn, you have the choice unlike with Mickeysoft.

[bskahan]

i forget something everytime I compile a new kernel, fortunately i know which ones not to forget ;)

i think (not positive) that to use alsa you have to compile sound as modules.

[Wallex]

...
i think (not positive) that to use alsa you have to compile sound as modules.
I was planning to compile everything into the kernel except those stuff I don't always use. Needless to say, I was gonna put the sound into the kernel. Since ya aren't that sure, I'll go search on the issue before it's too late.
So far I am on the third item on the make menuconfig... and I guess it isn't hard to mess up if you don't know what they are talking about in those options... good thing there's the '?' key to get info (and google when you still can't understand what an option does).

EDIT: I was reading the INSTALL file of Alsa, apparently Alsa itself is a module, and you just need to have sound enabled in the kernel. I am thinking I should update Alsa as well:
http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa/cvs/alsa-driver/INSTALL