Re: [gentoo-user] Module philosophy: Compile-in or Load

[gentuxx <gentuxx@gmail.com>]

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Anthony E. Caudel wrote:
> I was wondering what gentoo-users think and practice about kernel
> modules.  Do most compile them in the kernel or load them at boot-up.
>
> Note that I'm _NOT_ talking about those modules that have to be compiled
> in such as for your filesystem. This is about the other ones.
>
> I generally like to load them at boot-up.  One reason is that I have
> heard that for suspend or hibernate to work, some modules have to be
> unloaded.
>
> On the other hand, compiling them in results in faster boot times.
>
> So, what do gentoo-users think?
>
> Tony
I'm certainly not the end-all-be-all in kernel knowledge.  But, I tend
to look at it based on the particular modules being loaded and the
likeliness that I will actually use that module.

If it seems like something is fundamental to the operation of the OS
(filesystems, core drivers like USB, chipset, etc.) then I compile it
in.  If it's something that makes sense to unload and load (in my
mind, this is something like network drivers, audio drivers, netfilter
modules, etc.), then I'll compile it as a separate module.

It's not a hard and fast rule, and there are always exceptions.  For
example, there are programs that expect to find the module, and if you
compile it into the kernel that program won't work right, even though
you have the (whatever) functionality built into the kernel.

- --
gentux
echo "hfouvyyAhnbjm/dpn" | perl -pe 's/(.)/chr(ord($1)-1)/ge'

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