[gentoo-user] Re: new linux router

[James <wireless@tampabay.rr.com>]

Neil Bothwick <neil <at> digimed.co.uk> writes:


> > I'm not sure the arch of a 500 MHz AMD Geode LX800;
> > isn't that compatible with i686 binaries? I found this:

> The Geode LX800 is more like an i486. I used to use a box based on one
> (not as a router) in the days before the Raspberry Pi. I used to build
> packages in a chroot on my i7 box, using these settings

Yes, this processor is a bit of a chameleon. Several companies
manufactured it and under several different versions with slightly
different instruction sets inside. You really have look at
the part id number and the silicon vendors data sheets or
test out some of the options to be for sure. They all mask (label
print) the chips to look the same....... Some are full i686
and some are crappy i486 and some are in between. They are intended
for embedded products, so the firmware folks developing the codes
get the accurate data from the chip vendors directly. It's 
kinda like buying drugs in south america, you better know
your connection, really well (aha ha ha ha). Sorry, but the old,
jaded embedded engineer in me never really gets too quiet.....


> CFLAGS="-O2 -march=geode -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer"
> CXXFLAGS="${CFLAGS}"
> CHOST="i486-pc-linux-gnu" 
> MAKEOPTS="-j16 -l10"

This would be a keen starting point combined 
with  /proc probing....


> MAKEOPTS="-j16 -l10"

Might not be the best settings? [1] 
Look for these lines in the reference thread and translate 
to a makeopts syntax? Interesting discussion.

MAKE -j $nthreads -l $((nthreads-1)).8
EMERGE –jobs $((nthreads+1) –load-average ${nthreads}.4


thx,
James


[1] https://blogs.gentoo.org/ago/2013/01/14/makeopts-jcore-1-is-
not-the-best-optimization/