Thomas Lankester wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I have just upgraded my PC to run two PIII 700E processors but my Mandrake
> 7.1 installation predates this so I only get one CPU recognised at boot up.
>
> Reading 'Running Linux' one solution seems to be to rebuild my kernel.
> However, given the number of options that I don't understand this could be
> somewhat hit and miss if not down right hazardous.
>
> What are my other options to get a kernel that recognises and handles SMP?
> Reinstall 7.1 from CD and rely on it to auto detect the 2 CPUs? Do a kernel
> update using RPM?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help / advice
>
> Tom Lankester
The process of making and installing a new kernel is well documented,
and is accessable on any Linux relate site. So won't go to much into
the nitty gritty stuff. Besides, there is a readme for the kernel
source in /usr/src/linux (or whatever it is on Mandrake), and the readme
will remind you of the steps.
As far as advice goes...
-Use 'make menuconfig' to set the configuration options. You don't
need X windows to make it work, and its more friendly and organized than
the standard 'make config'
-Keep a copy of your current kernel. Obviously it works even though it
only uses one processor. If you make a new kernel and it blows up, you
can always boot the old one. You can have as many kernels as you want.
All you have to do is add them to lilo in the /etc/lilo.conf file. Just
add a line that looks like this:
image=/boot/kernelimage
label=linux2
root=<your root partition (/dev/hda1 or whatever)>
Obviously, you have to copy the compiled kernel image to /boot.
After you do this, just exit vi, or whatever text editor, and run lilo
from the command prompt (as root of course :-)
-Smaller is better. Smaller kernels run more efficiently (faster),
since they don't have a bunch of worthless drivers added to them.
Tweaking your kernel make take a few times. Just keep the first backup
at hand, and make as many as you want till you get it right. Just keep
adding the lines to lilo :-)
-Easy as pie :-) I just made a new kernel on a RH 6.2 box last week,
and the box runs MUCH better now.
Enjoy, have fun.
Dan
