Optimising FreeBSD
Hi all, I'm still fairly new to this, so I hope you all don't mind another question. Actually, several questions First let me explain what I have, then what I want to do. I have 2 machines which I want to run FreeBSD on. So far I have set one of them up, a P-II machine, as a file print server. Next set up a P-III machine for day to day use as a workstation. Since neither of these machines are particularly powerful I want to be able to optimise the performance of them both. I don't mind sitting and waiting for compiles now it if means better performance later. Particularly on the workstation as I will be doing some fairly intensive things on it (eg multimedia). So on the P-II machine I installed 5.3-RELEASE with no problems. I then re-built the kernel with the I686_CPU option set and a load of unnecessary drivers removed. This saved about 4MB right away. I then used CVSup to update the ports and installed Samba and one or two others. I thought I was doing pretty well since I can print and read files from both Windows and other *NIX machines, but I have since realised that I probably don't have the best optimisations in place. Having spent some more time reading the handbook and various bits on the web I think I know what to do, but would really appreciate some independent confirmation. First, I think I need to edit the /etc/make.conf file. This is what I think I should have in place: CPUTYPE ?= p2 # or p3 on my workstation CFLAGS = -O -pipe # O2 and above not recommended? COPTFLAGS= -O -pipe I am not sure I understand the difference between CFLAGS and COPTFLAGS. Am I right in saying that COPTFLAGS is used for kernel builds and CFLAGS is used for everything else? If so, should they be set the same, or can I safely increase the -O setting in CFLAGS? Is there anything else I need to set? Assuming the settings above are right, now I guess I can rebuild my kernel again without changing the configuration but I should now have p2 specific code? Is there anything in the kernel config file I need to check? Do I even need to rebuild since I had the I686_CPU setting? Next I guess I need to re-build the rest of the userland apps. Is it simply a case of building world, or do I have to go through the whole upgrade procedure as described in the Handbook? I want to stick to -RELEASE, does this change (bug/security fixes)? If so, how do I update? I can see CVSup config files for -CURRENT and -STABLE, but not for -RELEASE. I guess the last step is to recompile the ports I have installed. Is there a quick way to rebuild just the ports I have installed or do I need to go through them all one by one and 'make install clean' them? Anything else I have missed? Sorry for so many questions in one go! Many thanks in advance, Rich ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Optimising FreeBSD
On Sunday 27 February 2005 16:32, Richard Danter wrote: ... I guess the last step is to recompile the ports I have installed. Is there a quick way to rebuild just the ports I have installed or do I need to go through them all one by one and 'make install clean' them? The easiest way is to use portupgrade portupgrade -fa will work, but I tend to use something like this: portupgrade -f '2005-02-27 16:40' which means force a rebuild of ever port built before the given time. This can be restarted if a build fails or you need to stop and restart. ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Optimising FreeBSD
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:owner-freebsd- [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard Danter Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 22:03 To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Optimising FreeBSD First, I think I need to edit the /etc/make.conf file. This is what I think I should have in place: CPUTYPE ?= p2 # or p3 on my workstation CFLAGS = -O -pipe# O2 and above not recommended? COPTFLAGS= -O -pipe Make that CPUTYPE=p2 instead of CPUTYPE?=p2. The later is used if you build for p2 on a different platform. CFLAGS and COPTFLAGS look ok. You can try -O2 for COPTFLAGS but expect some instabilities. I am not sure I understand the difference between CFLAGS and COPTFLAGS. Am I right in saying that COPTFLAGS is used for kernel builds and CFLAGS is used for everything else? That's correct Is there anything else I need to set? Go through /usr/local/sys/i386/conf/NOTES. Read through the different processor flags. Assuming the settings above are right, now I guess I can rebuild my kernel again without changing the configuration but I should now have p2 specific code? Is there anything in the kernel config file I need to check? Do I even need to rebuild since I had the I686_CPU setting? Just rebuilding the kernel after modifying make.conf should be enough. Next I guess I need to re-build the rest of the userland apps. Is it simply a case of building world, or do I have to go through the whole upgrade procedure as described in the Handbook? Yeh a rebuild of world is necessary. Well, not necessary but definitely recommended. I want to stick to -RELEASE, does this change (bug/security fixes)? If so, how do I update? I can see CVSup config files for -CURRENT and -STABLE, but not for -RELEASE. RELENG_X means FreeBSD X-STABLE, RELENG_X_Y means FreeBSD X.Y-RELEASE. Read through the make world section of the handbook again. I guess the last step is to recompile the ports I have installed. Is there a quick way to rebuild just the ports I have installed or do I need to go through them all one by one and 'make install clean' them? Anything else I have missed? The simplest way I would do is pkg_delete -ad. This would delete *all* the installed ports. Then selectively rebuild the ports as required. Sorry for so many questions in one go! You don't learn something unless you have the guts to ask, so be proud about it. :-) Regards, S. Indian Institute of Information Technology Subhro Sankha Kar Block AQ-13/1, Sector V Salt Lake City PIN 700091 India smime.p7s Description: S/MIME cryptographic signature
FW: Optimising FreeBSD
-Original Message- From: Richard Danter [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 23:13 To: Subhro Subject: Re: Optimising FreeBSD Subhro wrote: Yeh a rebuild of world is necessary. Well, not necessary but definitely recommended. So just to be clear, just doing a 'make buildworld' is enough? I don't need to do the install and mergemaster steps? How about rebooting? Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, I really do appreciate it. Rich Richard, just a friendly advice, make it a point to always CC to the freebsd-questions because there are people who learn from here. Regards S. Indian Institute of Information Technology Subhro Sankha Kar Block AQ-13/1, Sector V Salt Lake City PIN 700091 India smime.p7s Description: S/MIME cryptographic signature
Re: Optimising FreeBSD
On 27 Feb 2005, at 16:32, Richard Danter wrote: Assuming the settings above are right, now I guess I can rebuild my kernel again without changing the configuration but I should now have p2 specific code? Is there anything in the kernel config file I need to check? Do I even need to rebuild since I had the I686_CPU setting? I have one piece of advice, if you're using the if_ndis module don't build it with custom CPUTYPE values. In my experience doing so can stop it working. See the below post I made: http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-hardware/2005-January/ 002172.html It's not too difficult to build that one module with the default CPUTYPE and still use a custom value for the rest, and doing so hasn't caused me any problems. -- - Adam McMaster [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
