New Kernel/Vanilla Kernel good bad and ugly

quik69 · #1 7th February 2007, 01:33 AM

Hey i've seen a few posts here and there about installing a vanilla kernel, but i've not seen anything recently about the new kernel. release 2.6.20.

Just wondering how many people here run a custom vanilla kernel in general and the 2.6.20 kernel specifically. any perceived speed benefits, more/less stable than the fedora ones, favourite features, etc.

It's been a while since i've bothered to compile my own kernel(bout 2 years) however i do remember the days when this was not an "optional performance tweak"

right now i don't have a lot of time to mess around, and my internet connection is not 24/7 but if some of you want to give some feed back and let me live vicariously that would be great.

nick.stumpos · #2 7th February 2007, 01:54 AM

i do, cuz i like a light kernel, and i like to enable some stuff not in the fc kernel, plus i know i have a *safe* kernel that i can use and patch, its also nice when determing problems, if you build the vanilla kernel, with the same config as the fc, and you have a prob in the fc you dont have with the vanilla, then odds are the problem lies in fc specific code As for a huge performance increase, these days, i wouldnt say its necesarrily worth it, unless you want a feature added to a kernel, which is not been rolled out for fc yet.

Brian1 · #3 7th February 2007, 01:54 AM

I compile all my own kernels.
Reasons are some of my hardware I have is not part of the default custom kernel rpms.
I end up with a smaller kernel and less modules. Only what I need for the system. Might be a slight speed benefit here.
Kernel is compiled to match processor family which again has a slight speed benefit.
Able to check out the new features of the kernel tree. Current new thing is using pata mode modules to interface to IDE drives. Now the whole system is seen on the scsi bus.

Over all it is not a big difference.

Brian

scotta3234 · #4 7th February 2007, 02:34 AM

Sweeeet.... just checked kernel.org and it seems as though the 2.6.20 kernel has finally made it out. How far behind are the fedora devs on getting that out. It has a mini-pci express fix that i need desperately.

snoze · #5 7th February 2007, 04:08 AM

try to keep always a xorg.conf backup! i am screwed now.. i lost my beryl setting old xorg.conf

RupertPupkin · #6 7th February 2007, 05:09 AM

I usually compile custom vanilla kernels. Maybe that's why my system boots so fast.