Kernel

From SystemRescueCd

[edit] About this page

This page describes the Linux kernel provided with SystemRescueCd. It tells you what patches and features are included, and how to add a missing driver or feature.

[edit] Goals of the kernel choices

The current kernel is linux-2.6.24, with several patches: the first one adds the support for the Reiser4 file system. It's a powerful journalized FS, that is optimized to reduce the wasted space on the disk, and increase the speed on small and average files. This kernel aims to support the most important hardware. I included all options that could be useful to users (hardware support, file system support, network protocols, ...).

[edit] Submit a change request

Despite this, several drivers could be missing. If you need them, please give us the new config file required. For that, you have to get the same kernel sources by applying our patches, and setup the kernel configuration with our parameters. When you have selected the new required options, please send us the new config file. You can find our patches and kernel-config file here:

[edit] Different kernels provided

To kinds of kernels are provided with SystemRescueCd. Here are more details about it.

[edit] Kernel provided in SystemRescueCd-1.0.2

Two kinds of kernels are provided with SystemRescueCd-1.0.2:

• standard-kernels:
  • latest stable version (linux-2.6.24.5 provided in SystemRescueCd-1.0.2)
  • available in both 32bits (rescuecd) and 64bits (rescue64)
  • sources with a lot of drivers updates (supports more hardware)
  • ide and sata hard disk drivers are based on the libsata (all disks are sda, sdb, ...)
  • disk controllers drivers (IDE, SATA, SCSI) are built-in
  • network drivers drivers are built-in (so that network booting via PXE can work)
  • there is no frame buffer support since it could disturb Xorg/Xvesa
• alternative-kernels:
  • not the latest stable version (linux-2.6.22.19 provided in SystemRescueCd-1.0.2)
  • available in both 32bits (altker32) and 64bits (altker64)
  • sources are close to the vanilla (more stable)
  • ide and sata hard disk drivers are based on the libpata (hda/hdb/hdc for ide and sda/sdb/sdc for sata)
  • disk controllers drivers (IDE, SATA, SCSI) are compiled as module (so that you can use noload-xxx if it hangs)
  • network drivers drivers are built-in (so that network booting via PXE can work)
  • there is a frame buffer support in that kernel

Both 32bits and 64bits kernels are available:

• 32 bits kernels:
  • rescuecd and altker32 are the two 32bits kernels provided
  • any intel/amd/via based processor should work with the 32bits kernel
  • you can run a 32bits kernels even if you have a processor that supports 64bits instructions (amd64 / em64t)
  • you can work (backup/restore) 64bits programs with a 32bits kernel
  • you cannot chroot on a partition with 64bits programs with a 32bits kernel
  • you can run both Xorg and Xvesa graphical servers with a 32bits kernel (Xvesa should always work, Xorg may fail if the driver for your graphical card is missing or broken)
• 64 bits kernels:
  • rescue64 and altker64 are the two 64bits kernels provided
  • 64bits kernels will work only if your processor supports amd64 (amd implementation of x86_64) or em64t (intel implementation of x86_64) instruction set
  • you must use a 64bits kernel if you want to chroot to a linux system using 64bits programs.
  • 64bits kernels do not work on IA64 / Itanium processors
  • 64bits kernels can execute 32bits programs since the IA32 instructions support is included in the kernel
  • you cannot use Xvesa with a 64bits kernel, so you can only use the Xorg graphical server. If Xorg fails you cannot use Xvesa instead.