Tagged Questions
225
votes
7answers
19k views
Understanding the Linux kernel source
I am trying to understand how a function, say mkdir, works by looking at the kernel source. This is an attempt to understand the kernel internals and navigate between various functions. I know mkdir ...
52
votes
12answers
4k views
What is the benefit of compiling your own linux kernel?
What benefit could I see by compiling a Linux kernel myself? Is there some efficiency you could create by customizing it to your hardware?
38
votes
3answers
16k views
How do I read from /proc/$pid/mem under Linux?
The Linux proc(5) man page tells me that /proc/$pid/mem “can be used to access the pages of a process's memory”. But a straightforward attempt to use it only gives me
$ cat /proc/$$/mem ...
35
votes
5answers
11k views
What are high memory and low memory on Linux?
I'm interested in the difference between Highmem and Lowmem:
Why is there such a differentiation?
What do we gain by doing so?
What features does each have?
24
votes
12answers
2k views
How can I tweak my Linux desktop to be more responsive?
I have the experience that Linux works fine until the physical memory is exhausted. As soon as swap space is used the performance is severely degraded and the GUI becomes unresponsive.
This problem ...
18
votes
7answers
8k views
Linux Kernel: Good beginners' tutorial
I'm interested in modifying the kernel internals, applying patches, handling device drivers and modules, for my own personal fun.
Is there a comprehensive resource for kernel hacking, intended for ...
17
votes
3answers
1k views
What is the difference between reboot , init 6 and shutdown -r now?
I just want to know difference between in
reboot
init 6
shutdown -r now
and which is the safest and the best?
14
votes
1answer
433 views
How is new hardware support added to the linux kernel?
Imagine there's a company A that releases a new graphics adapter. Who manages the process that results in this new graphics adapter being supported by the Linux kernel in the future? How does that ...
14
votes
4answers
1k views
Kernel Hacking Environment
I have been working in embedded OS like uCOS, ThreadX. While I have coded apps in Linux, now I’m planning to start learning Linux Kernel. I have few questions regarding the environment.
Which is ...
14
votes
2answers
4k views
how to check rx ring, max_backlog, and max_syn_backlog size
Quite often in the course of troubleshooting and tuning things I find myself thinking about the following Linux kernel settings:
net.core.netdev_max_backlog
net.ipv4.tcp_max_syn_backlog
...
13
votes
4answers
563 views
What is new in Kernel 3.0?
I understand this is somewhat less Ubuntu related, but it affects it.
So,what is so new about it that Linus decided to name it 3.0? I'm not trying to get information about the drivers that got into ...
13
votes
3answers
818 views
Why don't you need to update drivers? (Or do you?)
In my life I've not once updated drivers on any of my Linux systems, though they have all been desktops. A friend was asking me why one does not need to update Linux drivers and I found myself unable ...
13
votes
4answers
368 views
How do I learn what I can do with /proc and /sys
I'd like to know more about the advanced uses of the /proc and /sys virtual filesystems, but I don't know where to begin. Can anyone suggest any good sources to learn from? Also, since I think sys has ...
13
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the difference between kernel drivers and kernel modules?
When I do a lspci -k on my Kubuntu with a 3.2.0-29-generic kernel I can see something like this:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G86 [Quadro NVS 290] (rev a1)
Subsystem: ...
13
votes
1answer
4k views
Kernel inotify watch limit reached
I'm currently facing a problem on a linux box where as root I have commands returning error because inotify watch limit has been reached.
# tail -f /var/log/messages
[...]
tail: cannot watch ...
