SuSE GmbH

SuSE Support Database

Title: Linux and SMP-Kernel

----------

Mainpage o Searchform o History o Versions o Categories o Contents
Deutsch

----------

Linux and SMP-Kernel

Applies to

SuSE Linux: Versions since 4.2
Kernel: Versions since 2.0.0

Situation:

You have a motherboard, which supports multiple processors (ie. Pentium/PentiumPro/PentiumII...) and you want to use Symetric Multiprocessing (SMP) with your linux system.

Background:

The precompiled kernels that come with SuSE Linux are Single-Processor-Kernels. To take advantage of multiple processors it is necessary to recompile your kernel. For detailed instructions on the basics of kernel compiling, please review the Kernel Chapter of your manual.

The Makefile for 2.0.x Kernels must be modified slightly to enable SMP support, it is not an available option in the standard kernel configuration menu. The 2.2.x kernels have an option in the standard configuration menu for enabling SMP support. More details are provided below.

Procedure: Preparation (optional)

If you already have a kernel configuration file for the same kernel version and want to use it when recompiling, make sure to copy it to

     /location/of/Kernel-source-tree/.config
     (Example: /usr/src/linux-2.2.5.SuSE/.config)
before you begin configuring your new kernel.

The configuration files for the precompiled SUSE Linux kernels (the ones that can be selected from YaST) are located on CD #1 of your SuSE distribution in /suse/images/config/config*.ikr.

Procedure (for Linux 2.2.x):

Procede as follows:

Configure your kernel as usual, for example with :

make menuconfig

SMP support is enabled by selecting the following:

Now your kernel will be compiled with SMP support.

IMPORTANT: The command make modules_install will install your modules in the usual directory /lib/modules/<Kernelversion>. If this directory already exists, confusion prevails! Much aggravation is caused by the fact that SMP modules do not work under Single processor kernels and Single processor modules do not work under SMP kernels! Solution:

Procedure (Linux 2.0.x)

Procede as follows:
  1. Configure your kernel as usual, for examople:
    make menuconfig
    

  2. After completing your configuration, you need to edit the file /usr/src/linux/Makefile.

  3. Find the line which looks like this:
    # SMP=1
    

  4. Remove the comment symbol '#'.

  5. Save the file.

Complete compiling your kernel as usual and your kernel will have SMP support.

----------

Keywords: LINUX, SMP, MULTIPROCESSOR, MULTIPROCESSING, PPRO, TYAN

----------

Categories: Hardware

----------

Mainpage o Searchform o History o Versions o Categories o Contents
Deutsch

----------

SDB-maddin_smp, Copyright SuSE GmbH, Nuremberg, Germany - Version: 17. Jul 1997
SuSE GmbH - Last generated: 07. Oct 1999 17:05:06 by maddin with sdb_gen 1.00.0