Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Base => TCB Q&A Forum => Topic started by: malicske on August 18, 2011, 03:46:44 PM

Title: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: malicske on August 18, 2011, 03:46:44 PM
Hello,

This is another thread for improving boot times. I hope you are not tired of it yet!
I need a distro with firefox, alsa and flash. I also included Xfce4
I've looked around this forum and on the internet and have undertaken the following:

 1) Remasterd tiny core, extract all the extensions into the tinycore.gz (60MB)
 2) added tiny core boot codes: embed noswap quiet noicons host=lichtSystem user=licht kmap=be-latin1 tce=sda6/tcSX
 3) added kernel boot codes: noapm hda=none hdb=none hdc=none hdd=none floppy=none noisapnp nofirewire nopcmcia

Results:
 -1) tiny core base default: 10s
  0) tiny core with all extensions downloaded, installed via: onboot.lst: 19s
  1) remastering: 17s
  2) boot codes: 14s (the tce=xyz did miracles!)
  3) kernel boot codes 13s

I would like to get it below 5s. But under 10 is also good.
Are there any suggestions?
From what I see, booting the kernel takes a while. Takes up to 7s, while booting my kernel in debian takes 3,5s.

I'm using a dell laptop, core 2 due 2,2 GHz and 4Gb of ram. My disk can read upto 75MB/s

Thank you
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: robc on August 18, 2011, 04:37:41 PM
you can try using a persistent local on your harddrive. That way you are just booting the base and mounting the drive location to the /usr/local directory.
There is also the tclocal=/mnt/sda1 boot code that should do this for you.  One note, you lose the fresh restart state of TC since the /usr/local directory is persistent.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: curaga on August 19, 2011, 02:55:28 AM
If you're not on 3.8.2 yet, do update, it boots faster. The kernel part of the boot is significantly improved in 4.x, too.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: malicske on August 19, 2011, 03:41:38 AM
If you're not on 3.8.2 yet, do update, it boots faster. The kernel part of the boot is significantly improved in 4.x, too.

Thx for the tip, running a remaster now with 3.8.2 and will test it this evening and come back with a timing.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: malicske on September 09, 2011, 05:11:42 AM
If you're not on 3.8.2 yet, do update, it boots faster. The kernel part of the boot is significantly improved in 4.x, too.

Thx for the tip, running a remaster now with 3.8.2 and will test it this evening and come back with a timing.

It seems I was already on the 3.8.2 so no improvement there.

A little update:
Remastered with the 3.8.4 and added a new boot parameter a received from a member: floppy=0,irq

What I have now:
 ** TC 3.8.4 remastered with: alsa, firefox, flash, wireless, wl, xfce4, xfi, leafpad, ntfs-3g, xarchiver, zip, unrar, gparted and openssh.   => size: 66,6 MB

 ** Boot code:  noapm hda=none hdb=none hdc=none hdd=none floppy=0,irq noisapnp nofirewire nopcmcia embed noswap quiet host=lichtSystem kmap=be-latin1 tce=sda1/tce

Final boot time: <9s

So my first objective complete, distro boots faster then 10s!!! Ready to go www

Who knows, some person may get something from this info  ;)

Thanks guys, very nice distro. I have been playing around with slitaz lately wich also has a nice structure and very small!! (lzma) But I find the modular approach and the persistence waaaay more advanced, easier and practical. Just saying :-)
On the other hand, slitaz has a very small 30 mb iso, with a full workable and nice looking distro. Which is also nice :-)
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: vinnie on September 09, 2011, 07:29:21 AM
Uhm, where do you find boot code like "noisapnp nofirewire nopcmcia" ?  :P
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: Rich on September 09, 2011, 10:27:19 AM
Hi vinnie
This is where I usually check when looking for information about boot codes:
http://www.mjmwired.net/kernel/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt (http://www.mjmwired.net/kernel/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt)
It does list   noisapnp,  but I don't see the other two. The documentation for the  hd=  codes is a
bit skimpy, I have my doubts as to whether  "none"  is considered a valid parameter.

@All: On more than one occasion I've seen people try to use boot codes that don't show up in any
         documentation. Just entering   noide   because you know what it means does not mean the
         kernel will act on it. If none of the modules use that boot code, it will be silently ignored.
         Also, a module may or may not return an error message if you supply invalid parameters
         for a boot code, so be sure of your syntax.

Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: vinnie on September 10, 2011, 09:13:52 AM
uhm, ok, thanks for code rich  :o
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: malicske on September 12, 2011, 05:34:39 AM
Uhm, where do you find boot code like "noisapnp nofirewire nopcmcia" ?  :P

I looked at the boot, see it looking for pnp and not finding it, loosing 2 secs boot time. Searching the web trying nopnp, didn't work then see it was isa, so using noisapnp.
Applying that to other hardware :-) and looking on the internet for other possibilities.

But the post of Rich is true. I did not investigate it enough to see if these bootparameters all work and are correct.
So thank you for your addition Rich!
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: tweetyhack on January 13, 2012, 05:26:54 PM
Sorry to bring this back up but you might want to recompile the kernel with just what you need as well.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: curaga on January 14, 2012, 03:07:27 AM
FWIW, in 4.x we ship the ubuntu patches that make isapnp async.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on January 14, 2012, 05:15:54 PM
Sorry to bring this back up but you might want to recompile the kernel with just what you need as well.
Good Idea. Where can I find a HOW TO ? (for TCL)
My target:
- only variable usb (I have a PCMIA card and integrated USB; but put USB card reader or multi USB for connecting an USB camera  sometimes)
- the rest is FIX (HDDs, CFs on IDE, CDROM, RAM, Grafic, sound)
I would put in any case a "safety" version of TCL-"Standard" in the boot menu in case I would change something in the PC (then the kernel would not boot)
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: tweetyhack on January 15, 2012, 05:35:29 PM
I don't know if there is any documentation but I would start by downloading the linux sources, configure, and compile(fairly simple), and remaster TC(haven't tried). You'll need gcc, make, patch, and some other packages. I wish it was easier. Here's a good starting point: http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Good-and-quick-kernel-configuration-creation-1403046.html (http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Good-and-quick-kernel-configuration-creation-1403046.html). Your mileage may vary. I'll be doing this in the next week or 2 so if you run into any problems, just post. We'll get it done together.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: Rich on January 15, 2012, 05:54:11 PM
Hi tweetyhack
Quote
You'll need gcc, make, patch, and some other packages.
Please don't try to patch together the tools you need, install  compiletc.tcz  if you wish to compile
source code.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on January 16, 2012, 02:53:59 PM
I'll be doing this in the next week or 2 so if you run into any problems, just post. We'll get it done together.
Thanks for the proposal. No hurry. This is only on my todo list for my desktop.
My first priority is currently making working (again) the front mic of a K51AE (ASUS notebook) with Ubuntu10.04 for skyping with family oversea (NO chance to move to TCL.. this is my wife notebook).
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: tweetyhack on January 17, 2012, 02:44:57 PM
Thanks for the tip Rich.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on January 29, 2012, 10:22:24 AM
I don't know if there is any documentation but I would start by downloading the linux sources, configure, and compile(fairly simple), and remaster TC(haven't tried). You'll need gcc, make, patch, and some other packages. I wish it was easier. Here's a good starting point: http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Good-and-quick-kernel-configuration-creation-1403046.html. (http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Good-and-quick-kernel-configuration-creation-1403046.html.) Your mileage may vary. I'll be doing this in the next week or 2 so if you run into any problems, just post. We'll get it done together.
thanks.
lets start..
done: load compiletc.tcz
then in a terminal  "make localmodconfig" gives the message
make: *** No rule to make target ' localmodconfig'. Stop.

any Idea how to go ahead?..
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: Rich on January 29, 2012, 12:19:49 PM
Hi floppy
So far you only downloaded the tools required to compile a program. You still need to download
the kernel source file and the config file that goes with it. The TC4.x sources are located here:
http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/4.x/x86/release/src/kernel/ (http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/4.x/x86/release/src/kernel/)
After you unpack the kernel source you should check that the  localmodconfig  file is included in the
package.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on January 31, 2012, 05:09:07 AM
After you unpack the kernel source you should check that the  localmodconfig  file is included in the
package.
done: kernel unpacked (in directory /home/temp/linux-3.0.3/)
done: compiletc loaded
"ln -s /home/temp/linux-3.0.3/ /home/temp/linux"
"cd /home/temp/"
"cd linux"
"make localmodconfig" .. error
========================
HOSTCC  scripts/basic/fixdep
gcc: internal compiler error: Illegal instruction (program cc1)
Please submit a full bug report,
with preprocessed source if appropriate.
See <http://gcc.gnu.org/bugs.html> for instructions.
make [1]: *** [scripts/basic/fixdep] Error4
make: *** [scripts_basic Error 2
=========================
now? (I m totally in the dark.. simply putting a step after the other..)
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: curaga on January 31, 2012, 06:05:15 AM
Oh, are you trying to do the build on the K6-3? I think the current gcc needed a newer cpu even after a rebuild. But Juanito knows more about that.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on January 31, 2012, 06:40:46 AM
Oh, are you trying to do the build on the K6-3? I think the current gcc needed a newer cpu even after a rebuild. But Juanito knows more about that.
yes. I m trying to make a race horse out of this dunky..
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: nim108 on February 09, 2012, 07:55:59 PM
I don't know if there is any documentation but I would start by downloading the linux sources, configure, and compile(fairly simple), and remaster TC(haven't tried). You'll need gcc, make, patch, and some other packages. I wish it was easier. Here's a good starting point: http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Good-and-quick-kernel-configuration-creation-1403046.html. (http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Good-and-quick-kernel-configuration-creation-1403046.html.) Your mileage may vary. I'll be doing this in the next week or 2 so if you run into any problems, just post. We'll get it done together.
Any results from this testing tweetyhack? Thanks.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on February 10, 2012, 09:36:17 AM
Update/answer:
- since gcc dont run on my old box (see the previous post)
- since I got depressed by installing tc on the pentium4 of a friend.. (it start in 25s.. my box start with the double time)
I am
- installing only games on that AMD K6-III for my children and will not compile a dedicated kernel for it (= I dont follow anymore a boot time improvement project for the AMD K6-III)
- installing now tc on a pentium4 I received today from eBay. perhaps I will start this project again with this new pc
sorry nim108, I will not post a HOWTO here. Perhaps in few months (dont know).
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: thane on February 10, 2012, 11:52:16 AM
"(it start in 25s.. my box start with the double time) "

Any chance it's a USB issue (1 vs 2)? I first ran TCL on a Compaq Deskpro, which couldn't boot from USB but I could save the extensions/backup there. Its USB 1 took a while to load (I called it my "beer boot" because I had time to grab a beer while it was loading).  My current machine is USB 2 and starts from USB (including boot) in a few seconds. I'm running a small number of extensions though.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on February 10, 2012, 05:46:52 PM
Any chance it's a USB issue (1 vs 2)?
I start from the HDD.
The quickest one has the boot partition: 10GB and udma66; I use the slowest one 6GB and udma33 for the /home.
So, no USB there.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on February 26, 2012, 09:19:35 AM
After you unpack the kernel source you should check that the  localmodconfig  file is included in the
package.
I start a new try for a kernel compiling with a P4 HP DC7100.
I loaded the kernel-3.0.3-patched and untar it. And the localmodconfig seems not to be there. Where can I find it anywhere else?
(make localmodconfig give the error "make: *** No rule to make target ' localmodconfig' . Stop.").
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on March 24, 2012, 05:17:19 PM
News: I reduced the boot time of my P4 (45 to 36s; usb boot) by using a script from "gutmensch" in that forum.
Gooooooddddddd.
So, i search now the link from the Mr. Gutmensch post (reduction/adaptation of the initramfs for a dedicated pc) and will add it here when I find it again. I will not try anymore a new kernel compiling.
If I dont post here the link, ask him with a message where his squizzing-script (time and initramfs) is.

edit: here it is http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,9028.0.html!
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: vinnie on March 24, 2012, 07:19:11 PM
Great script, strangely the link did not work until I found the page by himself, but if I click now it works.

I'll try just after updating tinycore (actually I have a little fear to upgrade because I would not lose the functionality of those programs that depend on the kernel like vbox)
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: curaga on March 25, 2012, 03:17:25 AM
Yes, virtualbox doesn't have 3.0.21 modules in the repo yet.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: floppy on March 25, 2012, 09:01:37 AM
Other sucess: with http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,9028.0.html! , my AMD K6 improved its boot time between "desktop on button pushed" and "screen background there" from 124s to 103s. Good. So, I made now a new menu entry in grub "Core K6 speed boot". I dont change every week the desktop structure/cards, so, this process of squeezing the initramfs can be recommended after few weeks/months of a TinyCore installation.
Title: Re: Improve boot time tiny core linux
Post by: vinnie on March 25, 2012, 10:40:37 AM
Yes, virtualbox doesn't have 3.0.21 modules in the repo yet.

O.t. i find this:
http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,12863.msg70590.html#msg70590

I checked, all other modules that I use seem to have been updated
during Easter probably I will be busy!  ;)