Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[technosaurus]

Thanks to amigo for the assist on this one...

This should remove about 20MB compressed of unneeded modules from your zdrv.... or during a remaster you can delete the contents of /lib/modules from your pupXXXsfs working directory and place the zdrv file in the iso directory ... thats about 1/5th the size of the iso

This is something I thought might be useful for the hardware specific distros to (pupeee, olpc etc...) and for low resource computers that still want to do a frugal install... or just the minimalist at heart

0.1 - just cutdown modules - still add all firmware(10-15MB)
0.2 - cutdown both modules and firmware(~5MB)
0.3 - removes initrd modules (~1MB)
TODO
#0.4 cover /lib/firmware (~2MB)
#0.5 cover xorg drivers (~4MB)
#0.6 patch woof to allow xorg drivers in zdrv
#0.7 patch remaster script to integrate this as option
#0.8 autobuild using /etc/modules/firmware.dep{,(uname -r)}
#0.9 bugfixes and GUI improvements
#1.0 Final release

#1.X main sfs support: stripping binaries (strip), removing manpages locales, DEV files and broken links; optimize images (optipng), symlink duplicate files (rdfind), compress large binaries (upx)

Development thread here:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=51450

[technosaurus]

firmware is in tar.gz thus the loaded modules don't necessarily reference them, so the will need to be copied manually for now

example:
iwlwifi contains iwlwifi-3945... but the module name is iwl3945

iwlcore should get /lib/modules/all-firmware/iwlwifi.tar.gz

I added a couple lines that copy them all until we can figure out the cases (still cuts out 15MB)-

Does someone have a list of what module gets what firmware? rerwin? tempestuous?

[technosaurus]

beta 0.2 is now released (see initial post)

added firmware cutdown section using info from /etc/modules/firmware.dep - removes an additional 5MB compressed

a typical zdrv is now ~4.5 MB instead of 25 MB

[technosaurus]

beta 0.3 is now released

removes /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/initrd since it gets built at startup
added some dialogs giving opportunity to check before and after it is built
fixed some typos

[technosaurus]

you can do something similar with xorg drivers ~4MB

#this code tells you your xorg driver
grep -w card0driver /etc/X11/xorg.conf |cut -d "\"" -f 2

#files are located in /usr/X11R7/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/
#however some end in _drv.so and some just in .so
#but the ones without _drv are insignificantly small

There is no reason that these cannot go in the zdrv either AFAIK

[greengeek]

Does a smaller zdrv bring the benefit of a smaller RAM footprint and speed gains?

[technosaurus]

That depends on where the modules are originally located:
if they are in the pup*.sfs, you would need to remaster and it would reduce union/mount/decompression overhead and more with pfix=ram.
if they are already in a separate, larger zdrv.sfs, then it reduces the union/mount/decompression overhead.

Side note: after learning how modules are loaded (the entire module is memmapped first and then gets passed to init_module), I would guess that its possible to load the modules and then completely umount the zdrv.sfs

[moeppyfan]

Hello technosaurus,

I tried your zdrv_cutter-0.3.pet on huge-kernel-3.14.55 (Slacko 6) and it shrinks my zdrv from 30MB to 2.8MB! Nice. The new 2.8MB zdrv boots to desktop - and trackpad, keyboard, video, sound all work on my Dell Latitude D410.

To get it to recognize my wireless, I had to recreate /lib/firmware dir and re-add these files:

[Pelo]

Very usefull topic, 2016 most of us surf the web with at laptop at home. Wireless just needed for your firmware sure makes the Puppy Lighter.
I will try it with iwlwifi.
zdrv_vivid_6.5.sfs: 30 M
staging: 3735 K seems a place to study.. but all that is in english, and i am not a programer.

[jabu2]

Likewise not a programmer,
but TechnoS has once more come up with what looks like something really useful -if I'm understanding his concepts.

TechnoS identified it as "for low resource computers that still want to do a frugal install... or just the minimalist at heart ".

I think its also what is needed for a custom job, to use on a laptop/portable taken travelling - running on CD or USB.
Minimalist, but secure, and low risk of loss (if running on an oldie but goodie), uncluttered but doing the basics needed: =email, internet (top browser), file managing for whatever storage/dumping space the oldie has, etc, and easy wifi and internet connection?

Is that correct? Or are there better options for such a travelling OS?

Thanks TechnoSaurus for your efforts/initiative,
and to anyone who can give us an end-product using Google chrome and simple connectivity choices built-in.

ATVB (all the very best)
jabu2

[stemsee]

When will 1.0 be available?

[Sailor Enceladus]