> From: "George Lenzer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 1. Does Linux have/need a defragmenting program? I looked around on the net
> and found some indications that as long as 10% of the file system is free, ext2
> doesn't need defragmenting? Is that true? I noticed that my system mentions
The file systems does some "smart" things to reduce fragmentation. I
believe these include buffering writes until a significant number of
blocks are need so they can be allocated contiguously and
preallocating blocks in hopes that they can be used for the same file
- I'm certain it frees those blocks if they don't end up being used.
These are from a description I saw in a OS textbook that had a chapter
on Linux. Someone can probably give you a more detailed answer if you
need it, but in general fragmentation is not a problem with the Linux
file system (ext2). That doesn't mean there is no fragmentation, but
not enough to worry about.
> something about "0.8% non-contiguous" after re-mounting /dev/hda at boot time.
> Is this a fragmentation message?
Don't know for certain, but probably and certainly 0.8% is nothing to
worry about. I think I heard that someone wrote a defragmenter for
the ext2 file system, but since you are new to Linux, I wouldn't
bother with it until fragmentation becomes a problem for you and it
probably never will.
> 2. How difficult is it to recompile the kernel for someone who can write batch
> files under DOS and had some BASIC programming experience in the days before
> structured BASIC? (120 GOTO 10, etc...) I want to add sound support to my
> Linux machine, but I am afraid that the machine will not boot after I
> recompile. Which leads to my next question;
The main thing you need to know is what support to include and what
you can include in modules (assuming you want to build a modular
kernel which is probably a good idea). Other than that, it's just a
matter of following directions that are in the RedHat manual and/or
the kernel compile HOWTO. I compiled my kernel w/o reading the HOWTO
- just followed the directions in the RedHat 4.1 manual. I had a fair
amount of general computer and Unix knowledge at the time, but was new
to Linux and I was able to determine for the most part what I needed
to include and what I didn't. I suspect the kernel compile HOWTO
tells you about the options. Make certain you keep a copy of the old
kernel in case your new kernel won't boot. You'll need to modify the
lilo.conf file and rerun lilo after compiling the kernel to specify
the new kernel and allow the old kernel to still boot (assuming your
using lilo). Again, this information should be in the kernel compile
HOWTO.
> 3. If I installed the "Multimedia machine" option when I installed Redhat 5.0,
> was that supposed to have configured sound for me or only install support? I
> tried to use x11amp the other night and I got two error messages. (Something
> about not being able to open device /dev/audio and one other error.)
> 4. If I successfully get sound working from the console, does that carry over
> to the X environment?
Can't answer your sound questions since I have never bothered trying
to get my sound card to work.
> 5. Should I have istalled the C developer libraries and compilers, etc... in
> order to recompile the kernel?
Yes, you'll need those along with the four kernel RPMS. If you didn't
install them initially (you had to install one of them, but you may
not have installed the other three), you can install them now using
rpm. You'll need to mount the RedHat CD and then use rpm to install
them. Hint: look at the commands mount, umount and rpm. If you can't
figure it out, ask and I'm certain someone on the list will help.
Dave
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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