NAME

kconfig − configure, build, install, and manage kernels

SYNOPSIS

kconfig [ −r root_directory ]

DESCRIPTION

The kconfig command provides a menu interface to configure, build, or install a kernel as well as manage previously built kernels.  For additional information, see the section “Using kconfig to Tailor Your System Kernel” in the INTERACTIVE UNIX System Installation and Maintenance Guide.

By default, the root of the directory tree in which the configuration takes place, etc/conf, is /; this may be overridden by setting the environment variable $ROOT or by using the −r option on the command line.  This root will be referred to as $ROOT throughout this manual entry. 

System files are contained in $ROOT/etc/conf/cf.d.  The kconfig command performs all modifications to the system files via menu choices. 

MENUS

Kernel Configuration Menu

The kernel configuration menu presents menu choices for modifying system file(s).  After returning from the Configuration Menu, if modifications were made, kconfig asks whether to save the modified system file(s). 

Clone Kernel
This choice allows a previously built kernel to be used as a baseline for configuring a kernel. This selection uses the files in $ROOT/etc/conf/kconfig.d/unix.#.d as data files to set the present state of the configuration files.  Drivers
This selection lists known drivers that are currently able to be configured in the sdevice system file.  The menu items are examples only and will vary according to the sdevice file contents.  This menu allows you to add and remove drivers from the configuration.  After a driver has been selected, a form appears that enables you to change the values for IRQ, DMA I/O address space, and Controller Memory Addressing.  Facilities
This menu lists kernel facilities in which the modules are not in the set of currently configured modules. The menu items are examples only and will vary according to the contents of the source file. This is used to include or remove groups of kernel modules in the set of configured modules. HPDD
The High Performance Device Driver (HPDD) is a system of ­device and controller drivers that provides fast, consistent support for many disk and tape ­devices.  The ­devices that are under the domain of the HPDD are fixed disk controllers and SCSI tape drives (see the Hardware Compatibility List for a list of supported ­devices).  In addition, the HPDD supports a RAM disk, which is created by reserving a portion of the computer’s available memory, which is then treated as if it were a disk storage ­device.  To support a configuration of these ­devices that differs from the default configuration documented in the INTER­ACTIVE UNIX System Installation and Maintenance Guide, you must reconfigure the HPDD.  Even if your configuration does not require you to reconfigure the HPDD, you can improve performance at boot time by doing so.  Under the default configuration, upon booting, the HPDD must determine the type of fixed-disk controller present; when the HPDD has been reconfigured, this information is known, reducing the startup time.  Once you have reconfigured the HPDD, if you subsequently make any changes to your system with respect to these devices (other than replacing a standard AT controller of one type with a standard AT controller of a different type or adding or removing fixed disk drives), you will need to reconfigure it again.  For complete information on configuring the HPDD, refer to the section “Hardware Compatibility and Configuration” in the INTERACTIVE UNIX System Installation and Maintenance Guide. Tunables
The Default Parameters For Memory Size Menu is used to set predefined tunable parameters based on system memory size or tunable parameters to the stune system file.  kconfig displays the parameter name and the current, default, minimum, and maximum values.  The default and current values may be changed.  The standard kernel supplied with the system is optimized for a system with 4 MB of RAM.  Although all the memory that is located when the system is booted will be used, system performance will increase if the kernel is tuned to make more efficient use of different amounts of system memory.  Using this option, for higher amounts of RAM, more memory will be dedicated to system buffers and other kernel structures as well as increasing certain process-related parameters.  If the amount of memory you have installed falls between the available choices, choose the next lowest option.  The INTERACTIVE UNIX System will operate unreliably if the system does not have as much memory as the kernel expects.  The /etc/conf/cf.d/stune file is partially dependent on the /etc/conf/kconfig.d/param.xxMB file.  A change in the "current" column of the parameters menu (under the configure/tunable menus) causes kconfig to write that value in the /etc/conf/cf.d/stune file.  A change in the "default" column is written in the /etc/conf/cf.d/mtune file.  Every time the "Memory Size Defaults" menu is used to change the default memory size, the kconfig program takes the appropriate param.xxMB file and writes over any previous setting in the /etc/conf/cf.d/stune file.  Therefore, those tunable parameters affected by this operation will have values different from those previously set by the user.  Note that only a few of the tunable parameters in the /etc/conf/cf.d/stune file are affected by this operation.  To make the changes to the tunable parameter permanent, select the parameters menu from the configure menu after you have modified the Default Memory Size.

Build

This menu offers two choices: either the latest configuration may be reviewed or the kernel may be built. 

Install

The Install Kernel Menu will display all kernels contained in the $ROOT/etc/conf/kconfig.d directory.  After you have selected a kernel, the system may be shut down. 

Manage

This menu selection allows you to remove kernels from the system.  When a kernel is generated, it is placed in $ROOT/etc/conf/kconfig.d/unix.#.d along with all of the configuration files that were used in its creation.  This menu selection will allow the removal of the old kernel and directory, freeing file system space.  The configuration of the kernel may be reviewed before removal.  A reporting function is also available in the manage portion; you may select a kernel, and a report on kernel configuration will be generated. The report can be sent to the screen, to the default printer via the lp(1) command, or to a designated file name.

File Format

DrivDesc File:
The kernel module descriptions and group designations used by the configuration menus to add or remove drivers and facilities are obtained from the $ROOT/etc/conf/pack.d/<drivername>/DrivDesc file.  This file lists the kernel module names and description and the group designations for each driver and facility.  The format of this file is as follows (for the Serial I/O Driver):

DRIVER=asy
CLASS=io
HARDWARE=TRUE
DESCRIPTION=Serial I/O Driver

In the case of a facility, the format is:

FACILITY=net
CLASS=net
FDRIVERS=clone log ldterm ptem ptm pts sp timod tirdwr
HARDWARE=FALSE
DESCRIPTION=STREAMS Facilities

There can be as much or as little information as desired, but the following minimum must be maintained. Refer to DrivDesc(4).

DRIVERThe name of the driver.
FACILITYThe “umbrella” name for the facility.
CLASSThis denotes whether the driver is
 standalone, “io,” or part of a facility “net.”
FDRIVERSThe list of drivers for the facility.
HARDWARETRUE if driver controls hardware.
DESCRIPTION A descriptive phrase.

FILES

$ROOT/etc/conf/kconfig.d
$ROOT/etc/conf/pack.d/<drivername>/DrivDesc

SEE ALSO

idbuild(1M), inskern(1), lp(1), shutdown(1M), DrivDesc(4). 

WARNINGS

The kconfig command can be executed only by user root.  To install a kernel, kconfig should be executed from the / (root) directory. 

ADDED VALUE

This entry, supplied by SunSoft, Inc., is an extension of UNIX System V. 

\*U  —  Version 1.0