Acceleration of the KNOPPIX which utilizes the LCAT

2006/03/10
Rhinoceros on communication corporation
Yamashiro Jun ( y a m a j u n @ Syon.co.jp)

In beginning

On February 28th of 2006 (inc.) alpha systems From the Linux Live CD acceleration tool kit LCAT was done release. This time, acceleration of the KNOPPIX is tried making use of the LCAT.

Concerning detailed contents, The manual of the LCAT which is the LCAT project page of the SourceForge (lcat_1.0.0_manual.pdf Please refer to. Job below did this manual in reference.

Work flow

Preparation of job

Source cord/code of LCAT (lcat_1.0.tar.bz2 It procures from the project page of the SourceForge. In addition, manual of LCAT ( lcat_1.0.0_manual.pdf It can procure from the same sight.

This time, the development package of the GTK+2.x (*-dev) being not to have entered, it cannot compile job that way in the KNOPPIX 4.0.2 Japanese edition which does. It installs the development package in advance.

(Job below is necessary job in KNOPPIX 4.0.2  Japanese edition.
Adjusting to view Shaun strike Lee D of errand,  please read and
change) the 
  $ su Password:  
  # apt-get update 
  # apt-get install libgtk2.0-dev 
(the package which it is related to the  libgtk2.0-dev by the fact that
above-mentioned command is executed is  updated in large quantities. 
With the latest job with only this  update is sufficient)   

It compiles the LCAT and it installs.

  $ tar xjf lcat_1.0.tar.bz2 
  $ cd lcat_1.0 
  $./configure 
  $ make 
  $ sudo make install 

Tuning of KNOPPIX

After inserting the CD of the KNOPPIX, contents of the CD are copied in the hard disk.

  
  $ su 
  # mkdir -p /KNOPPIX/master 
  # cp -pR  /mnt/cdrom/* /KNOPPIX/master 

In order with the manual to copy the file which is necessary for the disk image file minirt.gz which is included in the KNOPPIX CD, it is explained, but when job is advanced according to the manual, it meaning that capacity of disk image becomes insufficient, when (it is the minirt.gz of KNOPPIX 4.0.2 Japanese edition attachment), it draws up the miniroot which is guaranteed first in large texture.

(Original minirt.gz backup) 
  # mV /KNOPPIX/master/boot/isolinux/minirt.gz /KNOPPIX/master/boot/isolinux/minirt.gz.orig 
(The new image file is drawn up, the ext2 file system is constructed)  the 
  # DD if=/dev/zero of=miniroot bs=1024 count=4500 
  # mke2fs miniroot 
    Proceed anyway?  (Y and N) Y 
  # fsck.ext2 miniroot  (Original minirt.gz development)
  # gunzip -c  /KNOPPIX/master/boot/isolinux/minirt.gz.orig > miniroot.orig  
In the image file which (mounts disk image, the content is new the  copy) the 
  # mkdir /mnt/test2 
  # mount -t the ext2 -o theloop  miniroot.orig /mnt/test2 
  # mount -t the ext2 -o theloop miniroot  /mnt/test 
  # cp -Rp the /mnt/test2/* /mnt/test  

The file which is necessary for high-speed starting in the miniroot image file is copied. Here it is necessary to alter the linuxrc script. It altered in sort of the LCAT manual It leaves the linuxrc script in here.

(The linuxrc script is altered) the 
  # vi linuxrc   
(Kernel module cloop.ko of LCAT attachment copy) 
  # cp /home/knoppix/lcat_1.0/cloop-2.02-opt/cloop.ko /mnt/test/modules/
(The linuxrc script * program which is altered the copy) the 
  # cp linuxrc /mnt/test/linuxrc 
  # mkdir /mnt/test/accel 
  # cp /home/knoppix/lcat_1.0/util/cloopreadahead /mnt/test/accel  
(Unmount of disk image compression of new disk image) 
  # umount  /mnt/test2 
  # umount /mnt/test 
  # gzip -c. /miniroot > /KNOPPIX/master/boot/isolinux/minirt.gz  

ISO9660 disk image is drawn up.

  # mkisofs -l -r -J -V " KNOPPIX_PROF "  -hide-rr-moved -v -b boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin
    ＼-c  boot/isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table ＼-o.
    /knoppix_prof.iso /KNOPPIX/master

After the image drawing up, image is written to the CD-R/CD-RW with the CD-R entry software of the k3b and the like.
(Only one time because it is the CD which is not utilized, it is good to use the CD-RW which can do superscription is)

It inserts one for profiling CD-R/RW in CD drive, is indicated in immediately after the starting Boot: Parameter below is inputted into prompt.

Boot:  Knoppix chkblk=10000 nocbr 

After the KNOPPIX starting inputting the command below into the console, try to be able to retain the result of profiling in the hard disk.

  $ su 
  # mount /mnt/hda1 
  # cd /mnt/hda1/KNOPPIX  

In order to investigate the disk access circumstance at the time of KNOPPIX starting, profiling is done.

  # cat /proc/cloop/read_blocks >  /mnt/hda1/KNOPPIX/boot.read_blocks 

Execution frequency such as Konqueror, Firefox and OpenOffice.org is high, by the fact that profiling of disk access circumstance of the application where time is required for starting is done, it can improve operation.

(Before the application executing, the log when  starting is eliminated)
  # echo 1 > the /proc/cloop/reset_read_blocks  
(various applications after executing & ending, executes the command below) the 
  # cat /proc/cloop/read_blocks > the /mnt/hda1/KNOPPIX/apps.read_blocks 

The tuning work for the image file of the system is done.

Cu 
  # cd /KNOPPIX 
(backup of system image) 
  # mV  /KNOPPIX/master/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX ./master.KNOPPIX.KNOPPIX.orig  
(optimization of system image) 
  # cloopoptimizer  master.KNOPPIX.KNOPPIX.orig ＼
    boot.read_blocks apps.read_blocks > /KNOPPIX/master/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX 
(compilation of pre-reading designated block list) 
  # rblk2bl boot.read_blocks >  /KNOPPIX/master/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX.boot.lst  

The CD of the optimization being completed is drawn up.

  # mkisofs -l -r -J -V " KNOPPIX_OPT " -hide-rr-moved -v -b boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin ＼-c 
    boot/isolinux/boot.cat  -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table ＼-o. /knoppix_opt.iso 
    /KNOPPIX/master 

Result of tuning

KNOPPIX 4.0.2 Japanese edition With that in the base (inc.) the Accelerated-KNOPPIX, and the KNOPPIX 4.0.2 Japanese edition which the alpha systems accelerate it compared acceleration with the homemade KNOPPIX which is customized individually in the base.

It was verified that starting time of the homemade KNOPPIX is shortened 1 minute or more. But, with the homemade KNOPPIX which is accelerated, it is indicated in when starting Boot: To prompt knoppix chkblk=10000 It inputs unless,

Kernel panic  -      Not syncing:  VFS:   Unable to mount root fs ON unknown-block (1,3) 

With error coming out, starting stops. This error occurred when accelerating KNOPPIX 4.0.2 Japanese edition that way even.

With only description of the manual without going to the point of making the complete CD, ending, it finished, but it could verify the effect of the LCAT. You think in the future, we would like to report to the point of drawing up the CD which is started securely.