New BFS Ubuntu kernel available

M

musky

[H]ard|DCer of the Year 2012
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
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If you are running Ubuntu with the -ck kernel that uses the BFS, there is a newer version available - 2.6.35-28-generic-ck. If you used my guide and changed grub to load the image in the 2 position (the third one), you will need to change it back to use the 0 (first) position by default. If you see this:

Code: 
dave@hellhound:~/fah$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-28-generic-ck
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-28-generic-ck
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-28-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-28-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-25-generic-ck
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-25-generic-ck
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
done

and you have this in /etc/default/grub:

Code: 
GRUB_DEFAULT=2

you need to change it to this:

Code: 
GRUB_DEFAULT=0

Then, run:

Code: 
sudo update-grub

Reboot, and you are set.

I don't know if this new kernel performs any better that the 2.6.35-25-generic-ck kernel. I just upgraded my first box to it a minute ago. Also, you may have started with the 2.6.35-28-generic-ck kernel, depnding on when you installed. I think the -28 kernel is fairly new, but I really don't know how new it is.

If you want to know which kernel you are running, type this in a terminal:

Code: 
uname -r
 
So musky what is the word on performance?

Might give this a spin when I get home. mmmm, new kernel.
 
may i be worthy said:
So musky what is the word on performance?

Might give this a spin when I get home. mmmm, new kernel.
Click to expand...

No difference. I'd probably update the next time you plan to reboot. Otherwise, there is no reason to.
 
Hmmm, something interesting is going on.

SR2C - turbo off - no improvement - absolutely identical frame times on 2684 unit.
SR2B - turbo on - 1.8% faster frame times = +3000 ppd on 2684.

Code: 
[COLOR="Yellow"](1%)	00:14:14
(2%)	00:14:15
(3%)	00:14:15
(4%)	00:14:17[/COLOR]
(5%)	update kernel, reboot
[COLOR="Cyan"](6%)	00:14:00
(7%)	00:14:00
(8%)	00:14:01
(9%)	00:13:59[/COLOR]

Too early to tell if this was a "golden SR2 reboot" or if it was the kernel... but worth a look.
 
may i be worthy said:
Hmmm, something interesting is going on.

SR2C - turbo off - no improvement - absolutely identical frame times on 2684 unit.
SR2B - turbo on - 1.8% faster frame times = +3000 ppd on 2684.

Code: 
[COLOR="Yellow"](1%)	00:14:14
(2%)	00:14:15
(3%)	00:14:15
(4%)	00:14:17[/COLOR]
(5%)	update kernel, reboot
[COLOR="Cyan"](6%)	00:14:00
(7%)	00:14:00
(8%)	00:14:01
(9%)	00:13:59[/COLOR]

Too early to tell if this was a "golden SR2 reboot" or if it was the kernel... but worth a look.
Click to expand...

I'll update a couple of SR-2's tonight. My observation was based on a 2600K running smp units, and the frame times stayed identical. Maybe dual proc machines do benifit from it. All of mine have turbo on, so we shall see.
 
You may be on to something:

Code: 
Frame	Frame Time
1	0:17:12
2	0:17:08
3	0:17:08
4	0:17:09
5	0:17:09
6	0:17:08
7	reboot to new kernel
8	0:17:00
9	0:16:58
10	0:16:58
11	0:16:58
12	0:16:58
13	0:16:57
14	0:16:57
15	0:17:00
16	0:16:58
17	0:16:58

We will see if it holds...

Edit: More frames added - looks like it is holding just fine.
 
Last edited:
I'm gonna try the new .38 kernel without BFS on the AMD to see what happens. This may be kernel related or BFS related but we'll soon find out!

Nice work musky!
 
I revisited SR2#3 - redid the update - which I am pretty sure did nothing - rechecked the grub config and rebooted.

Code: 
(57%)	00:14:51	
(58%)	00:14:50	
(59%)	00:14:52	
(60%)	00:14:50	
(61%)	00:14:51	
(62%)	00:14:50	
(63%)	00:14:52	
(64%)	00:14:50	
(65%)	00:14:51	
(66%)	00:14:49	
(67%)	00:14:50	
(68%)	00:14:50	
(69%)	00:14:50	
(70%)	00:14:50	
(71%)	00:14:49	
(72%)	00:14:48	
(73%)	00:14:49	
(74%)	00:14:50	
(75%)		reboot
(76%)	00:14:34	
(77%)	00:14:33	
(78%)	00:14:34	
(79%)	00:14:34	
(80%)	00:14:34	
(81%)	00:14:34	
(82%)	00:14:34	
(83%)	00:14:33	
(84%)	00:14:34	
(85%)	00:14:33	
(86%)	00:14:33	
(87%)	00:14:33	
(88%)	00:14:34	
(89%)	00:14:32	
(90%)	00:14:34	
(91%)	00:14:33	
(92%)	00:14:35	
(93%)	00:14:33

98.2% frame times - exactly the same speedup as on SR2#2.

But now I have absolutely no idea what to believe - because I know the new kernel was in use before the reboot - and I know from before that the SR2 can boot up in slightly different states that bench differently.

The rock solid consistent frame times on Linux are certainly good for showing what is going on, but it can't say why.
 
Same unit (2686 R1 C19 G91), same frames (checkpoints failed), same machine. Old kernel - 11:17 average on 5 frames. New kernel - 11:13 average on the same 5 frames.

My original 2684 looks to have stabilized at 16:56, down 12 seconds from what it was doing on the old kernel.
 
I just noticed on the Krakken install page:

3. EDIT: With The Kraken there's no need to install BFS-enabled
   kernel -- there's no benefit. If, however, BFS-enabled
   kernel is already installed, The Kraken will play nicely with
   it.
Click to expand...

I might try later booting to the stock kernel and seeing what happens...
 
Tried stock kernal with Krakken wrapper..

10:23
10:24
back to BFS
10:10
10:10

So it is still worth it. I will post on AMD and tell tear..
 
may i be worthy said:
Tried stock kernal with Krakken wrapper..

10:23
10:24
back to BFS
10:10
10:10

So it is still worth it. I will post on AMD and tell tear..
Click to expand...

Good to know...now to compile all this useless information into a single place...
 
I should add for future historians, that test was 2.6.37.2 for stock, vs 2.6.35-28-generick-ck...
 
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