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Reboot Linux Faster Using kexec

Posted by timothy on from the recurse-yourself dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Even if your work doesn't require you to reboot your Linux machine several times a day, waiting for a system to reboot can be a real drag. Enter kexec. Essentially, kexec is a fast reboot feature that lets you reboot to a new Linux kernel -- without having to go through a bootloader. Faster reboot is a benefit even when uptime isn't mission-critical -- and a lifesaver for kernel and system software developers who need to reboot their machines several times a day. Kexec is currently available on the x86 32-bit platform only."

3 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Get Windows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're paid by the hour and use Linux?!?!?!. What you need is Windows, and make sure you don't have a firewall or a virus checker program. You'll greatly increase your billable hours.

  2. Sounds great, but... by You're+All+Wrong · · Score: 5, Insightful

    $ uptime
    17:44:44 up 439 days, 7:50, 7 users, load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00

    I think I'll install it some time in 2005, maybe.

    Actually it's not so great - if you're mucking around with different kernels etc. then what you really want is virtualisation, not fast reboots. VMWare, or Bochs, or whatever. At least that's what I'd prefer, YMMV.

    YAW.

    --
    Your head of state is a corrupt weasel, I hope you're happy.
  3. Useful for other reasons than speed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While there is a marginal speedup in skipping the BIOS startup, the main benefit for me is the ability to choose which kernel to boot remotely. I don't have physical access to my colocated system and permanently setting GRUB to boot a new kernel is a bit scary. With kexec I can choose which kernel to boot from ssh. If it doesn't work out I don't have to pay the colo people to reinstall the box. They just hit the reset button :)