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Linux Kernel 2.4 Or 2.6 In Embedded System?

Posted by kdawson on from the comfort-on-the-trailing-edge dept.

snikulin writes "My 6-year-old embedded software happily runs on kernel v2.4 on an XScale CPU. The software gets a bunch (tens of megabytes) of data from an FPGA over a PCI-X bus and pushes it out over GigE to data-processing equipment. The tool chain is based on the somewhat outdated gcc v2.95. Now, for certain technical reasons we want to jump from the ARM-based custom board to an Atom-based COM Express module. This implies that I'll need to re-create a Linux RAM disk from scratch along with the tool chain. The functionality of the software will be essentially the same. My question: is it worth it to jump to kernel 2.6, or better to stick with the old and proven 2.4? What will I gain and what will I lose if I stay at 2.4 (besides the modern gcc compiler and the other related dev tools)?"

3 of 178 comments (clear)

  1. Re:GCC 2.95? Seriously? by Brane2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    2.95 is/was regarded as a "golden" version for its maturity and stability.

    I'm not certain that newest 4.3x is that much better on small embedded system without SSE and FPU units to be worth a swap...

  2. What do you want? by RedWizzard · · Score: 4, Interesting

    So far all the positively moderated posts have advocated 2.6. Here's a slightly contrary view. You know 2.4. It seems to satisfy your needs. Why exactly are you considering change? Is there something 2.4 doesn't do that you want? I realise you might be asking in case there is some improvement that 2.6 may possibly provide that you've missed, but if the current setup does what you need then why would you even consider a change? My advice: stick with 2.4 unless 2.6 provides something additional that you definitely need.

  3. Re:Why Linux? by miknix · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Exactly, I would not say it better.

    As a member of the gentoo embedded team I would recommend the use of crossdev to generate the toolchain.
    By emerging crossdev-wrappers and setting up some gentooish cross-compiler environment, it is possible to cross-compile (by simply emerging them) a lot of packages on portage.
    Emerge will take care of most things leaving the most ugly cross-compile errors for you.

    http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/embedded/cross-development.xml

    Regarding the guide, don't use the xmerge script. Just emerge crossdev-wrappers instead.
    Feel free to join #gentoo-embedded on irc.freenode.net

    Happy xcompiling.