[TriLUG] Multiprocessor Install

[jeffj at ro.com]

Justin Johnson wrote:
> I recently found myself "in the right place at the right time, and as a
> result I know have a new (to me) dual P3 700Mhz machine. A Gig of ram too!
> So anyway, I want to install Redhat on this bad boy this weekend, and I was
> wondering if there is anything I need to know to do so, as in is there
> anything different than doing a single proc install? I know there is a SMP
> kernel, is that required? ( SMP is TLA for Symmetric Multi-Processor, which
> I assume needs two or more procs, right? ;-) ) If so is it pat of the
> standard  RedHat install cd set? I guess I could always just boot the bad
> boy up to the cd and see what happens when the  installer starts...

The Redhat install (any since 7.0) should figure it out and install an 
SMP kernel. I used the freely available Redhat 7.0 install on my dual 
466MHz Celeron system, and the installer had no trouble with SMP.

You can mix and match uniprocessor and SMP kernels and computers, but 
only the SMP kernel will use more than one processor. An SMP kernel on a 
uniprocessor system should work fine, but is probably not the best choice.

> This system has (2) 4GB disks, and (2) 8GB disks. I also have a brand new
> IBM Deskstar 83GB drive that I am looking to provide a home for. Any
> suggestions for partition schema using these disks?  I'm thinking of
> procuring an IDE Raid controller, and going ahead and setting up a mother of
> a 'home machine' ;-)

Software RAID is an option, too. I use it on two machines with no 
problems, except that RH 7.0 cannot properly unmount root on RAID 
(fixable). RH 7.2 doesn't have that problem.

-- 
Jeff Jackowski
http://ro.com/~jeffj/