Artix Linux Forum

Remove nonfree blobs in the generic linux kernel

13 August 2023, 17:53:59

Hello, is there any way to identify nonfree blobs in the linux kernel and remove them?
I' d like to have a liberated version of Artix, but compiling the libre kernel takes too much on my laptop.

Re: Remove nonfree blobs in the generic linux kernel

Reply #1 – 13 August 2023, 18:30:09

I believe you looking for "linux-libre"
check the wiki

Re: Remove nonfree blobs in the generic linux kernel

Reply #2 – 13 August 2023, 18:44:58

https://www.parabola.nu/packages/libre/x86_64/linux-libre/
you can download from here

Re: Remove nonfree blobs in the generic linux kernel

Reply #3 – 13 August 2023, 19:56:45

No, if i was looking for something that can identify blobs, not parabola or linux-libre.

Re: Remove nonfree blobs in the generic linux kernel

Reply #4 – 13 August 2023, 21:31:28

The answer to the original question is no.
Either compile a kernel or use a precompiled one.

The reason standard distro kernels take so long to compile is they are 'jack of all trades'. A huge amount of driver modules and builtins are getting compiled which you'll never use. But someone will so they are all included.

You can use Modprobed-db to generate a list of the modules your system uses and build a kernel with make localmodconfig.

This dramatically reduces the time to compile the kernel  (I've used it to compile kernels on a Samsung Exynos 5800 which takes a very long time) though it's not without disadvantages. You'll need to make sure you use everything you might ever plug into it, and all internal devices, to generate the list and if you acquire new hardware, which needs a missing module, you'll need to compile the module. But to do that you need to know which it is to enable it in the kernel .config or switch temporarily to a 'full fat' kernel to get the module name.

Have you tested a precompiled libre kernel at all ? I ask because there's the possibility some of your laptops hardware will be non functional without the blobs if it needs them.

You could even try temporarily renaming /lib/firmware and seeing if your laptop is still fully functional afterwards.
If it isn't the whole thing might be pointless unless you can live without the non functional bits.

I'm not sure how 'blobby' the Artix kernel even is ? I've never looked. I do know the Arch Arm kernel has loads of them.

Re: Remove nonfree blobs in the generic linux kernel

Reply #5 – 14 August 2023, 09:01:51

Ok, thanks for the help, i will try to compile the kernel as you say.