systemd and the Linux kernel

This comes up all too often, so here’s a HowTo for systemd on Exherbo:

  • You have to run a Linux kernel >=2.6.39. The new kernel is only needed at runtime, not for building systemd.
  • You should run a Linux kernel >=3.0. The new kernel is only needed at runtime, not for building systemd.
  • Kernel options for systemd: In your kernel config, enable autofs4, devtmpfs and cgroups. Do not enable autofs3. Here’s what I’m using (I enable more kernel options than strictly necessary, though.):

CONFIG_DEVTMPFS=y (Strictly required!)

CONFIG_DEVTMPFS_MOUNT=y (unless you're using an initramfs that's mounting it for you, e. g. one created by Dracut)

# CONFIG_AUTOFS_FS is not set (Strictly required!)

CONFIG_AUTOFS4_FS=y (Strictly required!)

CONFIG_CGROUPS=y (Strictly required!)

# CONFIG_CGROUP_DEBUG is not set

CONFIG_CGROUP_NS=y

CONFIG_CGROUP_FREEZER=y

CONFIG_CGROUP_DEVICE=y

CONFIG_CGROUP_CPUACCT=y

# CONFIG_CGROUP_MEM_RES_CTLR is not set

CONFIG_CGROUP_SCHED=y

CONFIG_BLK_CGROUP=y

# CONFIG_DEBUG_BLK_CGROUP is not set

CONFIG_FANOTIFY=y (only used for readahead stuff which is not enabled by default.)

CONFIG_FANOTIFY_ACCESS_PERMISSIONS=y (only used for readahead stuff which is not enabled by default.)

I am and have been working on quite a few F/OSS projects:
  • Exherbo (Nick: Philantrop)
  • Gentoo (Nick: Philantrop)
  • Calibre plugin iOS reader applications
  • Calibre plugin Marvin XD
  • chroot-manager
  • stuff on github
  • Lots of other projects
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