arch/mips64/Config.help

CONFIG_SMP
  This enables support for systems with more than one CPU. If you have
  a system with only one CPU, like most personal computers, say N. If
  you have a system with more than one CPU, say Y.

  If you say N here, the kernel will run on single and multiprocessor
  machines, but will use only one CPU of a multiprocessor machine. If
  you say Y here, the kernel will run on many, but not all,
  singleprocessor machines. On a singleprocessor machine, the kernel
  will run faster if you say N here.

  Note that if you say Y here and choose architecture "586" or
  "Pentium" under "Processor family", the kernel will not work on 486
  architectures. Similarly, multiprocessor kernels for the "PPro"
  architecture may not work on all Pentium based boards.

  People using multiprocessor machines who say Y here should also say
  Y to "Enhanced Real Time Clock Support", below. The "Advanced Power
  Management" code will be disabled if you say Y here.

  See also the <file:Documentation/smp.tex>,
  <file:Documentation/smp.txt>, <file:Documentation/i386/IO-APIC.txt>,
  <file:Documentation/nmi_watchdog.txt> and the SMP-HOWTO available at
  <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#howto>.

  If you don't know what to do here, say N.

CONFIG_IDE
  If you say Y here, your kernel will be able to manage low cost mass
  storage units such as ATA/(E)IDE and ATAPI units. The most common
  cases are IDE hard drives and ATAPI CD-ROM drives.

  If your system is pure SCSI and doesn't use these interfaces, you
  can say N here.

  Integrated Disk Electronics (IDE aka ATA-1) is a connecting standard
  for mass storage units such as hard disks. It was designed by
  Western Digital and Compaq Computer in 1984. It was then named
  ST506. Quite a number of disks use the IDE interface.

  AT Attachment (ATA) is the superset of the IDE specifications.
  ST506 was also called ATA-1.

  Fast-IDE is ATA-2 (also named Fast ATA), Enhanced IDE (EIDE) is
  ATA-3. It provides support for larger disks (up to 8.4GB by means of
  the LBA standard), more disks (4 instead of 2) and for other mass
  storage units such as tapes and cdrom. UDMA/33 (aka UltraDMA/33) is
  ATA-4 and provides faster (and more CPU friendly) transfer modes
  than previous PIO (Programmed processor Input/Output) from previous
  ATA/IDE standards by means of fast DMA controllers.

  ATA Packet Interface (ATAPI) is a protocol used by EIDE tape and
  CD-ROM drives, similar in many respects to the SCSI protocol.

  SMART IDE (Self Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) was
  designed in order to prevent data corruption and disk crash by
  detecting pre hardware failure conditions (heat, access time, and
  the like...). Disks built since June 1995 may follow this standard.
  The kernel itself don't manage this; however there are quite a
  number of user programs such as smart that can query the status of
  SMART parameters disk.

  If you want to compile this driver as a module ( = code which can be
  inserted in and removed from the running kernel whenever you want),
  say M here and read <file:Documentation/modules.txt>. The module
  will be called ide.o.

  For further information, please read <file:Documentation/ide.txt>.

  If unsure, say Y.

CONFIG_SGI_IP22
  This are the SGI Indy, Challenge S and Indigo2, as well as certain
  OEM variants like the Tandem CMN B006S. To compile a Linux kernel
  that runs on these, say Y here.

CONFIG_SGI_IP27
  This are the SGI Origin 200, Origin 2000 and Onyx 2 Graphics
  workstations.  To compile a Linux kernel that runs on these, say Y
  here.

CONFIG_SGI_SN0_N_MODE
  The nodes of Origin 200, Origin 2000 and Onyx 2 systems can be
  configured in either N-Modes which allows for more nodes or M-Mode
  which allows for more memory.  Your system is most probably
  running in M-Mode, so you should say N here.

CONFIG_MIPS_FPU_EMULATOR
  This option enables the MIPS software floatingpoint support.  Due to
  the way floating point works you should always enable this option
  unless you exactly know what you're doing.

CONFIG_CPU_R4300
  MIPS Technologies R4300-series processors.

CONFIG_CPU_R4X00
  MIPS Technologies R4000-series processors other than 4300, including
  the 4640, 4650, and 4700.

CONFIG_CPU_R5000
  MIPS Technologies R5000-series processors other than the Nevada.

CONFIG_CPU_NEVADA
  MIPS Technologies R52x0-series ("Nevada") processors.

CONFIG_CPU_R8000
  MIPS Technologies R8000-series processors.

CONFIG_CPU_R10000
  MIPS Technologies R10000-series processors.

CONFIG_DISCONTIGMEM
  Say Y to upport efficient handling of discontiguous physical memory,
  for architectures which are either NUMA (Non-Uniform Memory Access)
  or have huge holes in the physical address space for other reasons.
  See <file:Documentation/vm/numa> for more.

CONFIG_MAPPED_KERNEL
  Change the way a Linux kernel is loaded unto memory on a MIPS64
  machine.  This is required in order to support text replication and
  NUMA.  If you need to undersatand it, read the source code.

CONFIG_REPLICATE_KTEXT
  Say Y here to enable replicating the kernel text across multiple
  nodes in a NUMA cluster.  This trades memory for speed.

CONFIG_REPLICATE_EXHANDLERS
  Say Y here to enable replicating the kernel exception handlers
  across multiple nodes in a NUMA cluster. This trades memory for
  speed.

CONFIG_NUMA
  Say Y to compile the kernel to support NUMA (Non-Uniform Memory
  Access).  This option is for configuring high-end multiprocessor
  server machines.  If in doubt, say N.

CONFIG_MIPS_INSANE_LARGE
  MIPS R10000 does support a 44 bit / 16TB address space as opposed to
  previous 64-bit processors which only supported 40 bit / 1TB. If you
  need processes of more than 1TB virtual address space, say Y here.
  This will result in additional memory usage, so it is not
  recommended for normal users.

CONFIG_CPU_LITTLE_ENDIAN
  Some MIPS machines can be configured for either little or big endian
  byte order. These modes require different kernels. Say Y if your
  machine is little endian, N if it's a big endian machine.

CONFIG_SGI_NEWPORT_CONSOLE
  Say Y here if you want the console on the Newport aka XL graphics
  card of your Indy.  Most people say Y here.

CONFIG_ISA
  Find out whether you have ISA slots on your motherboard.  ISA is the
  name of a bus system, i.e. the way the CPU talks to the other stuff
  inside your box.  Other bus systems are PCI, EISA, MicroChannel
  (MCA) or VESA.  ISA is an older system, now being displaced by PCI;
  newer boards don't support it.  If you have ISA, say Y, otherwise N.

CONFIG_PCI
  Find out whether you have a PCI motherboard. PCI is the name of a
  bus system, i.e. the way the CPU talks to the other stuff inside
  your box. Other bus systems are ISA, EISA, MicroChannel (MCA) or
  VESA. If you have PCI, say Y, otherwise N.

  The PCI-HOWTO, available from
  <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#howto>, contains valuable
  information about which PCI hardware does work under Linux and which
  doesn't.

CONFIG_MCA
  MicroChannel Architecture is found in some IBM PS/2 machines and
  laptops.  It is a bus system similar to PCI or ISA. See
  <file:Documentation/mca.txt> (and especially the web page given
  there) before attempting to build an MCA bus kernel.

CONFIG_EISA
  The Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus was
  developed as an open alternative to the IBM MicroChannel bus.

  The EISA bus provided some of the features of the IBM MicroChannel
  bus while maintaining backward compatibility with cards made for
  the older ISA bus.  The EISA bus saw limited use between 1988 and
  1995 when it was made obsolete by the PCI bus.

  Say Y here if you are building a kernel for an EISA-based machine.

  Otherwise, say N.

CONFIG_HOTPLUG
  Say Y here if you want to plug devices into your computer while
  the system is running, and be able to use them quickly.  In many
  cases, the devices can likewise be unplugged at any time too.

  One well known example of this is PCMCIA- or PC-cards, credit-card
  size devices such as network cards, modems or hard drives which are
  plugged into slots found on all modern laptop computers.  Another
  example, used on modern desktops as well as laptops, is USB.

  Enable HOTPLUG and KMOD, and build a modular kernel.  Get agent
  software (at <http://linux-hotplug.sourceforge.net/>) and install it.
  Then your kernel will automatically call out to a user mode "policy
  agent" (/sbin/hotplug) to load modules and set up software needed
  to use devices as you hotplug them.

CONFIG_PCMCIA
  Say Y here if you want to attach PCMCIA- or PC-cards to your Linux
  computer.  These are credit-card size devices such as network cards,
  modems or hard drives often used with laptops computers.  There are
  actually two varieties of these cards: the older 16 bit PCMCIA cards
  and the newer 32 bit CardBus cards.  If you want to use CardBus
  cards, you need to say Y here and also to "CardBus support" below.

  To use your PC-cards, you will need supporting software from David
  Hinds' pcmcia-cs package (see the file <file:Documentation/Changes>
  for location).  Please also read the PCMCIA-HOWTO, available from
  <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#howto>.

  This driver is also available as a module ( = code which can be
  inserted in and removed from the running kernel whenever you want).
  When compiled this way, there will be modules called pcmcia_core.o
  and ds.o.  If you want to compile it as a module, say M here and
  read <file:Documentation/modules.txt>.

CONFIG_KCORE_ELF
  If you enabled support for /proc file system then the file
  /proc/kcore will contain the kernel core image. This can be used
  in gdb:

  $ cd /usr/src/linux ; gdb vmlinux /proc/kcore

  You have two choices here: ELF and A.OUT. Selecting ELF will make
  /proc/kcore appear in ELF core format as defined by the Executable
  and Linking Format specification. Selecting A.OUT will choose the
  old "a.out" format which may be necessary for some old versions
  of binutils or on some architectures.

  This is especially useful if you have compiled the kernel with the
  "-g" option to preserve debugging information. It is mainly used
  for examining kernel data structures on the live kernel so if you
  don't understand what this means or are not a kernel hacker, just
  leave it at its default value ELF.

CONFIG_BINFMT_ELF
  ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) is a format for libraries and
  executables used across different architectures and operating
  systems. Saying Y here will enable your kernel to run ELF binaries
  and enlarge it by about 13 KB. ELF support under Linux has now all
  but replaced the traditional Linux a.out formats (QMAGIC and ZMAGIC)
  because it is portable (this does *not* mean that you will be able
  to run executables from different architectures or operating systems
  however) and makes building run-time libraries very easy. Many new
  executables are distributed solely in ELF format. You definitely
  want to say Y here.

  Information about ELF is contained in the ELF HOWTO available from
  <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#howto>.

  If you find that after upgrading from Linux kernel 1.2 and saying Y
  here, you still can't run any ELF binaries (they just crash), then
  you'll have to install the newest ELF runtime libraries, including
  ld.so (check the file <file:Documentation/Changes> for location and
  latest version).

  If you want to compile this as a module ( = code which can be
  inserted in and removed from the running kernel whenever you want),
  say M here and read <file:Documentation/modules.txt>.  The module
  will be called binfmt_elf.o. Saying M or N here is dangerous because
  some crucial programs on your system might be in ELF format.

CONFIG_BINFMT_MISC
  If you say Y here, it will be possible to plug wrapper-driven binary
  formats into the kernel. You will like this especially when you use
  programs that need an interpreter to run like Java, Python or
  Emacs-Lisp. It's also useful if you often run DOS executables under
  the Linux DOS emulator DOSEMU (read the DOSEMU-HOWTO, available from
  <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#howto>). Once you have
  registered such a binary class with the kernel, you can start one of
  those programs simply by typing in its name at a shell prompt; Linux
  will automatically feed it to the correct interpreter.

  You can do other nice things, too. Read the file
  <file:Documentation/binfmt_misc.txt> to learn how to use this
  feature, and <file:Documentation/java.txt> for information about how
  to include Java support.

  You must say Y to "/proc file system support" (CONFIG_PROC_FS) to
  use this part of the kernel.

  You may say M here for module support and later load the module when
  you have use for it; the module is called binfmt_misc.o. If you
  don't know what to answer at this point, say Y.

CONFIG_FONT_8x16
  This is the "high resolution" font for the VGA frame buffer (the one
  provided by the VGA text console 80x25 mode.

  If unsure, say Y.

CONFIG_SCSI
  If you want to use a SCSI hard disk, SCSI tape drive, SCSI CD-ROM or
  any other SCSI device under Linux, say Y and make sure that you know
  the name of your SCSI host adapter (the card inside your computer
  that "speaks" the SCSI protocol, also called SCSI controller),
  because you will be asked for it.

  You also need to say Y here if you want support for the parallel
  port version of the 100 MB IOMEGA ZIP drive.

  This driver is also available as a module ( = code which can be
  inserted in and removed from the running kernel whenever you want).
  The module will be called scsi_mod.o.  If you want to compile it as
  a module, say M here and read <file:Documentation/modules.txt> and
  <file:Documentation/scsi.txt>.  However, do not compile this as a
  module if your root file system (the one containing the directory /)
  is located on a SCSI device.

CONFIG_NETDEVICES
  You can say N here if you don't intend to connect your Linux box to
  any other computer at all or if all your connections will be over a
  telephone line with a modem either via UUCP (UUCP is a protocol to
  forward mail and news between unix hosts over telephone lines; read
  the UUCP-HOWTO, available from
  <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#howto>) or dialing up a shell
  account or a BBS, even using term (term is a program which gives you
  almost full Internet connectivity if you have a regular dial up
  shell account on some Internet connected Unix computer. Read
  <http://www.bart.nl/~patrickr/term-howto/Term-HOWTO.html>).

  You'll have to say Y if your computer contains a network card that
  you want to use under Linux (make sure you know its name because you
  will be asked for it and read the Ethernet-HOWTO (especially if you
  plan to use more than one network card under Linux)) or if you want
  to use SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol is the protocol used to
  send Internet traffic over telephone lines or null modem cables) or
  CSLIP (compressed SLIP) or PPP (Point to Point Protocol, a better
  and newer replacement for SLIP) or PLIP (Parallel Line Internet
  Protocol is mainly used to create a mini network by connecting the
  parallel ports of two local machines) or AX.25/KISS (protocol for
  sending Internet traffic over amateur radio links).

  Make sure to read the NET-3-HOWTO. Eventually, you will have to read
  Olaf Kirch's excellent and free book "Network Administrator's
  Guide", to be found in <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#guide>. If
  unsure, say Y.

CONFIG_CD_NO_IDESCSI
  If you have a CD-ROM drive that is neither SCSI nor IDE/ATAPI, say Y
  here, otherwise N. Read the CD-ROM-HOWTO, available from
  <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#howto>.

  Note that the answer to this question doesn't directly affect the
  kernel: saying N will just cause the configurator to skip all
  the questions about these CD-ROM drives. If you are unsure what you
  have, say Y and find out whether you have one of the following
  drives.

  For each of these drivers, a file Documentation/cdrom/{driver_name}
  exists. Especially in cases where you do not know exactly which kind
  of drive you have you should read there. Most of these drivers use a
  file drivers/cdrom/{driver_name}.h where you can define your
  interface parameters and switch some internal goodies.

  All these CD-ROM drivers are also usable as a module ( = code which
  can be inserted in and removed from the running kernel whenever you
  want). If you want to compile them as module, say M instead of Y and
  read <file:Documentation/modules.txt>.

  If you want to use any of these CD-ROM drivers, you also have to
  answer Y or M to "ISO 9660 CD-ROM file system support" below (this
  answer will get "defaulted" for you if you enable any of the Linux
  CD-ROM drivers).

CONFIG_SOUND
  If you have a sound card in your computer, i.e. if it can say more
  than an occasional beep, say Y.  Be sure to have all the information
  about your sound card and its configuration down (I/O port,
  interrupt and DMA channel), because you will be asked for it.

  You want to read the Sound-HOWTO, available from
  <http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html#howto>. General information about
  the modular sound system is contained in the files
  <file:Documentation/sound/Introduction>.  The file
  <file:Documentation/sound/README.OSS> contains some slightly
  outdated but still useful information as well.

  If you have a PnP sound card and you want to configure it at boot
  time using the ISA PnP tools (read
  <http://www.roestock.demon.co.uk/isapnptools/>), then you need to
  compile the sound card support as a module ( = code which can be
  inserted in and removed from the running kernel whenever you want)
  and load that module after the PnP configuration is finished.  To do
  this, say M here and read <file:Documentation/modules.txt> as well
  as <file:Documentation/sound/README.modules>; the module will be
  called soundcore.o.

  I'm told that even without a sound card, you can make your computer
  say more than an occasional beep, by programming the PC speaker.
  Kernel patches and supporting utilities to do that are in the pcsp
  package, available at <ftp://ftp.infradead.org/pub/pcsp/>.

CONFIG_CROSSCOMPILE
  Say Y here if you are compiling the kernel on a different
  architecture than the one it is intended to run on.

CONFIG_MIPS32_COMPAT
  Select this option if you want Linux/MIPS 32-bit binary
  compatibility. Since all software available for Linux/MIPS is
  currently 32-bit you should say Y here.

CONFIG_MIPS_FPE_MODULE
  Build the floating point exception handler module. This option is
  only useful for people working on the floating point exception
  handler. If you don't, say N.

CONFIG_REMOTE_DEBUG
  If you say Y here, it will be possible to remotely debug the MIPS
  kernel using gdb. This enlarges your kernel image disk size by
  several megabytes and requires a machine with more than 16 MB,
  better 32 MB RAM to avoid excessive linking time. This is only
  useful for kernel hackers. If unsure, say N.

CONFIG_MIPS_UNCACHED
  If you say Y here there kernel will disable all CPU caches.  This will
  reduce the system's performance dramatically but can help finding
  otherwise hard to track bugs.  It can also useful if you're doing
  hardware debugging with a logic analyzer and need to see all traffic
  on the bus.

CONFIG_MAGIC_SYSRQ
  If you say Y here, you will have some control over the system even
  if the system crashes for example during kernel debugging (e.g., you
  will be able to flush the buffer cache to disk, reboot the system
  immediately or dump some status information). This is accomplished
  by pressing various keys while holding SysRq (Alt+PrintScreen). It
  also works on a serial console (on PC hardware at least), if you
  send a BREAK and then within 5 seconds a command keypress. The
  keys are documented in <file:Documentation/sysrq.txt>. Don't say Y
  unless you really know what this hack does.

CONFIG_ISDN
  ISDN ("Integrated Services Digital Networks", called RNIS in France)
  is a special type of fully digital telephone service; it's mostly
  used to connect to your Internet service provider (with SLIP or
  PPP).  The main advantage is that the speed is higher than ordinary
  modem/telephone connections, and that you can have voice
  conversations while downloading stuff.  It only works if your
  computer is equipped with an ISDN card and both you and your service
  provider purchased an ISDN line from the phone company.  For
  details, read <http://alumni.caltech.edu/~dank/isdn/> on the WWW.

  This driver allows you to use an ISDN-card for networking
  connections and as dialin/out device.  The isdn-tty's have a built
  in AT-compatible modem emulator.  Network devices support autodial,
  channel-bundling, callback and caller-authentication without having
  a daemon running.  A reduced T.70 protocol is supported with tty's
  suitable for German BTX.  On D-Channel, the protocols EDSS1
  (Euro-ISDN) and 1TR6 (German style) are supported.  See
  <file:Documentation/isdn/README> for more information.

  If you want to compile the ISDN code as a module ( = code which can
  be inserted in and removed from the running kernel whenever you
  want), say M here and read <file:Documentation/modules.txt>.  The
  module will be called isdn.o. If unsure, say N.

CONFIG_BINFMT_ELF32
  This allows you to run 32-bit Linux/ELF binaries on your Ultra.
  Everybody wants this; say Y.