# Generic x86 Support

## makzu

One of the config options in the kernel I've noticed lately is "Generic x86 support."  The help text there lets me know what it's for - it's some generic x86 optimizations.  Now, I'm all about tweaks.. I love getting that a"1% faster here, 2% faster there" stuff there... That's why I switched to Gentoo!  But I'm wondering if this is really a good thing to have.

I already have my kernel set to my exact processor type (Athlon XP), so would the generic optimizations be any improvement?  Or would it slow things down?  Or will it have no effect whatsoever?

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## Jarhead

I operate on the policy that any optimization, when compiled to your machine, is at least worth trying out.  That's just me though.

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## bk0

"Generic x86 support" is only needed if you intend on using the resulting kernel binary on processors other than the one you chose in the kernel config menu. Instead of using heavily model-specific optimizations it uses more generic safe ones. Without this option the kernel image probably won't even boot on other processors.

That said, enabling it unnecessarily probably won't make much of a difference to your setup.

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