\\\\ dwmw2's --combine -fwhole-program patch for the kernel
\\ original of this incarnation was here:
\\ http://david.woodhou.se/linux-combine-build.patch
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/drivers/md/md.c linux-2.6.20.4/drivers/md/md.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/drivers/md/md.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/drivers/md/md.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -2944,6 +2944,7 @@ static struct kobj_type md_ktype = {
 };
 
 int mdp_major = 0;
+__internal_export(mdp_major);
 
 static struct kobject *md_probe(dev_t dev, int *part, void *data)
 {
@@ -5602,7 +5603,7 @@ void md_autodetect_dev(dev_t dev)
 	if (dev_cnt >= 0 && dev_cnt < 127)
 		detected_devices[dev_cnt++] = dev;
 }
-
+__internal_export(md_autodetect_dev);
 
 static void autostart_arrays(int part)
 {
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/drivers/video/fbcvt.c linux-2.6.20.4/drivers/video/fbcvt.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/drivers/video/fbcvt.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/drivers/video/fbcvt.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -376,3 +376,4 @@ int fb_find_mode_cvt(struct fb_videomode
 
 	return 0;
 }
+__internal_export(fb_find_mode_cvt);
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/debugfs/inode.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/debugfs/inode.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/debugfs/inode.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/debugfs/inode.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 #define DEBUGFS_MAGIC	0x64626720
 
 /* declared over in file.c */
-extern struct file_operations debugfs_file_operations;
+extern const struct file_operations debugfs_file_operations;
 
 static struct vfsmount *debugfs_mount;
 static int debugfs_mount_count;
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/devpts/inode.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/devpts/inode.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/devpts/inode.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/devpts/inode.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ int devpts_pty_new(struct tty_struct *tt
 
 	return 0;
 }
+__internal_export(devpts_pty_new);
 
 struct tty_struct *devpts_get_tty(int number)
 {
@@ -202,6 +203,7 @@ struct tty_struct *devpts_get_tty(int nu
 
 	return tty;
 }
+__internal_export(devpts_get_tty);
 
 void devpts_pty_kill(int number)
 {
@@ -218,6 +220,7 @@ void devpts_pty_kill(int number)
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&devpts_root->d_inode->i_mutex);
 }
+__internal_export(devpts_pty_kill);
 
 static int __init init_devpts_fs(void)
 {
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/hfsplus/inode.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/hfsplus/inode.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/hfsplus/inode.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/hfsplus/inode.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ static int hfsplus_file_release(struct i
 }
 
 extern struct inode_operations hfsplus_dir_inode_operations;
-extern struct file_operations hfsplus_dir_operations;
+extern const struct file_operations hfsplus_dir_operations;
 
 static struct inode_operations hfsplus_file_inode_operations = {
 	.lookup		= hfsplus_file_lookup,
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/hugetlbfs/inode.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/hugetlbfs/inode.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/hugetlbfs/inode.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/hugetlbfs/inode.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ static struct backing_dev_info hugetlbfs
 };
 
 int sysctl_hugetlb_shm_group;
+__internal_export(sysctl_hugetlb_shm_group);
 
 static void huge_pagevec_release(struct pagevec *pvec)
 {
@@ -562,6 +563,7 @@ const struct file_operations hugetlbfs_f
 	.fsync			= simple_sync_file,
 	.get_unmapped_area	= hugetlb_get_unmapped_area,
 };
+__internal_export(hugetlbfs_file_operations);
 
 static struct inode_operations hugetlbfs_dir_inode_operations = {
 	.create		= hugetlbfs_create,
@@ -701,6 +703,7 @@ int hugetlb_get_quota(struct address_spa
 
 	return ret;
 }
+__internal_export(hugetlb_get_quota);
 
 void hugetlb_put_quota(struct address_space *mapping)
 {
@@ -712,6 +715,7 @@ void hugetlb_put_quota(struct address_sp
 		spin_unlock(&sbinfo->stat_lock);
 	}
 }
+__internal_export(hugetlb_put_quota);
 
 static int hugetlbfs_get_sb(struct file_system_type *fs_type,
 	int flags, const char *dev_name, void *data, struct vfsmount *mnt)
@@ -794,6 +798,7 @@ out_shm_unlock:
 	user_shm_unlock(size, current->user);
 	return ERR_PTR(error);
 }
+__internal_export(hugetlb_zero_setup);
 
 static int __init init_hugetlbfs_fs(void)
 {
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/base.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/base.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/base.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/base.c	2007-03-24 20:18:09.000000000 +0100
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 #include <linux/cpuset.h>
 #include <linux/audit.h>
 #include <linux/poll.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/nsproxy.h>
 #include <linux/oom.h>
 #include "internal.h"
@@ -2030,6 +2031,7 @@ struct dentry *proc_pid_lookup(struct in
 out:
 	return result;
 }
+__internal_export(proc_flush_task);
 
 /*
  * Find the first task with tgid >= tgid
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/generic.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/generic.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/generic.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/generic.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 #include <linux/namei.h>
 #include <linux/bitops.h>
 #include <linux/spinlock.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
 #include <asm/uaccess.h>
-
 #include "internal.h"
 
 static ssize_t proc_file_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf,
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ int proc_match(int len, const char *name
 		return 0;
 	return !memcmp(name, de->name, len);
 }
+__internal_export(proc_match);
 
 static struct file_operations proc_file_operations = {
 	.llseek		= proc_file_lseek,
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/kcore.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/kcore.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/kcore.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/kcore.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <linux/vmalloc.h>
 #include <linux/highmem.h>
 #include <linux/init.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
 #include <asm/uaccess.h>
 #include <asm/io.h>
 
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ kclist_add(struct kcore_list *new, void 
 	kclist = new;
 	write_unlock(&kclist_lock);
 }
+__internal_export(kclist_add);
 
 static size_t get_kcore_size(int *nphdr, size_t *elf_buflen)
 {
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/proc_tty.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/proc_tty.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/proc_tty.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/proc_tty.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ void proc_tty_register_driver(struct tty
 
 	driver->proc_entry = ent;
 }
+__internal_export(proc_tty_register_driver);
 
 /*
  * This function is called by tty_unregister_driver()
@@ -217,6 +218,7 @@ void proc_tty_unregister_driver(struct t
 	
 	driver->proc_entry = NULL;
 }
+__internal_export(proc_tty_unregister_driver);
 
 /*
  * Called by proc_root_init() to initialize the /proc/tty subtree
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/root.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/root.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/proc/root.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/proc/root.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
 
 #include "internal.h"
 
-struct proc_dir_entry *proc_net, *proc_net_stat, *proc_bus, *proc_root_fs, *proc_root_driver;
+struct proc_dir_entry *proc_net;
+
+struct proc_dir_entry *proc_net_stat, *proc_bus, *proc_root_fs, *proc_root_driver;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYSCTL
 struct proc_dir_entry *proc_sys_root;
@@ -91,6 +93,7 @@ void __init proc_root_init(void)
 #endif
 	proc_bus = proc_mkdir("bus", NULL);
 }
+__internal_export(proc_root_init);
 
 static int proc_root_getattr(struct vfsmount *mnt, struct dentry *dentry, struct kstat *stat
 )
@@ -163,6 +166,7 @@ struct proc_dir_entry proc_root = {
 	.parent		= &proc_root,
 };
 
+__internal_export(proc_sys_root);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(proc_symlink);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(proc_mkdir);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(create_proc_entry);
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/ramfs/inode.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/ramfs/inode.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/ramfs/inode.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/ramfs/inode.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -225,5 +225,6 @@ int __init init_rootfs(void)
 {
 	return register_filesystem(&rootfs_fs_type);
 }
+__internal_export(init_rootfs);
 
 MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/reiserfs/dir.c linux-2.6.20.4/fs/reiserfs/dir.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/fs/reiserfs/dir.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/fs/reiserfs/dir.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <linux/buffer_head.h>
 #include <asm/uaccess.h>
 
-extern struct reiserfs_key MIN_KEY;
+extern const struct reiserfs_key MIN_KEY;
 
 static int reiserfs_readdir(struct file *, void *, filldir_t);
 static int reiserfs_dir_fsync(struct file *filp, struct dentry *dentry,
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/include/linux/module.h linux-2.6.20.4/include/linux/module.h
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/include/linux/module.h	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/include/linux/module.h	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -20,6 +20,15 @@
 
 #include <asm/module.h>
 
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_COMBINED_COMPILE
+#define __externally_visible__ __attribute__((externally_visible,used))
+#define __internal_export(sym) extern typeof(sym) sym  __externally_visible__
+#else
+#define __externally_visible__
+#define __internal_export(sym)
+#endif
+
 /* Not Yet Implemented */
 #define MODULE_SUPPORTED_DEVICE(name)
 
@@ -188,7 +197,7 @@ void *__symbol_get_gpl(const char *symbo
 
 /* For every exported symbol, place a struct in the __ksymtab section */
 #define __EXPORT_SYMBOL(sym, sec)				\
-	extern typeof(sym) sym;					\
+	extern typeof(sym) sym __externally_visible__;		\
 	__CRC_SYMBOL(sym, sec)					\
 	static const char __kstrtab_##sym[]			\
 	__attribute__((section("__ksymtab_strings")))		\
@@ -212,8 +221,8 @@ void *__symbol_get_gpl(const char *symbo
 #define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL(sym) __EXPORT_SYMBOL(sym, "_unused")
 #define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL_GPL(sym) __EXPORT_SYMBOL(sym, "_unused_gpl")
 #else
-#define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL(sym)
-#define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL_GPL(sym)
+#define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL(sym) __internal_export(sym)
+#define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL_GPL(sym) __internal_export(sym)
 #endif
 
 #endif
@@ -471,11 +480,12 @@ void module_add_driver(struct module *, 
 void module_remove_driver(struct device_driver *);
 
 #else /* !CONFIG_MODULES... */
-#define EXPORT_SYMBOL(sym)
-#define EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(sym)
-#define EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL_FUTURE(sym)
-#define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL(sym)
-#define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL_GPL(sym)
+
+#define EXPORT_SYMBOL(sym) __internal_export(sym)
+#define EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(sym) __internal_export(sym)
+#define EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL_FUTURE(sym) __internal_export(sym)
+#define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL(sym) __internal_export(sym)
+#define EXPORT_UNUSED_SYMBOL_GPL(sym) __internal_export(sym)
 
 /* Given an address, look for it in the exception tables. */
 static inline const struct exception_table_entry *
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/init/do_mounts.c linux-2.6.20.4/init/do_mounts.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/init/do_mounts.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/init/do_mounts.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ static char __initdata saved_root_name[6
 
 dev_t ROOT_DEV;
 
+__internal_export(root_mountflags);
+__internal_export(rd_doload);
+__internal_export(ROOT_DEV);
+
 static int __init load_ramdisk(char *str)
 {
 	rd_doload = simple_strtol(str,NULL,0) & 3;
@@ -205,6 +209,7 @@ fail:
 	res = 0;
 	goto done;
 }
+__internal_export(name_to_dev_t);
 
 static int __init root_dev_setup(char *line)
 {
@@ -446,4 +451,4 @@ out:
 	sys_chroot(".");
 	security_sb_post_mountroot();
 }
-
+__internal_export(prepare_namespace);
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/init/do_mounts_initrd.c linux-2.6.20.4/init/do_mounts_initrd.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/init/do_mounts_initrd.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/init/do_mounts_initrd.c	2007-03-24 20:18:32.000000000 +0100
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <linux/romfs_fs.h>
 #include <linux/initrd.h>
 #include <linux/sched.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/freezer.h>
 
 #include "do_mounts.h"
@@ -16,6 +17,11 @@ unsigned int real_root_dev;	/* do_proc_d
 static int __initdata old_fd, root_fd;
 static int __initdata mount_initrd = 1;
 
+__internal_export(initrd_start);
+__internal_export(initrd_end);
+__internal_export(initrd_below_start_ok);
+__internal_export(real_root_dev);
+
 static int __init no_initrd(char *str)
 {
 	mount_initrd = 0;
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/init/do_mounts_rd.c linux-2.6.20.4/init/do_mounts_rd.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/init/do_mounts_rd.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/init/do_mounts_rd.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@
 #include <linux/cramfs_fs.h>
 #include <linux/initrd.h>
 #include <linux/string.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
 
 #include "do_mounts.h"
 
 #define BUILD_CRAMDISK
 
 int __initdata rd_prompt = 1;/* 1 = prompt for RAM disk, 0 = don't prompt */
+__internal_export(rd_prompt);
 
 static int __init prompt_ramdisk(char *str)
 {
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ static int __init prompt_ramdisk(char *s
 __setup("prompt_ramdisk=", prompt_ramdisk);
 
 int __initdata rd_image_start;		/* starting block # of image */
+__internal_export(rd_image_start);
 
 static int __init ramdisk_start_setup(char *str)
 {
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/init/Kconfig linux-2.6.20.4/init/Kconfig
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/init/Kconfig	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/init/Kconfig	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -526,6 +526,11 @@ config MODULE_FORCE_UNLOAD
 	  rmmod).  This is mainly for kernel developers and desperate users.
 	  If unsure, say N.
 
+config COMBINED_COMPILE
+        bool "Use combined compilation (gcc --combine)"
+	help
+	  fish
+	
 config MODVERSIONS
 	bool "Module versioning support"
 	depends on MODULES
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/net/netfilter/core.c linux-2.6.20.4/net/netfilter/core.c
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/net/netfilter/core.c	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/net/netfilter/core.c	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -279,3 +279,5 @@ void __init netfilter_init(void)
 	if (netfilter_log_init() < 0)
 		panic("cannot initialize nf_log");
 }
+__internal_export(netfilter_init);
+
diff -rduNp linux-2.6.20.4.orig/scripts/Makefile.build linux-2.6.20.4/scripts/Makefile.build
--- linux-2.6.20.4.orig/scripts/Makefile.build	2007-03-13 19:27:08.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.20.4/scripts/Makefile.build	2007-03-24 20:14:10.000000000 +0100
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ $(multi-objs-y:.o=.i)   : modname = $(mo
 $(multi-objs-y:.o=.s)   : modname = $(modname-multi)
 $(multi-objs-y:.o=.lst) : modname = $(modname-multi)
 
+ifdef CONFIG_COMBINED_COMPILE
+$(multi-used-m)		: CFLAGS += -fwhole-program --combine $(sort $(addprefix $(srctree)/$(obj)/,$($(subst $(obj)/,,$(@:.o=-y)):.o=.c) $($(subst $(obj)/,,$(@:.o=-objs)):.o=.c)))
+$(multi-used-y)		: CFLAGS += -fwhole-program --combine $(sort $(addprefix $(srctree)/$(obj)/,$($(subst $(obj)/,,$(@:.o=-y)):.o=.c) $($(subst $(obj)/,,$(@:.o=-objs)):.o=.c)))
+endif
+
 quiet_cmd_cc_s_c = CC $(quiet_modtag)  $@
 cmd_cc_s_c       = $(CC) $(c_flags) -fverbose-asm -S -o $@ $<
 
@@ -284,6 +289,22 @@ $(lib-target): $(lib-y) FORCE
 targets += $(lib-target)
 endif
 
+ifdef CONFIG_COMBINED_COMPILE
+# We would rather have a list of rules like
+# 	foo.o: $(foo-objs)
+# but that's not so easy, so we rather make all composite objects depend
+# on the set of all their parts
+
+$(multi-used-y) : %.o: $(srctree)/dummy.c $(multi-objs-y:.o=.c) FORCE
+	$(call cmd,force_checksrc)
+	$(call if_changed_rule,cc_o_c)
+
+$(multi-used-m) : %.o: $(srctree)/dummy.c $(multi-objs-m:.o=.c) FORCE
+	$(call cmd,force_checksrc)
+	$(call if_changed_rule,cc_o_c)
+
+targets += $(multi-used-y) $(multi-used-m)
+else
 #
 # Rule to link composite objects
 #
@@ -314,7 +335,7 @@ $(multi-used-m) : %.o: $(multi-objs-m) F
 	@{ echo $(@:.o=.ko); echo $(link_multi_deps); } > $(MODVERDIR)/$(@F:.o=.mod)
 
 targets += $(multi-used-y) $(multi-used-m)
-
+endif
 
 # Descending
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------