Stripping kernel module

Re: Can modules be stripped?
http://www.linux-mips.org/archives/linux-mips/2002-04/msg00031.html

strip_module.

#!/bin/sh
#
#       Given a list of objects, strip all static symbols except those
#       required by insmod.
#
#       Copyright Keith Owens .  GPL.
#       Sat Feb  1 12:52:17 EST 1997
#       
#       Mainly intended for reducing the size of modules to save space
#       on emergency and install disks.  Be aware that removing the
#       static symbols reduces the amount of diagnostic information
#       available for oops.  Not recommended for normal module usage.
#
#       This code requires the modules use MODULE_PARM and EXPORT_.
#       Do not strip modules that have not been converted to use
#       MODULE_PARM or are using the old method of exporting symbols.
#       In particular do not use on modules prior to 2.1.20 (approx).
#
#       The objects are stripped in /tmp, only if the strip works is
#       the original overwritten.  If the command line to strip the
#       symbols becomes too long, the strip is done in multiple passes.
#       Running strip_module twice on the same object is safe (and a
#       waste of time).
#

cat > /tmp/$$.awk <<\EOF
BEGIN   {
        strip = "/usr/bin/objcopy";
        nm = "/usr/bin/nm";
        cp = "/bin/cp";
        mv = "/bin/mv";
        rm = "/bin/rm";
        tmp = "/tmp";
        command_size = 400;     # arbitrary but safe

        getline < "/proc/self/stat";
        pid = $1;
        tmpcopy = tmp "/" pid ".object";
        nmout = tmp "/" pid ".nmout";

        for (i = 1; i < ARGC; ++i)
                strip_module(ARGV[i]);

        do_command(rm " -f " tmpcopy " " nmout);

        exit(0);
}

function strip_module(object,
        keep_symbol, to_strip, symbol, command, changed) {
        do_command(cp " -a " object " " tmpcopy);
        do_command(nm " " tmpcopy " > " nmout);
        # delete array_name sometimes breaks, internal error, play safe
        for (symbol in keep_symbol)
                delete keep_symbol[symbol];
        for (symbol in to_strip)
                delete to_strip[symbol];
        new_module_format = 0;
        while ((getline < nmout) > 0) {
                $0 = substr($0, 10);
                # b static variable, uninitialised
                # d static variable, initialised
                # r static array, initialised
                # t static label/procedures
                if ($1 ~ /[bdrt]/)
                        to_strip[$2] = "";
                else if ($1 != "?")
                        keep_symbol[$2] = "";
                else if ($0 ~ /\? __ksymtab_/)
                        keep_symbol[substr($2, 11)] = "";
                else if ($0 ~ /\? __module_parm_/)
                        keep_symbol[substr($2, 15)] = "";
                if ($0 ~ /\? __module/)
                        new_module_format = 1;
        }
        close(nmout);
        command = "";
        changed = 0;
        if (new_module_format) {
                for (symbol in to_strip) {
                        if (!(symbol in keep_symbol)) {
                                changed = 1;
                                if (length(command) > command_size) {
                                        do_command(strip command " " tmpcopy);
                                        command = "";
                                }
                                command = command " --strip-symbol=" symbol;
                        }
                }
        }
        if (command != "") {
                changed = 1;
                do_command(strip command " " tmpcopy);
        }
        if (changed)
                do_command(mv " " tmpcopy " " object);
}

function do_command(command) {
        if ((ret = system(command)) != 0)
                giveup("command \"" command "\" failed " ret, ret);
}

function giveup(message, ret) {
        print "strip_module: " message > "/dev/stderr";
        exit(ret);
}
EOF

awk -f /tmp/$$.awk "$@"
ret=$?
rm -f /tmp/$$.awk
exit $ret

How much strip(1)-ing is okay for kernel modules?
http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/25421/how-much-strip1-ing-is-okay-for-kernel-modules
strip --strip-unneeded
make INSTALL_MOD_STRIP=1 modules_install.
strip --strip-debug *.ko (= strip -g *.ko)