[techtalk] botched newbie kernel compile

[Brian Sweeney]

Julia,

"make modules" and "make modules_install" just compile the modules and put
them in an easy-to-use directory for you.  Insmod is a utility to actually
load them into the kernel, if you want to do it manually; you can also use
modprobe, which keeps track of which module to load based on what kernel
you're running and I believe calls insmod for you.  I, however, am not the
best authority on the subject; I take a bit of a hands-off approach (which
perhaps isn't the best idea), and let the kernel handle loading it's own
modules.  Check out the part of modules.txt that talks about kerneld (now
kmod), and subsequently kmod.txt for more info on that.  You have to turn on
the "kernel module loader" option when configuring the kernel before compile
to have this working, but I think this is on by default.

My suggestion is to take a box you don't care much about, and do installs
and kernel recompiles on it until you're blue in the face, with different
configurations.  Load and unload modules manually just for the heck of it.
Watch what happens.  This way you don't have to feel bad if/when it breaks
occasionally.  Eventually, you'll get the hang of things, and get
comfortable enough to be able to recompile the kernel on a machine that
matters without too much sweat.

And, of course, keep posting questions when you have them =).

Lots 'O luck,
Brian


> -----Original Message-----
> From: techtalk-admin at linuxchix.org
> [mailto:techtalk-admin at linuxchix.org]On Behalf Of Julia Coolman
> Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 9:16 PM
> To: techtalk at linuxchix.org
> Subject: RE: [techtalk] botched newbie kernel compile
>
>
> Thanks a bundle, Brian, Telsa and everybody else. After a bit of
> rearranging /boot, my beloved suzuka boots happily from either kernel.
>
> I am still a bit confused about the modules. I'm not where to go from
> 'make modules; make modules_install' to get to 'insmod'.
>
> (Suzuka runs debian woody, for those who wondered)
>
> Julia Coolman
>
> jcoolman at gladstone.uoregon.edu
>
> "When the revolution comes, we're going to need a very big wall."
>
>
>
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