Linux From Scratch - Version 6.5

Chapter 6. Installing Basic System Software

6.49. Module-Init-Tools-3.10

The Module-Init-Tools package contains programs for handling kernel modules in Linux kernels greater than or equal to version 2.5.47.

Approximate build time: 0.1 SBU
Required disk space: 8.7 MB

6.49.1. Installation of Module-Init-Tools

The testsuite of this package is geared towards the needs of its Maintainer. The command make check builds a specially wrapped version of modprobe which is useless for normal operation. To run this (about 0.2 SBU), issue the following commands (note that the make clean command is required to clean up the source tree before recompiling for normal use): 

./configure
make check
./tests/runtests
make clean

Prepare Module-Init-Tools for compilation: 

./configure --prefix=/ --enable-zlib --mandir=/usr/share/man

Compile the package: 

make

Install the package: 

make INSTALL=install install

The meaning of the make parameter:

INSTALL=install

Normally, make install will not install the binaries if they already exist. This option overrides that behavior by calling install instead of using the default wrapper script.

6.49.2. Contents of Module-Init-Tools

Installed programs: depmod, insmod, insmod.static, lsmod, modinfo, modprobe, and rmmod

Short Descriptions

depmod

Creates a dependency file based on the symbols it finds in the existing set of modules; this dependency file is used by modprobe to automatically load the required modules

insmod

Installs a loadable module in the running kernel

insmod.static

A statically compiled version of insmod

lsmod

Lists currently loaded modules

modinfo

Examines an object file associated with a kernel module and displays any information that it can glean

modprobe

Uses a dependency file, created by depmod, to automatically load relevant modules

rmmod

Unloads modules from the running kernel