Hi All,
This is prabu .
I am new to kernel hacking ; i had been an application guy; now focusing into the fundamentals of linux kernel. I really have little knowledge about the kernel, modules and auto loading of modules.After a lot of googling ,i am now much perplexed :-) Most of the articles are contradictory to each other and not very clear ( or not so simple at my level to comprehend)
1. How does a linux distribution know which feature is to be set in kernel and which one as a module.
2. Now after installation, i reboot the server ....( COLDPLUG )
*. Does the hardware probing is done first and then the relevant drivers are loaded for the hardware found. If so how is this achieved.
( or )
*. Else if the hardware driver is loaded FIRST from modprobe.conf and does it go in search of a corresponding device supported by the driver?
ie. Need to know a device is found first and its corresponding driver is loaded or the driver is loaded first which brings up the device
3. HOTPLUG ......
*. I now add a new network card to the PCI slot. ( 2.6 )
*. I assume that the PCI controller sends a signal to the kernel that a new device is added
*. The new device's firmware details like vendor id, prod id is propogated to /sys file system.
*. udevd tries to load the device drivers containing that particular vendor id in /lib/modules/kernel.xx/net
i have a doubt ... like.. does it search only /etc/modprobe.conf or all the modules under /lib/modules.
4. How does the same hotplug and cold plug happen in case of 2.4 kernels.
where does kmod , kerneld come into picture
5. What is the main role of rc.sysinit -- does this handle device and drivers.
6. Dont know when to put an entry in modprobe.conf and when not to.
7. why does lsmod show something different from modprobe -c
8. How does modprobe -c get those values. why does it vary with lsmod output
9. There are two SCSI hostadapters of same type. Do i need to load the module twice for it or once?
In simple words how a device driver is loaded at boot/hotplug for 2.4 and 2.6 kernels
I know each one is inter-related but dont know how they are?. I cant find any good article to explain the
working of modules in simple words (both 2.4 / 2.6 with examples)
Any help in this regard is much appreciated....
Prabu
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