Hi... On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 1:56 PM, vprabu vprabu <prabu_online2005@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > Hi All, > > This is prabu . Welcome to the party :) > I am new to kernel hacking as most of the career 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) Relax, you're the first to experience that feeling :) > 1. How does a linux distribution know which feature is to be set in kernel and which one as a module. That's the distro maintainer decision. However, the rule of thumb is try to compile as many feature as possible as module. That way, the kernel core image will get smaller and only the needed modules get loaded to RAM. > 2. Now after installation, i reboot the server ....( COLDPLUG ) > > 1. Does the hardware probing is done first and then the relevant drivers are loaded for the hardware found. If so how > > ( or ) > > 2. 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? > AFAIK, kernel gets the hardware ID first (this is just how I call it, I am not sure about the formal name) by reading certain port numbers or sending interrupt. Then, kernel will find the corresponding driver based on this ID on a list. Of course, if kernel needs to load a module, it will ask the help from modprobe. > 3. HOTPLUG ...... > > > 1. I now add a new network card to the PCI slot. ( 2.6 ) > > 2. I assume that the PCI controller sends a signal to the kernel that a new device is added > > 3. The new device's firmware details like vendor id, prod id is propogated to /sys file system. > > 4. 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. > AFAIK, it is all under /lib/modules/`uname -r` -- regards, Mulyadi Santosa Freelance Linux trainer blog: the-hydra.blogspot.com -- To unsubscribe from this list: send an email with "unsubscribe kernelnewbies" to ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxx Please read the FAQ at http://kernelnewbies.org/FAQ
