can't load external modules after kernel upgrade
 

Hello,

I setup my laptop with FC2 running kernel 2.6.5 with hostap-drivers, ipw2110 drivers, and smartlink modem drivers as Modules.

I upgraded the kernel to 2.6.7 by compiling the 2.6.7 kernel source.

When I boot into the new kernel, it does not load the hostap, ipw2100, or modem modules that I installed in the previous kernel. They are in /lib/modules/"previous kernel". Modprobe will not work. It can't see the modules.

How do I get them to load properly in 2.6.7?

Jose

You have two options. First one will work for sure - compile the modules again, for the new kernel. Second - copy the modules to new kernel directories and try to modprobe them. WIth luck (and kernel compiled with support or module versions) it may work.

Mara,

I used the first option that you gave because I didn't want to miss any modules (I couldn't remember them all).

I only had three modules that were built external to the kernel.....WHAT IF I HAD LOTS????

I went from 2.6.5 to 2.6.7. Is there anything that I could have done before compiling to transfer all the external modules to the new kernel /lib/modules automatically?

Another thing is it better to install all kernel modules to ONE directory below /lib/modules/<kernel version>/ e.g /lib/modules/<kernel version>/new_stuff to make the transfer easier?;)


Jose

The bast thing I can recommend is to always keep source version of the modules in a safe place. Usually you need external modules only for special hardware (nvidia driver, modems, such things), so the number isn't very high. If you're unlucky and you have a huge collection of them, you need to do everything yourself - I'm not aware of any mechanism that would make the transitions easier.
There's no mechanism to transfer them between versions, either.
You can install the modules in the directories you like, but if they have non-strandard location, you may have problems loading them (I've not tried such a config, just guessing).