Can Linux kernel 2.6 still boot even without /etc/modprobe.conf?

why don't you try it and see?

that's what's happening to my system now.

so, what's the question then?
lol

modprobe.conf contains directives for peripheral devices (like sound cards, nic) and there is no reason why linux can't boot without it.

I've been using linux for years, and my mod{ules,probe}.conf has always been empty or non-existent. And I can't think of any reason to start using it.

Am I missing something?

i better get straight to the point.

Upon upgrading to kernel 2.6 you should translate your modules.conf to modprobe.conf using ./generate-modprobe.conf. I used module-init-tools 3.2 pre 1. One of my problems was it warned me about the modules being not translated. I though it was ok since my system booted fine with the sounds working after the upgrade.

i discovered that modules do not load after X complained being unable to load the NVIDIA module after installing the NVIDIA driver. I just do not know how to fix this.

You need to recompile the nvidia driver whilst running the 2.6 kernel. Then you might have to modprobe nvidia before running startx.

in kernel 2.4 the NVIDIA driver module loads automatically. even though i can make an autoscript for that i know something went wrong with my kernel upgrade process and its somewhat related to modprobe.conf.

The first time after recompiling I needed to load the nvidia module manually. Every time after than it was automatic.

"Q: My X server fails to start, and my X log file contains the error:

"(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to load the NVIDIA kernel module!"

A: The X driver will abort with this error message if the NVIDIA kernel
module fails to load or the device files aren't present.

If you receive this error, you should check the output of `dmesg`
for kernel error messages and/or attempt to load the kernel module
explicitly with `modprobe nvidia`. If unresolved symbols are
reported, then the kernel module was most likely built against a
Linux kernel source tree (or kernel headers) for a kernel revision
or configuration that doesn't match the running kernel.

You can specify the location of the kernel source tree (or headers)
when you install the NVIDIA driver using the --kernel-source-path
command line option (see `sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7167-pkg1.run
--advanced-options` for details).

If 'lsmod' reports that the "nvidia" kernel module is loaded, the
device files (/dev/nvidiactl, /dev/nvidia0..7) may be missing."
-NVIDIA Accelerated Linux Driver Set README & Installation Guide

So i think it really has something to do with modprobe.conf. Komakino, could you please check your modprobe.conf and see if you have the NVIDIA module entry?

I think that is the problem.

There is nothing nvidia related in my modprobe.conf file. The only lines are two I added myself for my network card and wireless card.

Did you actually compile the nvidia kernel module against the 2.6 kernel? Because the one from your 2.4 kernel won't work.

By the way, what output do you get from:
modprobe nvidia
?

in order for me to enable the NVIDIA driver, i have to login first and do modprobe nvidia then logoff-login to X. i dont get any unresolved symbols so it really has something to do with modprobe.conf. Which version of module-init-tools did you use? Almost all the 2.4-2.6 migration documents i read contradict each other regarding its version.

Answer: I realized it wasnt really with the modprobe.conf. It had something to do with the version of module-init-tools. All i did was to upgrade it. It's working fine now. Thanks.