where is ur linux source for 2.6, is it there in /usr/src or in ur home(also if it is in /usr/src what does the /usr/src/linux points to have u made the simlink, is it pointing the linux-2.6.. folder, do a ls -al from /usr/src)
if so it is not showing ur .config...

this is needed, when u compile make these things
hope not needed, we havent done these, if u enabled hotplug in the boot it will assign thesedont do this simply.... first u let the kernel to assign the device,
how u know that it is /dev/sdb1 why not /dev/sda2-->the second device, for this u check it by plugging two devices.
also dont mount it in /mnt like
instead create dir in /mnt, seperate folders if u want.

some times when u built in the drivers in kernel it shows some problem, so u can try them as modules. best of luck rkrishna

When you run modules, does that affect stability and speed to the box?

Will the module be loaded everytime I put a compact flash card in the reader, or it will load once?

What is actually mknod do to the system? I don't really understand the option that are past to the command espacially the numbers (-b 8 1)

Litle off topic here, but I want to learn

Claude

I don't think either using modules or built-in-kernel 'drivers' (eek :P) will slow down your system. At least you won't notice it. I use modules for NIC, USB (uhci,ohci), and soundcard, cause since i use them 24/7 why bother modularizing them? This is really a personal issue stick with what your comfortable with.
Actually the only advantage I see for using modules is when something goes wrong and you need to debug.
Well if you really want tech-savy info on mknod, google for it.

It basicly creates the 'node'-s in /dev, but those are a bit different from other files, since they represent hardware rather than data files.
For more info check man mknod

I totally understand your point here, but this is how my system reacts when I connect a reader in it:

- Connect card reader WITHOUT compact flash card in it in a USB port = sd_mod module load, /dev/sda created NO /dev/sda1 present.

- Connect card reader WITH compact flash card in it in a USB port = sd_mod module load, /dev/sda created AND /dev/sda1 present. (so hotplug is working correctly)

This is why in the first place I wanted to do a mknod to create /dev/sda1 etc... this way, if I don't have a card in the reader, I can do a mount /dev/sda1 right away.

Is this ok?

Claude

Why would you mount a card reader if nothing's in it, in the first place?

Well, let say I boot the system without any card in the reader (because I plan to use it, but later with a card in it) the only solution I would have would be to connect the reader with a card in it so /dev/sda1 becomes created... this is why I want to create those before so I'm not facing this issue. Is it bad to create node like this in advance?


Thanks

Claude

No it's not

After mounting/unmounting about 10 flash card per hour for about 8 hour, I had the issue of sda dissapearing again (it seem that have SD_MOD as a module and entries put in fstab helped altought since it happend only twice instead of frequently asin the past)

Here is my DMESG when mount stop working for the device:
-------------------
usb 1-6: USB disconnect, address 11
usb 4-2: new full speed USB device using address 2
usb 4-2: device not accepting address 2, error -71
usb 4-2: new full speed USB device using address 3
usb 4-2: device not accepting address 3, error -71
root@prototype1:~/MASTER_FILES/current/day1# lsmod
Module Size Used by
eeprom 8712 0
w83781d 34560 0
i2c_i801 9232 0
i2c_sensor 4096 2 eeprom,w83781d
i2c_isa 3200 0
i2c_core 25088 5 eeprom,w83781d,i2c_i801,i2c_sensor,i2c_isa
sd_mod 20096 0
usb_storage 31872 4294967294
uhci_hcd 33936 0
ehci_hcd 30852 0
nvidia 3921628 72
ohci_hcd 22788 0
--------------------

Look at my usb_storage 31872 4294967294 see how big used by is! it is normally around 0 when working properly...

Any other output that could be useful if the problem again? Should I force the module to unload and reload it?

I have found that removing the device and connecting it in another USB port with flash card in it sometimes sole the issue (sda1 was accessible again...)

Hehe, well I don't know, probably reloading it would help.

Can you reload a module that is in use? (This is what the kernmel tell me when I try to unload it) If so what is the command to do so?

Claude

well first you have to unload the modules which are using it, naturally
rmmod is the command.

So if OHCI and other Usb module are in use, I have to unload those... but if I do so, all USB device such as mouse ( I have 6 connected) will stop working. Do you think that if I compile all USB related module within the kernel (not as module) I would be able to reload SD_MOD and USB_STORAGE without having the error that tells me that other modules are using it?


Hope my question is clear enough...

Claude

go into /dev and try deleting and note the majors/minors of sda and sda1. Delete them and make new ones with mknod (see man page). That's assuming USB and SCSI support work fine. This worked on my box several times.

How can you note the majors/minors of sda and sda1? By running a program? What are majors/minors? Numbers?


Not sure I understand what you want me to do...


Claude