Eg. If I complied my usb support as a module, will it automatically be loaded when needed by the system (ie. when I plug in a usb device) ?

Thanks!

If hotplug support is compiled into the kernel
it should (if the basic chipset-driver is actually
loaded, that is). If you want to customise some
more what happens on load (like get hte load-order
right if there is one) use murasaki (usbmgr's
younger brother).

The alternative way is to use usbmgr... it will
pre-load usbcore and other modules and then
e.g. load sg.o if you plug in a camera or stick.

Both tools should (I've never used murasaki)
allow to mount to a specific mountpoint, for
instance (for usbmgr I can confirm this :}) ...



Cheers,
Tink

Thanks

In general, are modules loaded by the kernel automatically as and when they are needed during runtime/bootup or is it done manually?

Usually. If they don't play nice, you can force them if you need to most of the time by adding them to /etc/modules for 2.4.x kernels and /etc/modprobe.preload for 2.5.x and above. Be sure that USB hotplugging is selected and you'll have no problems with that (I don't leave my MS Sidewinder joystick plugged in, but its there when I plug it in)

/me just decided to wipe the dust of his 3D Pro and see whether d1x will see it ;D


Cheers,
Tink

During the kernel customisation (make xconfig), I have Kernel Module Loader installed, which should load modules automatically as and when they are needed. I have a NIC that requires pcnet32.o to work and this driver is compiled as a module to the kernel. However, on bootup, this required module is not automatically loaded.

Although it does work after I manually added the module to /etc/modules, I'm curious as to why it wasn't automatically loaded by the Kernel Module Loader during bootup.

Thanks !

The PCI hotplugging might not be picking it up. When I installed Mandrake 10beta2, I had that problem with my NIC. It loads now with CE, but I had to force it to work by puttting it in the /etc/modprobe.preload file.

What kernel are you using?

I'm using 2.4.25.

try entering the name of the module in the /etc/modules file and see if it loads at boot then.

Yup, it works if I put the module in /etc/modules.

Thanks

Sometimes you gotta give things a bit of a "push"