How can I disable modules without recompiling my Kernal?
 

I am a new Linux user and am using SuSE 9.3 Pro. I'm on a pentium III 866 box with 512 MB RAM. The system runs unusually slow. As I have talked to a few friends/collegues I have determined that when I run a lsmod I get:

BJlinux:~ # lsmod
Module Size Used by
raw 39584 0
nls_cp850 4864 1
smbfs 61432 2
hfsplus 56708 0
vfat 12800 0
fat 37916 1 vfat
nls_utf8 2048 1
subfs 7296 1
ipt_LOG 6912 11
ipt_limit 2432 11
ipt_pkttype 1792 2
nvidia 3916540 24
usbserial 28008 0
speedstep_lib 4100 0
freq_table 4484 0
processor 23736 0
nvram 8200 0
snd_pcm_oss 57888 0
snd_mixer_oss 18944 2 snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_midi 9632 0
snd_emu10k1_synth 7680 0
snd_emux_synth 36608 1 snd_emu10k1_synth
snd_seq_virmidi 6784 1 snd_emux_synth
snd_seq_midi_event 6912 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_virmidi
snd_seq_midi_emul 7296 1 snd_emux_synth
snd_seq 52752 5 snd_seq_midi,snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq_midi_emul
rfcomm 36636 0
hidp 15360 2
l2cap 23556 10 rfcomm,hidp
hci_usb 14088 0
bluetooth 47108 6 rfcomm,hidp,l2cap,hci_usb
af_packet 20744 2
joydev 9664 0
sg 36256 0
evdev 8832 0
st 37788 0
sd_mod 17936 0
sr_mod 16548 0
scsi_mod 125384 4 sg,st,sd_mod,sr_mod
edd 10080 0
ipt_state 2048 12
ip6t_REJECT 6784 3
ipt_REJECT 6656 3
iptable_mangle 2816 0
3c59x 39592 0
mii 4864 1 3c59x
iptable_filter 2944 1
snd_emu10k1 107652 3 snd_emu10k1_synth
snd_rawmidi 24992 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_emu10k1
snd_seq_device 8588 6 snd_seq_midi,snd_emu10k1_synth,snd_emux_synth,snd_seq,snd_emu10k1,snd_rawmidi
snd_ac97_codec 77564 1 snd_emu10k1
snd_pcm 92680 4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_emu10k1,snd_ac97_codec
ip6table_mangle 2432 0
snd_timer 24580 3 snd_seq,snd_emu10k1,snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc 9988 2 snd_emu10k1,snd_pcm
snd_util_mem 4864 2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1
ip_nat_ftp 3072 0
snd_hwdep 8992 2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1
snd 60292 18 snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_emu10k1_synth,snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi _event,snd_seq_midi_emul,snd_seq,snd_emu10k1,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_t imer,snd_util_mem,snd_hwdep
iptable_nat 22236 1 ip_nat_ftp
soundcore 8928 2 snd
uhci_hcd 30224 0
via_agp 9344 1
i2c_viapro 7824 0
emu10k1_gp 3584 0
agpgart 32296 2 nvidia,via_agp
i2c_core 21776 1 i2c_viapro
usbcore 108760 4 usbserial,hci_usb,uhci_hcd
gameport 14728 2 emu10k1_gp
ip_conntrack_ftp 72592 1 ip_nat_ftp
ip_conntrack 42168 4 ipt_state,ip_nat_ftp,iptable_nat,ip_conntrack_ftp
ip_tables 20352 8 ipt_LOG,ipt_limit,ipt_pkttype,ipt_state,ipt_REJECT,iptable_mangle,iptable_filter,iptable_nat
ip6table_filter 2816 1
ip6_tables 18304 3 ip6t_REJECT,ip6table_mangle,ip6table_filter
ipv6 236672 13 ip6t_REJECT
video1394 17612 0
ohci1394 31492 1 video1394
raw1394 28140 0
ieee1394 97976 3 video1394,ohci1394,raw1394
capability 3256 0
parport_pc 38212 1
lp 11076 0
parport 33864 2 parport_pc,lp
dm_mod 56316 0
reiserfs 243056 1
ide_cd 37892 0
cdrom 36640 2 sr_mod,ide_cd
ide_disk 16640 3
via82cxxx 11420 0 [permanent]
ide_core 120020 3 ide_cd,ide_disk,via82cxxx

There are 91 of them. I don't know what all of these are, however, I suspect that the amount of modules running (with just a browser and shell open) is killing the machine. Is there a way to learn what each of the modules is, and not have it start up at boot, but rather when I need it?

Please help.

Thanks.

You can disable processes with YaST. However, the best way to know what is killing your machine is with the command "top". Top will display your amount of physical memory and swap and how much memory every running application is using. Don't be scared if you have a few megabytes free. Linux allocates memory differently from other Operating System. What you should look at is which application is taking too much RAM and if swap is being used (which it should not).

Disabling services would most likely make your PC boots faster then really have such a huge impact on the performance....

Regards!