Linux From Scratch - Version 6.1

Chapter 6. Installing Basic System Software

6.50. Module-Init-Tools-3.1

The Module-Init-Tools package contains programs for handling kernel modules in Linux kernels greater than or equal to version 2.5.47.

Approximate build time: 0.1 SBU
Required disk space: 4.9 MB
Installation depends on: Bash, Binutils, Bison, Coreutils, Diffutils, Flex, GCC, Glibc, Grep, M4, Make, and Sed

6.50.1. Installation of Module-Init-Tools

Module-Init-Tools attempts to rewrite its modprobe.conf man page during the build process. This is unnecessary and also relies on docbook2man — which is not installed in LFS. Run the following command to avoid this: 

touch modprobe.conf.5

Prepare Module-Init-Tools for compilation: 

./configure --prefix="" --enable-zlib

The meaning of the configure options:

--enable-zlib

This allows the Module-Init-Tools package to handle compressed kernel modules.

Compile the package: 

make

To test the results, issue: make check.

Install the package: 

make install

6.50.2. Contents of Module-Init-Tools

Installed programs: depmod, insmod, insmod.static, lsmod (link to insmod), modinfo, modprobe (link to insmod), and rmmod (link to insmod)

Short Descriptions

depmod

Creates a dependency file based on the symbols it finds in the existing set of modules; this dependency file is used by modprobe to automatically load the required modules

insmod

Installs a loadable module in the running kernel

insmod.static

A statically compiled version of insmod

lsmod

Lists currently loaded modules

modinfo

Examines an object file associated with a kernel module and displays any information that it can glean

modprobe

Uses a dependency file, created by depmod, to automatically load relevant modules

rmmod

Unloads modules from the running kernel