Package: modutils
Release: 2.3.11
Errors: modprobe, depmod, and can't locate module <name>
Symptoms:
Granted I'm a bit of a newbie to Linux, but not computers. I have potato with various upgrades installed. I successfully compiled my own kernel-2.4.20 (a little old, but it works). After installing, modules stopped working.
Cause:
After lots of checking and reading (etc.) I eventually found out that depmod wasn't doing anything. I don't know if this is a kernel build problem, or a problem with upstream changes, or both.
It appears that the modules for the new kernel are now found in:
/lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel, and also /lib/modules/`uname -r/pcmcia
It seems the use of subdirectories for module storage (although advantageous organizationally), has confused depmod so that it spits out a zero-byte sized file in /lib/modules/modules.dep, that modprobe can't use. Hence, modules don't get loaded.
Resolution:
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to install the latest 2.4.26 version of modutils using dselect. There's some wierd dependency problems that are keeping apt from downloading it, and I'm not going to .... with it.
The best solution was to create a file /etc/modutils/all.paths and containing:
path=/lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel
Then do update-modules and depmod.
This solved the immediate problem, but does not resolve including /lib/modules/`uname -r`/pcmcia or other attached subdirectories. I haven't tried multiple paths as in:
path=/lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel:/lib/modules/`uname -r`/pcmcia:(etc....)
As I understand it, default paths were merged into the depmod code so the need for specific paths in /etc/modutils/filename could be reduced. So why am I having to state specific path(s) for it to work?
Is this a matter that has been resolved in newer releases?
Is this a matter of change in the kernel-source that has not been properly considered?
Is this a matter of a change in the make-kpkg kernel-image process?
Sell on Yahoo! Auctions - No fees. Bid on great items.
