(as root in X terminal). GUI to to add/remove kernel modules. You can do the same from the command line using the command "insmod", but "insmode" is less "newbie-friendly".
• lsmod
List currently loaded kernel modules. A module is like
a device driver--it provides operating system kernel support for a particular
piece of hardware or feature.
• modprobe -l |more
List all the modules available for your kernel. The available
modules are determined by how your Linux kernel was compliled. Every possible
module/feature can be compiled on linux as either "hard wired" (fast, non-removable),
"module" (maybe slower, but loaded/removable on demand), or "no" (no support
for this feature at all).
• insmod parport
insmod ppa
(as root) Insert modules into the kernel (a module is
roughly an equivalent of a DOS device driver). This example shows how to
insert the modules for support of the external parallel port zip drive
(it appears to be a problem to get the external zip drive to work
in any other way under RH6.0 ).
• rmmod module_name
(as root, not essential). Remove the module module_name
from the kernel.
• setserial /dev/cua0 port 0x03f8 irq 4
(as root) Set a serial port to a non-standard setting.
The example here shows the standard setting for the first serial port (cua0
or ttyS0). The standard PC settings for the second serial port (cua1or
ttyS1) are: address of i/o port 0x02f8, irq 3. The third serial port (cua2
or ttyS2): 0x03e8, irq 4. The forth serial port (cua3 or ttyS3): 0x02e8,
irq 3. Add your setting to /etc/rc.d/rc.local if you want it to be set
at the boot time. See man setserial for good a overview.
• fdisk
(as root) Linux hard drive partitioning utility (DOS
has a utility with the same name).
• cd /usr/src/linux-2.0.36
make xconfig
(as root in X terminal). Nice GUI front-end for configuration
of the kernel options in preparation for compilation of your customized
kernel. (The directory name contains the version of your Linux kernel
so you may need to modify the directory name if your Linux kernel version
is different than 2.0.36 used in this example. You also need the "Tk" interpreter
and the kernel source code installed. ) The alternatives to "make xconfig"
are: "make config" (runs a scripts that asks you questions in the
text mode) and "make menuconfig" (runs a text-based menu-driven configuration
utility). Try: less /usr/doc/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO for more information.
After the configuration, you may choose to proceed
with kernel compilation of the new kernel by issuing the following commands:
make dep
make zImage
The last command will take some time to complete (maybe 0.5 h, depending on your hardware). It produces the file "zImage", which is your new Linux kernel. Next:
make modules
make modules_install
Read: /usr/doc/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO for information on how to install the new kernel. You will probably also find it useful to read "man depmode". Configuration, compilation and installation of a new kernel is not difficult but it CAN lead to problems if you don't know what you are doing.
Compilation of a kernel is a good way to test your hardware, because it involves a massive amount of computing. If your hardware is "flaky", you will most likely receive the "signal 11" error (read the beatiful /usr/doc/FAQ/txt/GCC-SIG11-FAQ).
• depmod -a
(as root) Build the module dependency table for the kernel.
This can, for example, be useful after installing and booting a new kernel.
Use "modprobe -a" to load the modules.
• ldconfig
(as root) Re-create the bindings and the cache for the
loader of dynamic libraries ("ld"). You may want to run ldconfig after
an installation of new dynamically linked libraries on your system. (It
is also re-run every time you boot the computer, so if you reboot you don't
have to run it manually.)
• mknod /dev/fd0 b 2 0
(=make node, as root) Create a device file. This example
shows how to create a device file associated with your first floppy drive
and could be useful if you happened to accidentally erase it. The options
are: b=block mode device (c=character mode device, p=FIFO device, u=unbuffered
character mode device). The two integers specify the major and the minor
device number.
• fdformat /dev/fd0H1440
mkfs -c -t ext2
(=floppy disk format, two commands, as root) Perform
a low-level formatting of a floppy in the first floppy drive (/dev/fd0),
high density (1440 kB). Then make a Linux filesystem (-t ext2), checking/marking
bad blocks (-c ). Making the files system is an equivalent to the high-level
format.
• badblocks /dev/fd01440 1440
(as root) Check a high-density floppy for bad blocks
and display the results on the screen. The parameter "1440" specifies that
1440 blocks are to be checked. This command does not modify the floppy.
• fsck -t ext2 /dev/hda2
(=file system check, as root) Check and repair a filesystem.
The example uses the partition hda2, filesystem type ext2.
dd if=/dev/fd0H1440 of=floppy_image
dd if=floppy_image of=/dev/fd0H1440
(two commands, dd="data duplicator") Create an image
of a floppy to the file called "floppy_image" in the current directory.
Then copy floppy_image (file) to another floppy disk. Works like DOS "DISKCOPY".
