Re: hardware detection + loading modules

[Glenn McGrath <bug1@optushome.com.au>]

Joey Hess wrote:
> 
> Glenn McGrath wrote:
> > If all the users hardware is supported by the kernel, then it doesnt
> > need any drivers to support the hardware, hardware detection programs
> > will still show what kernel modules are needed to support the hardware,
> > information which is useless in this case.
> >
> > We could just try and fetch and load the module anyway, but its wasted
> > effort if its not needed, can anyone think of a better way to determine
> > the loaded kernels capabilities ?
> 
> Well the modules if any will be in .udebs, so we'll be using
> dependancies or provides or something to figure out which udeb to
> install to get the module. Say it's an eepro100 driver, it might be in
> common-nics.udeb, which could provide eepro100-nic. If the kernel has it
> built in, the base system could have a pre-installed dummy package that
> provides eepro100-nic and whatever else.
> 
> Sound good?
> 

I was really wondering how to determine if the kernel to be used has the
eepro100 driver built in.
i.e. wether the base system should provide a dummy package or a real
package.

Actually i think it will be easy all we have to do is is parse the
kernels .config file.


Glenn