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Re: modules problems



rulnick@seas.ucla.edu wrote:
> 
>> Unresolved Issues (IMHO)
> ------------------------
> 1. What exactly happens with 'make modules' and 'make
> modules_install'?  Can someone describe the algorithm, or at least the
> philosophy?
> 
> 2. Should 'make modules' and 'make modules_install' *precede* or
> *follow* the kernel-building 'make zlilo' (or 'zImage' or 'zdisk')?
> 
> 3. Are there instances when 'make modules' and 'make modules_install'
> should *not* be used?
> 
> 4. What are the appropriate settings, *and why*, for
> 
>         CONFIG_MODVERSIONS?
>         CONFIG_MODULES?
>         CONFIG_KERNELD?
> 
> I certainly understand if people are tired of talking about modules,
> so my apologies to the exasperated.  I will be happy to continue
> discussion by private email, but for now it seems to me that the list
> is still the best place for this discussion.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> John

make modules goes through the entire make process and generates object
files for each *.c file which has been designated to be made into a
module.  In kernel version 1.2.13 and on into 1.3.xx (I am not how sure
at what xx a change was made), almost all modules to which you answered
no in  making the configuration file are automatically selected to be
made into modules.  In later versions of kernel 1.3.xx, m was added to
the possible answers for making the configuration file (i.e., y, m, n).
Then only those answered with m will be made into modules.  There is one
exception to this in the case of later versions of ppp.  Later versions
of ppp automatically select bsd_comp (a compression program) to be made
into a module.

make modules_install moves all of the generated modules (i.e., the *.o)
programs into various directories under /lib/modules/<kernel_version>/.
<kernel_version> would be 1.2.13 or whatever.  A file modules.dep is
also generated in this directory (but not by make modules_install, I
believe) that shows dependencies of the modules, e.g., ppp.o requres
slhc.o, etc.

Cheers,

KC Houston


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