Handling Kernel Module Dependencies - depmod and modprobe

• Modules could depend on each other. For example, to load the Module 'lm78', we need to first load 'i2c-core' and 'i2c-proc'.
• The depmod command builds a list of Module dependencies - i.e. for each Module, which other Modules it needs, in order to load. Run it as:

  [root@simey ~]# depmod -a
  depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
           /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/longhaul.o
  depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
           /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/p4-clockmod.o
  depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
           /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/arch/i386/kernel/speedstep.o
       

• In order to have the system take care of these loading dependencies automatically, load a Module using the modprobe command:

  [root@simey ~]# modprobe lm78
       

  or, for a more verbose output:

  [root@simey ~]# modprobe -v lm78
  /sbin/insmod /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.o
  Using /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.o
  Symbol version prefix ''
  /sbin/insmod /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/drivers/i2c/i2c-proc.o
  Using /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/drivers/i2c/i2c-proc.o
  /sbin/insmod /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/drivers/sensors/lm78.o
  Using /lib/modules/2.4.18-17.7.x/kernel/drivers/sensors/lm78.o
       

Originally written by guy keren