Adding a single kernel module

[brucebertrand]

Is there a safe way to add a single kernel module?

What I mean is, I've had my kernel configured nicely for quite some time now, but want to add a single module and not have to rebuild the entire kernel/module set.

Can this be done? This is a module which is included in the standard 2.6.x kernel tree.

[blaster999]

go to the /usr/src/linux-2.x.y
make menuconfig
add your desired module
make modules modules_install (this will compile only the modules you added. However, you will probably need to re-emerge nvidia-kernel or ati-drivers - or any other module not included in the kernel - if you had them installed)
modules-update
add it to your /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.x (if you wish it to be autoloaded)
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[brucebertrand]

Thanks for your reply.

I already know about using that method.
But I'm specifically trying to avoid having to re-emerge my 3rd party drivers. Especially nvidia-kernel.
I've had huge problems with it in the past.

I'm thinking something more along the lines of navigating to the specific driver's path in the kernel tree, manually compiling it, and inserting it in the proper place in the /lib/modules path.

Anyone else ever try something like this?

[brucebertrand]

Or....

What if I made the changes in my .config file (via the apropriate "make menuconfig" or similar) and then did "make modules" (but no "modules_install").

Then, simply copied the .ko file to it's place in the /lib/modules path and ran modules-update.

Will this work?

What exactly does "make modules_install" do? Obviously, it copies the modules into their proper place. What else?


I'm going to try this method now and post my results.

[brucebertrand]

This seems to have worked.

Though I won't know for sure until I can actually finish configuring the device and test it.

[blaster999]