propagator/doc/UPDATEMODULES
2004-01-20 18:32:43 +00:00

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This is the documentation for the "Update Modules" (Update Drivers)
feature.
This feature aims to propose new modules or replacement modules for the
install. This is useful when there is a firmware update for a given
driver, an additional driver needed for something, etc.
You must use a floppy disk with e2fs filesystem (NOT vfat/windows
formatted). Use "mke2fs /dev/fd0" on your own box to format a floppy with
e2fs filesystem.
This disk may contain a number of kernel modules on the root (e.g. not in
a subdirectory); some of them may replace existing modules, some of them
may be added. This disk must contain a special file, named "to_load", on
the root (not in a subdirectory). This file will contain a series of
module names, with optional module options; the program will try to load
all these modules one after another, using file on the floppy if present,
else using file within standard module repository ("marfile" on the boot
floppy). It can contain comments, these are strictly defined by the
presence of a hash (#) character on row 0 of any line. Beware, on the
first line of the line, a comment is mandatory (there is a bug somewhere).
Here's a typical scenario:
1. Boot the floppy (or cdrom) with the option "updatemodules"
(you may do that by pressing F1 then entering "linux updatemodules")
2. At the very beginning of the User Interface, you are asked to insert
the Update Modules disk. Insert the Update Modules disk and press
Enter.
--=----=----=----=----=----=----=----=----=--
Our example disk contains:
[root@obiwan mnt]# ll floppy/
total 77
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 12288 Jul 26 12:02 lost+found/
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 9051 Jul 26 12:43 msdos.o
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 13660 Jul 26 12:04 ppa.o
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 54 Jul 26 12:46 to_load
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 32108 Jul 26 12:04 uhci.o
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 6572 Jul 26 12:04 wacom.o
[root@obiwan mnt]# cat floppy/to_load
# Update Drivers description file
3c59x
# fat is a dep for msdos
fat
# updated msdos (handling of 9+4 filenames)
msdos
ppa
[root@obiwan mnt]#
--=----=----=----=----=----=----=----=----=--
3. The program reads the special file "to_load" and processes the files.
a- 3c59x loaded from the marfile on the boot floppy
b- fat loaded from the marfile on the boot floppy
c- msdos loaded from the update modules floppy
d- ppa loaded from the update modules floppy
Beware, the dependencies are not handled automatically in the case of load
from the update modules floppy, that's why on our example we need to load
"fat" from the standard modules before "msdos" from the update floppy.