[KLUG Members] 2.4.22 On The Verge

[Peter Buxton]

On Tue, Sep 02, 2003 at 11:40:47AM -0400, Bruce Smith was only escaped
   alone to tell thee:

> reiserfs seems to be in the kernel-unsupported RPM, which I didn't
> install.  I'd rather have the mount fail, than have it trash that
> partition.

??? reiserfs works fine in 2.6.x. What do you mean, kernel-unsupported
RPM? Are you speaking of reiserfsprogs, or the kernel code?

> > > Gnome couldn't load the (APM) battery applet.
> > 
> > What!
> 
> My laptop supports APM, and that applet crapped all over itself.
> (works fine in 2.4)

Hmmm. I have no idea. ;-)

> > Right, in 2.6.x you can't unload modules anymore; at least not by
> > default.  So it may take awhile for VMware to retool for it.
> 
> Say what?  You can't unload modules in 2.6?!?!?

Not true. Rusty Russell (I think) changed the kernel module code,
simplifying it. One problem they had with the old code was the ad hoc
hotplug support. RR created a real hotplug API, with module loading and
unloading (and the option to make a module un-unloadable), but until 99%
of the kernel code uses the new API, module unloading is regarded as
default unsafe and the unload module code is off by default in the
config file. If you turn it on:

Loadable module support  --->
  [*] Enable loadable module support
  [*]   Module unloading
  [ ]     Forced module unloading
  [*]   Module versioning support (EXPERIMENTAL)
  [*]   Kernel module loader 

CONFIG_MODULE_UNLOAD:

    Without this option you will not be able to unload any modules (note
    that some modules may not be unloadable anyway), which makes your
    kernel slightly smaller and simpler.  If unsure, say Y.

CONFIG_MODULE_FORCE_UNLOAD:

    This option allows you to force a module to unload, even if the
    kernel believes it is unsafe: the kernel will remove the module
    without waiting for anyone to stop using it (using the -f option to
    rmmod).  This is mainly for kernel developers and desperate users.
    If unsure, say N.

I've loaded and unloaded (not forced) modules under 2.6.x without
trouble.

-- 
-17
Delenda est Lutetia.