Linux lsmod Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to lsmod on Linux, covering Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions including listing kernel modules, module information, and driver management.

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Table of Contents

1. Understanding lsmod
2. lsmod Basics
3. Module Information
4. Module Management
5. Troubleshooting

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Understanding lsmod

What is lsmod?

lsmod lists loaded kernel modules.

Uses:

• List modules: Show loaded modules
• Module information: Get module details
• Driver management: Manage drivers
• Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot module issues

Why it matters:

• Driver management: See loaded drivers
• Troubleshooting: Debug module problems
• System information: Understand system modules

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lsmod Basics

List Modules

Basic usage:

# List all loaded modules
lsmod

# Shows module list

Output Format

Columns:

# Output format:
# Module                  Size  Used by
# module_name           12345  2 other_module

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Module Information

Module Details

Get details:

# Get module details
modinfo module-name

# Shows module information

Module Dependencies

Check dependencies:

# Check what uses module
lsmod | grep module-name

# Shows dependent modules

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Module Management

Load Module

Load module:

# Load module
sudo modprobe module-name

# Or
sudo insmod /path/to/module.ko

Remove Module

Remove module:

# Remove module
sudo modprobe -r module-name

# Or
sudo rmmod module-name

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Troubleshooting

Module Not Found

Check module:

# Verify module exists
modinfo module-name

# Check if loaded
lsmod | grep module-name

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Summary

This guide covered lsmod usage, module listing, and driver management for Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions.

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Next Steps

• modinfo Guide - Module information
• modprobe Guide - Module management
• Kernel Management - Kernel management
• lsmod Documentation: man lsmod

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This guide covers Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other Linux distributions. For distribution-specific details, refer to your distribution's documentation.