Linux modprobe Guide - ryzendew/Linux-Tips-and-Tricks GitHub Wiki

Linux modprobe Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to modprobe on Linux, covering Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions including loading modules, removing modules, and kernel module management.

Table of Contents

  1. Understanding modprobe
  2. modprobe Basics
  3. Loading Modules
  4. Removing Modules
  5. Troubleshooting

Understanding modprobe

What is modprobe?

modprobe loads and removes kernel modules.

Uses:

  • Load modules: Load kernel modules
  • Remove modules: Unload modules
  • Module management: Manage modules
  • Dependency handling: Handles dependencies

Why it matters:

  • Module management: Load/unload modules
  • Dependency handling: Handles dependencies automatically
  • Driver management: Manage drivers

modprobe Basics

Load Module

Basic usage:

# Load module
sudo modprobe module-name

# Loads module and dependencies

Remove Module

Unload module:

# Remove module
sudo modprobe -r module-name

# -r = remove (unloads module)

Loading Modules

With Options

Module options:

# Load with options
sudo modprobe module-name option=value

# Passes options to module

Verbose Mode

Show actions:

# Verbose mode
sudo modprobe -v module-name

# -v = verbose (shows actions)

Removing Modules

Force Remove

Force unload:

# Force remove
sudo modprobe -r -f module-name

# -f = force (removes even if in use)

Remove Dependencies

Remove with dependencies:

# Remove with dependencies
sudo modprobe -r module-name

# Automatically removes unused dependencies

Troubleshooting

Module Not Found

Check module:

# Verify module exists
modinfo module-name

# Check module path
find /lib/modules -name "module-name.ko"

Summary

This guide covered modprobe usage, module loading, and removal for Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions.

Next Steps

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