On Fri, Jul 28, 2006 at 02:58:31PM +0100, A J Stiles wrote: > Be aware that this WILL cause you problems with some devices. > > I know from experience that the usb-storage module (for digital cameras, > multi slot readers and external HDDs) occasionally (too rarely to > investigate, but often enough to be annoying) locks up, leaving you unable > to do anything with the attached device. Using rmmod and modprobe to unload > and reload the module clears the fault. But if you compile usb-storage into > the kernel (like wot I did) then you cannot clear the fault without > rebooting. > > There must be other hardware and software combinations that will do this sort > of thing. Of course, you may get lucky and never encounter any of them.
I believe there are some drivers which can only be built as modules. Of course it is also annoying to have to reboot the system to change a setting, which could have been done simply by unloading and reloaidng the module with the new parameter. For anything other than an embedded system, a modular kernel is a much better idea. I even got the impression a few years ago that many of the kernel developers expect a lot of drivers to always be modules, and in some cases consider built in a sepcial case that doesn't get access to all the options the module does. I can't think of any good reason for a non modular kernel on a system in general. It doesn't have any benefits. -- Len Sorensen -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
