problems loading modules at startup

[Craig S.]

Ok. Still having the 2.4.18 module problems.

What I have ruled out:

1) problems with startup scripts (2.2.16 has no problems)

2) too many files overloading the filesystem (again no problems with
2.2.16)

3) new kernel image not being loaded (uname gives the right kernel
version)

4) corrupt tar.gz file (I verified the checksum and even tried kernel
2.4.17 with the same problems as 2.4.18)

5) incorrect kernel configuration (I have waded through the config file
created when saving kernel changes and it jives with what I have setup.)

Things that don't appear right:
1) if I try make menuconfig I always get the same setup for the kernel
options. Even after I exit and save changes and compile new kernel
image, etc. When I check the kernel options they are always the same
regardless of what the previously saved config was. If I check the
config file for the kernel it looks ok.

2) Seems that the kernel is somehow trying to use kerneld to load my
modules. I have module capability loaded but I have tried to shut off
autoloading modules to see if that solves the problem. I think this
mixes with the first thing I noticed with the original config file for
the kernel always popping up.

3) modules.dep filesize is always zero. No matter what I try modules.dep
filesize is always zero. This is supposed to be updated at system
startup I believe and since the modules can't be found at startup that
is why modules.dep filesize is zero.

4) At startup I get several errors "modprobe: can't find ppp" I get one
for each module I try to load at startup. If I do a insmod I can load
the modules but then I can't use them.


I haven't tried aliasing the modules loading at startup in
/etc/modules.conf In fact that file is pretty much empty. That is
because I don't want to do autoloading of modules, I had a lot of
problems autoloading in the past and I don't think the issues have been
addressed that I had so I am going to stick with the startup loading and
then manually start and stop mods as I need them. Besides my modules are
supposed to be loaded at startup in /etc/rc.d/rc.modules. I don't see
why I would need to mess with modules.conf anyway because I am trying to
setup my 2.4.x kernel to load modules with rc.modules instead of calling
kerneld and using modules.conf.

Any other ideas. According to my google searches I see that others have
had the same issues with kernel upgrades but I have yet to find any
solutions to these issues.

Craig S.