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Operating Systems Linux Fedora Is Kernel module is the same as a device driver? Post 302518687 by newlinuxuser1 on Sunday 1st of May 2011 09:08:40 AM
Old 05-01-2011
Is Kernel module is the same as a device driver?

I have been reading prep questions for my second unix academy exam, and there's a nuance, I'm not sure I understand it correctly.
I've been under impression from my readings of book by Evi Nemeth and from unix academy DVDs I've been watching, that kernel's modules are drivers. I think of it, as there are standard drivers that come precompiled as a part of a kernel, and some drivers that are not part of a "standard setup", so we load them when necessary as modules.
Now, I see in my readings and in the DVDs, modules and drivers are discussed on separate occasions, which makes me confused! Are they the same or they aren't? I mean, is this "module" and "driver" terminology is interchangeable and it is just figure of speech, or there's real difference between them?
 

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DRACUT.CONF(5)							      dracut							    DRACUT.CONF(5)

NAME
dracut.conf - configuration file(s) for dracut SYNOPSIS
/etc/dracut.conf /etc/dracut.conf.d/*.conf DESCRIPTION
dracut.conf is loaded during the initialisation phase of dracut. Command line parameter will overwrite any values set here. dracut.conf.d/*.conf files are read in alphanumerical order and will overwrite parameters set in /etc/dracut.conf. Each line specifies an attribute and a value. A # indicates the beginning of a comment; following characters, up to the end of the line are not interpreted. dracutmodules+=" <dracut modules> " Specify a space-separated list of dracut modules to call when building the initramfs. Modules are located in /usr/lib/dracut/modules.d. omit_dracutmodules+=" <dracut modules> " Omit a space-separated list of dracut modules. add_dracutmodules+=" <dracut modules> " Add a space-separated list of dracut modules. drivers+=" <kernel modules> " Specify a space-separated list of kernel modules to exclusively include in the initramfs. The kernel modules have to be specified without the ".ko" suffix. add_drivers+=" <kernel modules> " Specify a space-separated list of kernel modules to add to the initramfs. The kernel modules have to be specified without the ".ko" suffix. omit_drivers+=" <kernel modules> " Specify a space-separated list of kernel modules not to add to the initramfs. The kernel modules have to be specified without the ".ko" suffix. install_items+=" <kernel modules> " Specify a space-separated list of files, which are added to the initramfs image. filesystems+=" <filesystem names> " Specify a space-separated list of kernel filesystem modules to exclusively include in the generic initramfs. drivers_dir="<kernel modules directory>" Specify the directory, where to look for kernel modules fw_dir+=" :<dir>[:<dir> ...] " Specify additional directories, where to look for firmwares, separated by : install_items+=" <file>[ <file> ...] " Specify additional files to include in the initramfs, separated by spaces. do_strip="{yes|no}" Strip binaries in the initramfs (default=yes) hostonly="{yes|no}" Host-Only mode: Install only what is needed for booting the local host instead of a generic host and generate host-specific configuration. tmpdir="<temporary directory>" Specify temporary directory to use. Warning If chrooted to another root other than the real root device, use --fstab and provide a valid /etc/fstab. use_fstab="{yes|no}" Use /etc/fstab instead of /proc/self/mountinfo. add_fstab+=" <filename> " Add entries of <filename> to the initramfs /etc/fstab. mdadmconf="{yes|no}" Include local /etc/mdadm.conf (default=yes) lvmconf="{yes|no}" Include local /etc/lvm/lvm.conf (default=yes) fscks=" <fsck tools> " Add a space-separated list of fsck tools. If nothing is specified, the default is: "umount mount /sbin/fsck* xfs_db xfs_check xfs_repair e2fsck jfs_fsck reiserfsck btrfsck". The installation is opportunistic (non-existing tools are ignored). nofscks="{yes|no}" If specified, inhibit installation of any fsck tools. kernel_only="{yes|no}" Only install kernel drivers and firmware files. (default=no) no_kernel="{yes|no}" Do not install kernel drivers and firmware files (default=no) stdloglvl="{0-6}" Set logging to standard error level. sysloglvl="{0-6}" Set logging to syslog level. fileloglvl="{0-6}" Set logging to file level. logfile="<file>" Path to log file. show_modules="{yes|no}" Print included module's name to standard output during build. FILES
/etc/dracut.conf Old configuration file. You better use your own file in /etc/dracut/conf.d/. /etc/dracut/conf.d/ Any /etc/dracut/conf.d/*.conf file can overwrite the values in /etc/dracut.conf. The configuration files are read in alphanumerical order. AUTHOR
Harald Hoyer SEE ALSO
dracut(8) dracut.cmdline(7) dracut 11/08/2012 DRACUT.CONF(5)
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