Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Administration Unleashed

526APPENDIX AInstalling Proprietary Kernel Modules(called a proprietary module). If the open source community hasn’t written an equivalentopen source version of the module (usually because the hardware has just been released orbecause the open source community does not have enough information about the hardwareto write an open source module), the proprietary module is an administrator’s only option ifhe wants to use the hardware with the Linux operating system.Installing Proprietary ModulesThe process for installing third-party modules differs from module to module:. Some modules are distributed in RPM format, which makes them easy to install. Referto Chapter 5, “Working with RPM Software,” for details on installing an RPM package.. Some modules require the administrator to run a script (supplied with the modulewhen downloaded) that guides you through the installation.. Others might require that parts of the module to be compiled. However, most thirdpartymodules come with detailed installation instructions.Even the process of loading proprietary modules differs from module to module:. Some use user-space applications to load them.. Some use initialization scripts that can be run at boot time. Refer to Chapter 4,“Understanding Linux Concepts,” for more information on initialization scripts.. Some require the module be listed in /etc/modprobe.conf such as the following fora module named example for the first Ethernet card:alias eth0 exampleAfter installing the module and following the instructions for loading it, use the/sbin/lsmod command to verify that it has been loaded.Bottom line: Follow the instructions that are included with the proprietary module andcontact the distributor of the module such as the hardware vendor if it does not load orwork properly with the Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernel. It is difficult for the open sourcecommunity or the Red Hat engineering team to troubleshoot and fix an issue if the sourcecode is not available to debug.Installing the nVidia Display DriverThis section shows the process of installing the nVidia Linux display driver for the x86_64architecture. This example is based on version 1.0-9746 of the driver downloaded fromhttp://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_display_amd64_1.0-9746.html. Instructions forinstalling a different version may differ.CAUTIONThe instructions in this section are specific to version 1.0-9746 of the nVidia displaydriver. Instructions for other kernel modules may differ. Be sure to carefully read theinstructions for the driver you are downloading.