NAME

idload − dynamically load driver into UNIX system kernel

SYNOPSIS

/etc/idload [ −rdirectory ] [ −n namelist ] { −pdirectory | driver } ... 

DESCRIPTION

The idload command installs the named drivers into the running INTERACTIVE UNIX Operating System kernel.  The devices controlled by those drivers are then accessible just as though the kernel had been built to include the drivers.  The driver objects and description files may reside either in the standard configuration directory, /etc/conf, or in individual driver package directories. 

When loading from the standard configuration directory, the files accessed are:

cf.d/mdeviceMaster device specifications
sdevice.d/driverDevice configuration specifications
pack.d/driver/Driver.oDriver object module
pack.d/driver/space.oDriver space allocation module
pack.d/driver/DrivDescDriver description

When loading from an individual driver package directory, the files accessed are:

MasterMaster device specification
SystemDevice configuration specifications
Driver.oDriver object module
Space.oDriver space allocation module
DrivDescDriver description

The master device specifications, system device specifications, and driver object module are required; the other files are optional. 

For each successfully loaded driver, idload prints a line of the form

driver  [ BMAJ=bmajor ]  [ CMAJ=cmajor ]

on the standard output, where bmajor and cmajor are the block and character major device numbers assigned to the device.  The BMAJ assignment is only printed for block devices, and the CMAJ assignment is only printed for character devices. 

The command line options are as follows:

−r directory The directory specified will be used as the configuration “root” directory rather than /etc/conf. 

−n namelist namelist is used instead of /unix to locate kernel symbols and their addresses. 

−p directory directory is the package directory from which driver files are loaded.  A driver name may be given instead of the −p option, in which case the driver is loaded from the standard configuration directory. 

ERROR MESSAGES

An exit value of zero indicates success.  If an error was encountered, idload will exit with a nonzero value and report an error message.  All error messages are designed to be self-explanatory. 

FILES

/dev/kmem        system image of currently running system

SEE ALSO

idinstall(1M), mdevice(4), sdevice(4). 

CAVEATS

Loading a driver into the kernel is an inherently dangerous operation.  You should save your files and have the system as quiescent as possible before loading a driver and before attempting to use the driver once loaded.  Many drivers come with space.c files but not space.o files.  It is necessary to compile the space.c file before the driver can be successfully loaded.  In the future, fewer drivers will require space.c or space.o files. 

BUGS

Once a driver is loaded, it cannot be unloaded. 

ADDED VALUE

This entry, supplied by SunSoft, Inc., is an extension of UNIX System V. 

\*U  —  Version 1.0