Loading and Unloading Modules

Modules are loaded and unloaded by using the modprobe command. For more information, see the modprobe(8) and modules.dep(5) manual pages.

• Load a kernel module using the modprobe command.

  The modprobe command loads kernel modules, for example:

  sudo modprobe nfs
  sudo lsmod | grep nfs

  nfs                   266415  0 
  lockd                  66530  1 nfs
  fscache                41704  1 nfs
  nfs_acl                 2477  1 nfs
  auth_rpcgss            38976  1 nfs
  sunrpc                204268  5 nfs,lockd,nfs_acl,auth_rpcgss

  Include the -v (verbose) option to show whether any other modules are loaded to resolve dependencies.

  sudo modprobe -v nfs

  insmod /lib/modules/5.15.0-208.159.3.2.el8uek.x86_64/kernel/net/sunrpc/auth_gss/auth_rpcgss.ko 
  insmod /lib/modules/5.15.0-208.159.3.2.el8uek.x86_64/kernel/fs/nfs_common/nfs_acl.ko 
  insmod /lib/modules/5.15.0-208.159.3.2.el8uek.x86_64/kernel/fs/fscache/fscache.ko 
  ...

  Note:

  The modprobe command doesn't reload modules that are already loaded. You must first unload a module before you can load it again.

• Unload a module by using the modprobe -r command.

  Use the -r option to unload kernel modules:

  sudo modprobe -rv nfs

  rmmod /lib/modules/5.15.0-208.159.3.2.el8uek.x86_64/kernel/fs/nfs/nfs.ko
  rmmod /lib/modules/5.15.0-208.159.3.2.el8uek.x86_64/kernel/fs/lockd/lockd.ko
  rmmod /lib/modules/5.15.0-208.159.3.2.el8uek.x86_64/kernel/fs/fscache/fscache.ko
  ...

  Modules are unloaded in reverse order in which they were first loaded. Modules aren't unloaded if a process or another loaded module requires them.