xref: /freebsd/sbin/kldload/kldload.8 (revision 64db9a0f82863d212ac0bcd49bc0254ccb9dd1ac)

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.\" Copyright (c) 1997 Doug Rabson
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.Dd December 20, 2023
.Dt KLDLOAD 8
.Os
.Sh NAME
.Nm kldload
.Nd load a file into the kernel
.Sh SYNOPSIS
.Nm
.Op Fl nqv
.Ar
.Sh DESCRIPTION
The
.Nm
utility loads
.Ar file Ns Pa .ko
into the kernel using the kernel linker.
Note that if multiple modules are specified then an attempt will
be made to load them all, even if some fail.
The
.Pa .ko
extension name is not mandatory when loading a given module
using
.Nm .
It does not hurt to specify it though.
.Pp
If a bare filename is requested it will only be loaded if it is found within
the module path as defined by the sysctl
.Va kern.module_path .
To load a module from the current directory it must be specified as a full or
relative path.
The
.Nm
utility will warn if a module is requested as a bare filename and is present
in the current directory.
.Pp
The following options are available:
.Bl -tag -width indent
.It Fl n
Do not try to load module if already loaded.
.It Fl v
Be more verbose.
.It Fl q
Silence any extraneous warnings.
.El
.Sh NOTES
The kernel security level settings may prevent a module from being
loaded or unloaded by giving
.Em "Operation not permitted" .
.Sh FILES
.Bl -tag -width /boot/kernel -compact
.It Pa /boot/kernel
directory containing loadable modules.
Modules must have an extension of
.Pa .ko .
.El
.Sh EXIT STATUS
.Ex -std
.Sh EXAMPLES
To load by module name:
.Bd -literal -offset indent
\*[Gt] kldload foo
.Ed
.Pp
To load by file name within the module path:
.Bd -literal -offset indent
\*[Gt] kldload foo.ko
.Ed
.Pp
To load by relative path:
.Bd -literal -offset indent
\*[Gt] kldload ./foo.ko
.Ed
.Pp
To load by full path:
.Bd -literal -offset indent
\*[Gt] kldload /boot/kernel/foo.ko
.Ed
.Sh AUTOMATICALLY LOADING MODULES
Some modules (pf, ipfw, ipf, etc.) may be automatically loaded at boot
time when the corresponding
.Xr rc.conf 5
statement is used.
Modules may also be auto-loaded through their addition to
.Xr loader.conf 5
or kld_list in
.Xr rc.conf 5 .
.Pp
Only those modules necessary for booting the system, including those
required for mounting the root filesystem, should be handled by
.Xr loader.conf 5 .
.Sh SEE ALSO
.Xr kenv 1 ,
.Xr kldload 2 ,
.Xr loader.conf 5 ,
.Xr rc.conf 5 ,
.Xr security 7 ,
.Xr kldconfig 8 ,
.Xr kldstat 8 ,
.Xr kldunload 8 ,
.Xr kldxref 8
.Sh HISTORY
The
.Nm
utility first appeared in
.Fx 3.0 ,
replacing the
.Nm lkm
interface.
.Sh AUTHORS
.An Doug Rabson Aq Mt dfr@FreeBSD.org