WITHOUT_MODULES in /etc/make.conf doesn't work

[Thomas Mueller]

> No, I'm just borderline sure that WITHOUT_MODULES works
> the same way as MODULES_OVERRIDE, that is it looks in
> top directory in /usr/src/sys/modules/ and ulpt is in
> /usr/src/sys/modules/usb/ulpt

> Speaking of RAM savings, things you would always load
> should be compiled in kernel, modules per design take
> more RAM than compiled in stuff.

I suppose with a generic kernel where many drivers would be put in modules and not the kernel proper, RAM would be less cluttered.

I think that rationale was used with Linux, and I believe kernel modules came to Linux before FreeBSD and to FreeBSD before NetBSD, am not sure about other BSDs.

I remember when it was necessary to "insmod hpfs" to mount an HPFS partition from Linux, it was not done automatically.

Also, when adding a new device and driver, just that module could be compiled without recompiling the rest of the kernel: useful perhaps when installing a prefabricated Linux distribution.

But when running on one specific computer, I see the rationale for NO_MODULES=yes.

Now is there any way to prevent ulpt.ko from loading when a USB printer is connected?

Tom