Using kernel modules with the installation bootdisks
----------------------------------------------------

These modules can be used to add additional hardware support before running
"setup" to install Linux.  The Configure.help file (this comes from the Linuxi
kernel source) explains what drivers are available for Linux.  The modules
themselves are in the directories below ./2.2.16/, and have names that are
similar to the devices they support.

To use these modules, put "insmod" (the module loading utility) on a floppy
disk along with the module(s) you need to load. After booting with a bootdisk,
loading a rootdisk (install disk), and logging in as root, make a directory
and mount the floppy disk on it:

mkdir /floppy
mount /dev/fd0 /floppy -t vfat

Then, you need to load the module.  Let's say you're loading a module to
support a 3com 3c509 ethernet card:

cd /floppy
./insmod 3c509.o

You should see a message on the screen indicating the module was loaded
successfully.  You can then unmount the floppy:

cd
umount /floppy

And, at this point you can run "setup" and install Linux.  Upon rebooting,
you'll probably want to edit /etc/rc.d/rc.modules to load the module at
boot time.

Also note that many ethernet cards based on the Western Digital 8390 chipset
will require the 8390.o module to be loaded before you load the module for
the specific card you need.  Modules that require 8390.o include 3c503.o,
ac3200.o, e2100.o, hp-plus.o, hp.o, ne.o, ne2k-pci.o, smc-ultra.o,
smc-ultra32.o, and wd.o.  In addition, the ISA NE2000 module (ne.o) requires
an extra argument such as io=0x360 to tell the kernel the I/O address where
the card is found.  An example of loading NE2000 support:

./insmod 8390.o
./insmod ne.o io=0x360

Other common I/O addresses for the NE2000 are 0x300, 0x280, 0x320, and 0x340.

Good luck!