What is the difference between modprobe and dkms?

Question

Noob question here.... I read about modprobe and dkms and it seems to me they do the same thing, so what is the difference?

score 20 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 12 '20 at 14:37

20

Modprobe

Loads and runs a kernel module

dkms

Compiles and installs a kernel module from source for the specified kernel (current running kernel if none are specified.

To autoload modules at boot

Edit the file /etc/modules. add each module you want to load one per line.

Example file contents:

# /etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time.
#
# This file contains the names of kernel modules that should be loaded
# at boot time, one per line. Lines beginning with "#" are ignored.

fuse
lp
sbp2
cpufreq_userspace
powernow-k8

edited Jun 12 '20 at 14:37

Community

1

answered Nov 20 '17 at 09:20

ravery

6,824
5
21
40

Thanks! And when running modprobe it will save this state for next boot of course, right? – Omar Hossam Ahmed Nov 20 '17 at 09:22
3

added directions on how to autoload modules – ravery Nov 20 '17 at 09:31

What is the difference between modprobe and dkms?

1 Answers1

Modprobe

dkms

To autoload modules at boot