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/sbin/modprobe Does Not Load USB Modules in ESX Server with /usr on Separate Partition

Details

I installed an ESX Server system with the /usr file system on a separate partition. After I reboot the system, the USB modules are not loaded. How can I fix it?

Solution

Sometimes /sbin/modprobe, because it is linked to /sbin/insmod, produces benign messages which can mistakenly appear as error messages (for details, see kb.vmware.com/kb/1718). ESX Server suppresses these messages by replacing the link:

/sbin/modprobe->/sbin/insmod

with a link to a wrapper around /sbin/insmod: 
/sbin/modprobe->/sbin/modprobe.pl

This wrapper requires a Perl executable (located in /usr) to be available early in boot process. When the /usr file system exists on a separate partition, it is mounted later in the boot process and therefore the Perl executable is not available at the right time.

You have two options to fix this problem:

  • Link /sbin/modprobe back to /sbin/insmod and ignore the messages from insmod in /var/log/message. For more information, see knowledge base article 1718 at www.vmware.com/support/kb/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1718.

  • Alternatively, you can replace the Perl wrapper with a shell wrapper, as follows:


    1. Create an empty file called modprobe.sh under the sbin directory: 
      # touch /sbin/modprobe.sh
    2. Open the file in an editor, then enter the following contents:

      #!/bin/bash
      args=$(for i in $@
      do
      ++if [ "$i" != "-s" ];
      ++then
      ++++/bin/echo -n "$i "
      ++fi
      done)
      exec -a modprobe /sbin/insmod $args

    3. Set the permissions to be executable without write access (555; -r-xr-xr-x):

      # chmod 555 /sbin/modprobe.sh

    4. Reset the link:

      # ln -snf /sbin/modprobe.sh /sbin/modprobe

Note: Application of an ESX Server patch will revert the link to modprobe.pl. After patch aplication on the ESX server host, apply either workaround above again.

Keywords

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