[NTLUG:Discuss] usb driver

[kbrannen@gte.net]

Peter A. Koren wrote:
...
> There is software for Linux provided on the CD, but it apparently does
> not add the usb driver, but only the printer software. There is no usb
> entry under /dev. I am running under Mandrake 9.1 with an ABIT BP6
> mother board. I have not used the usb interface until today (with
> Windows done first). No devices have been created for usb. Since I
> installed Mandrake with the usb interface inactive, no drivers were
> added. I assume the usb driver is done as a loadable module.
> 
> Solutions?

Yes, USB is done with modules.  You may need to hand load them, at least for 
testing.  If it works out, then you can always force them with a "modprobe 
..." in /etc/init.d/boot.local (or your distro's equivalent).

For example, on my machine (Suse 8.2):
$ /sbin/lsmod | grep usb
usbserial              19580   0 (autoclean) (unused)
usb-uhci               23664   0 (unused)
usbcore                63116   1 [printer usbserial usb-uhci ehci-hcd]

I would think you could force a loading with "modprobe usbcore usb-uhci". 
(that's as root of course :-)  You also might need that usbserial module; this 
was for a usb printer on my machine too.

HTH,
Kevin