Hardware Detection

Most of your hardware detection and configuration is done during installation of Linux.

However, every time you boot kudzu performs redetection and compares the current config with the /etc/sysconfig/hwconf file.

Cat this file to see what it looks like.

Note that you can call kudzu as a command to perform redetection, should this ever be necessary. If no new hardware is detected, you’ll be kicked back to the command prompt (eventually). Obviously this is useful on hot-pluggable systems, but nowhere else.

 

When kudzu detects hardware

  • Network cards – adds an alias to allow you to address the device – eth0, eth1, etc.
  • Modems – links the new modem to /dev/modem
  • CD-ROMs – links the new player /dev/cdrom to /mnt/cdrom
  • Sound cards – runs sndconfig to configure and test