# How to Compile Specific (ie: by name) Kernel Modules?

## Vorlon

I'm building Gentoo on an old computer that has some goofy HP hardware configurations.   I want to be sure I've compiled all the needed kernel modules, so I loaded Sabayon Linux LiveCD and recorded all the modules it loaded with lsmod.

Now I want to compile my kernel and use menuconfig to select all the needed Kernel modules.   

However, I have a problem: How can I find out (easily) which menuconfig settings generate specific kernel modules?

For example, the kernel module "8139too" is created when you select the Realtek 8139 network adapter.  If you read the "help" for each item in menuconfig, it _usually_ tells you the name of the module it creates.  However, I need to go the other way and find the menu selection that will create a specific module.

Is there a master list of modules and what they are and how to set them?

PS:  I know, I could use the wholesale "genkernel" approach, but that seems too clunky to me.  I would much rather select each module individually.

TIA!

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## wuzzerd

When running make menuconfig, you can search for a configuration parameter using the / key.

HTH

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## Hu

 *wuzzerd wrote:*   

> When running make menuconfig, you can search for a configuration parameter using the / key.

 As I read the OP, this does not help.  Configuration parameters are not necessarily named after the driver they build.

OP: technically, everything you need can be derived from the kernel Makefiles if you have the patience to dig through them.  However, this is not a particularly efficient solution.  The target localyesconfig might do what you want if you run it while in the Sabayon CD.

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