# Disable module with kernel boot options

## el3ktro

Hi, due to a problem with the 8139too module I have to disable it during bootup. I need a kernel boot option to disable certain modules during boot. Please beware, I can't boot the system at all, so /etc/modprobe.conf or blacklisting the module doesn't work, I have to disable the module prior to booting with a kernel command line option. Is there any such option? I can't disable my ethernet NIC in the BIOS either, so I have to find a way to prevent 8139too from loading. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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## Hu

Do you have a LiveCD handy?  If so, you can boot off it, then mount the hard disk and change the configuration not to load the module when you reboot from the hard disk.

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## el3ktro

No, I actually have this problem with an Ubuntu LiveCD. I've got an Averatec 2460, Intel 945GM chipset, RTL8139 NIC. Almost no distro in this world will boot from it, because most of them have compiled 8139too with MMIO mode enabled. My laptop would just freeze. Now running Gentoo, I've compiled 8139too with PIO mode and it works fine. So, I need to disable 8139too PRIOR to boot on this Ubuntu LiveCD. I've already tried disabling ACPI, APIC, tried several IRQ options - nothing helps. I just need to disable 8139too. Is there a way to do this?

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## Pajarico

Watch for a boot option on LiveCDs for selecting kernels. Maybe there is a failsafe mode kernel or something with fewer modules. Also you can try the "I" (interactive mode) option just when the services are being brought up. You will be able to choose which modules you want  and modprobe the one yoi do later. Hope this helps. 

It would be interesting also to know in which stage does your computer freezes. While modprobing?

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## widremann

I think you can do module_name.disabled=1 on the kernel command line.  Try it.

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## el3ktro

Unfortunately this trick doesn't work, sorry. I'm about to giving this up, I think I'll sell it on eBay and get a new one. I love Gentoo, I use it on several machines, but on my notebook I just want a simply "just works" solution with Ubuntu. Thanks for all your help though!

Tom

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## Pajarico

Is I told you some Livecds (namely Kubuntu) let you select which modules to load pressing "I", did you try that?

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## el3ktro

Hmm, when exactly do I have to press "i"? When the kernel messages appear or within Grub, or is it a command line option?

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## Pajarico

When the services are about to start... You first see the BIOS boot, then the kernel loads and after displaying lots of hardware information and before it starts to load the services there should be a line like "Press 'I' for interactive setup" or something like that. Is quite noticiable since the 'I' is green. I hope I'm not messing this up because this appears (for sure) on Kubuntu 4.0, which is a bit outdated, I hope it's still there...

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