kmupdate(1M)

NAME

kmupdate — update default kernel, or update specified kernel modules.

SYNOPSIS

/usr/sbin/kmupdate [kernel_name]

/usr/sbin/kmupdate [-i | -a| -n] -M module_name [[-M module_name]...]

/usr/sbin/kmupdate -d kernel_name

DESCRIPTION

kmupdate is used to update the default kernel and its associated component set, to update only the specified loadable kernel modules, or to remove a kernel and associated component set from the system.

Updating the Kernel

The first form of kmupdate is used to schedule the move of a main kernel file and all the associated kernel component set files to their default locations during the next system shutdown or startup. For any given kernel, the kernel_name corresponds to the name of the main kernel file, which contains the static portion of the kernel. If not specified, kmupdate uses /stand/build/vmunix_test as the main kernel file to update to the default /stand/vmunix.

Each kernel configured via the config(1M) command is composed of several distributed files which are all required for a kernel to boot and run properly. The main kernel file is associated to its component files via a Kernel ID String (KIS) in the main kernel image. For any given kernel, all the files required by the boot loader need to be accessible from the /stand/boot.KIS directory, where KIS uniquely identifies the kernel being booted. kmupdate also initiates the process of creating and populating /stand/boot.KIS for the specified kernel. This means that kmupdate is a required step to be able to successfully boot a newly configured kernel.

kmupdate is often called indirectly from the config(1M) command line via the -u option.

Updating Specified Loadable Kernel Modules

kmupdate supports updating a specified loadable kernel module immediately or asynchronously. A module update is essential to make the kernel aware of a newly generated loadable image. A module update includes registering the module with the kernel, making it ready to load.

A successful immediate kernel module update registers the loadable module with the running kernel and performs module type specific initialization, if required, without the need to reboot the system. If an existing module_name is currently registered with the running kernel, kmupdate tries to unregister it, and register the newly generated loadable image, leaving it in the same load state as the previous loadable image. That is, if an existing module_name is loaded, a successful immediate update will leave the newly generated loadable image loaded. If an existing module_name is registered, but not loaded, a successful immediate update will leave the newly generated loadable image registered with the running kernel, but unloaded. If kmupdate cannot successfully unregister the existing module_name (because it is busy and cannot be unloaded, for example), the immediate update is unsuccessful.

An asynchronous kernel module update schedules the module update for the next system reboot. When the system shuts down, the module's loadable image is moved into place. When the system is restarted, the module is registered with the kernel, and any required type specific initialization is performed.

Options

-M module_name: Update the specified module_name module. Without -a or -i, kmupdate will attempt to update module_name immediately. If module_name cannot be updated immediately, the module will be scheduled for asynchronous update.
-i: When specified, kmupdate will only attempt an immediate kernel module update of the specified module. If the module cannot be updated immediately, kmupdate will exit with an error.
-a: When specified, kmupdate will schedule the module for asynchronous update without attempting an immediate update.
-n: When specified, kmupdate will unschedule a previously scheduled asynchronous update.
-d: Remove the specified kernel from the system. This will remove from the system the specified main kernel file and all the files in the associated kernel component set. All the necessary cleanup is performed.

NOTES

kmupdate is a required step after a whole kernel configuration [see config(1M)] to be able to successfully boot a newly configured kernel. Overwriting or replacing the kernel file and associated component set using commands like cp or mv should be avoided, because this will result in orphaned kernel component files.

kmupdate -M is a required step after a kernel module configuration [see config(1M)] to register the module with the kernel, which makes it ready to load either by demand or by the auto load DLKM mechanism.

RETURN VALUE

kmupdate returns 0 upon normal completion, and 1 if an error occurred.

DIAGNOSTICS

Messages that notify an update is successful are sent to stdout. Error messages are sent to stderr.

FILES

/stand/vmunix: Default main kernel file.
/stand/kernel_name: Main kernel file for kernel named kernel_name.
/stand/dlkm.KIS: Directory containing DLKM-related elements of the kernel component set. (KIS is the Kernel ID string in the corresponding kernel image).
/stand/krs/KIS.p0: Kernel-specific kernel registry file. Element of the kernel component set that contains kernel-specific configuration data persistent across system reboot. (KIS is the Kernel ID string in the corresponding kernel image).
/stand/boot.KIS: Directory that contains links to all files in the kernel component files that are required by the boot loader during the process of booting a kernel with Kernel ID String KIS.