How to Check Kernel Module Status

How to Check Kernel Module Status

Need to check kernel module status on your Linux server? Want to monitor loaded modules, verify module health, and detect module loading failures? This guide shows you how to check kernel module status using built-in commands and automated monitoring with Zuzia.app.

For comprehensive kernel module monitoring strategies, see System Kernel Module Health Monitoring Guide. For troubleshooting kernel issues, see Kernel Module Loading Errors.

Why Checking Kernel Module Status Matters

Kernel modules provide hardware drivers, filesystem support, and system functionality. When kernel modules fail to load or become unavailable, hardware can malfunction, filesystems can become inaccessible, and system functionality can be compromised. Checking kernel module status helps you verify modules load successfully, detect module failures, track module health, and maintain system stability.

Method 1: List Loaded Modules

List loaded modules to see what modules are currently active:

View Loaded Modules

# List all loaded modules
lsmod

# List modules with details
lsmod | head -20

# Search for specific module
lsmod | grep module-name

# List modules by size
lsmod | sort -k2 -rn | head -20

Check Module Information

# Show module information
modinfo module-name

# Show module dependencies
modinfo module-name | grep depends

# Show module description
modinfo module-name | grep description

# List all available modules
find /lib/modules/$(uname -r) -name "*.ko" | wc -l

Method 2: Verify Module Status

Verify module status to ensure modules are loaded correctly:

Check Module Loading

# Check if module is loaded
lsmod | grep -q module-name && echo "Loaded" || echo "Not loaded"

# View module usage count
lsmod | grep module-name | awk '{print $3}'

# Check module dependencies
modinfo module-name | grep depends

# Verify critical modules
lsmod | grep -E "ext4|xfs|nfs|network-module"

Monitor Module Health

# Check for missing required modules
for mod in ext4 xfs nfs; do
  lsmod | grep -q $mod && echo "$mod: OK" || echo "$mod: MISSING"
done

# Verify hardware driver modules
lsmod | grep -E "usb|pci|scsi|ata"

# Check module loading errors
dmesg | grep -i "module.*error\|module.*fail"

Method 3: Detect Module Failures

Detect module failures to identify problematic modules:

Identify Failed Modules

# Check for module loading errors
dmesg | grep -i "module.*error\|module.*fail"

# View failed module loads
journalctl -k | grep -i "module.*fail"

# Check for module dependency failures
dmesg | grep -i "module.*depend.*fail"

# View module error messages
dmesg | grep -i "error" | grep -i "module"

Monitor Module Loading

# View kernel messages for modules
dmesg | grep -i "module\|insmod\|modprobe"

# View recent module loading
dmesg | grep -i "module" | tail -20

# Check module loading in system log
journalctl -k | grep -i "module"

Method 4: Automated Module Status Monitoring with Zuzia.app

While manual module status checks work for troubleshooting, production Linux servers require automated module status monitoring that continuously tracks module status, detects failures, and alerts you when critical modules fail to load.

How Zuzia.app Module Status Monitoring Works

Zuzia.app automatically monitors kernel module status through scheduled command execution. The platform checks module status, verifies module health, detects module failures, and sends alerts when critical modules are unavailable.

Setting Up Module Status Monitoring

1. Add Scheduled Task for Module Status

   • Command: lsmod | wc -l
   • Frequency: Every 15 minutes
   • Alert when: Module count changes unexpectedly

2. Configure Critical Module Monitoring

   • Command: lsmod | grep -q "ext4\|xfs" && echo "OK" || echo "CRITICAL: Filesystem module missing"
   • Frequency: Every 10 minutes
   • Alert when: Critical modules not loaded

3. Set Up Module Failure Detection

   • Command: dmesg | grep -i "module.*error\|module.*fail" | tail -10
   • Frequency: Every 15 minutes
   • Alert when: Module errors detected

Custom Module Status Monitoring Commands

Add these commands as scheduled tasks:

# Check loaded modules
lsmod | head -20

# Verify critical modules
lsmod | grep -E "ext4|xfs|network-module"

# Check for module errors
dmesg | grep -i "module.*error\|module.*fail" | tail -10

# View module information
modinfo critical-module-name

Best Practices

1. Monitor Module Status Continuously

Use Zuzia.app for continuous module status monitoring. Set up alerts before module issues become critical. Review module status regularly.

2. Prioritize Critical Modules

Focus monitoring on business-critical modules. Set up dedicated monitoring for critical modules. Configure immediate alerts for critical module failures.

3. Track Module Health

Monitor module behavior over time. Track module loading patterns. Review module error patterns.

Troubleshooting

Module Not Loading

When modules fail to load:

1. Check module status: lsmod | grep module-name
2. Review kernel messages: dmesg | grep module-name
3. Verify module files exist: find /lib/modules -name "module-name.ko"

Module Dependency Issues

When module dependencies fail:

1. Check dependencies: modinfo module-name | grep depends
2. Verify dependency status: lsmod | grep dependency-name
3. Load dependencies first: modprobe dependency-name

FAQ

Related guides, recipes, and problems

• Related guides

  • System Kernel Module Health Monitoring Guide
  • Server Performance Monitoring Best Practices

• Related recipes

  • Monitor System Boot Time Performance
  • Check System Library Dependencies

• Related problems

  • Kernel Module Loading Errors
  • System Resource Quota Exhaustion