Reveal a module's metadata, parameters and origin before he loads it. 11.04.2026 | reading time: 2 min Want to know what a kernel module contains before he loads it? modinfo reads the module metadata and presents fields like version, license, parameters and the file path so he can verify drivers and dependencies without touching the running kernel. Quick example Run modinfo against an installed module or a .ko file to see real data: ```bash modinfo e1000e filename: /lib/modules/5.15.0-70-generic/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/e1000e.ko version: 3.2.6-k license: GPL description: Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Driver author: Intel Corporation srcversion: ABCDEF1234567890 depends: dca,ptp vermagic: 5.15.0-70-generic SMP mod_unload ``` You can also point modinfo at a file: ```bash modinfo ./drivers/net/e1000e.ko filename: ./drivers/net/e1000e.ko ``` Reading the output Key fields to watch are filename (where the .ko lives), license (important for kernel tainting), depends (what other modules it needs), parm (module parameters he can tune), vermagic and srcversion (to check build compatibility), and author/description for context. Handy switches Use modinfo to extract single fields, inspect parameters or point at a specific kernel tree; for example the -F switch prints one field, -p lists parameters, -n returns the module filename, and the -k option lets him query modules for a different kernel version or build. When to use it When a driver fails to load or hardware misbehaves, he can use modinfo to confirm the module matches his kernel, to find required dependencies, to discover configurable parameters, and to verify licensing before using modprobe or insmod in a production system. Related commands Combine modinfo with tools that manage and inspect modules: lsmod shows what is loaded now, modprobe handles safe loading and dependency resolution, and depmod rebuilds the module dependency map he relies on when kernels change. Final thought modinfo is a low-risk way to understand kernel modules and avoid surprises when loading drivers; keep practicing and consider deepening his knowledge with certifications like CompTIA Linux+ or LPIC-1, and intensive exam preparation at bitsandbytes.academy. Join Bits & Bytes Academy First class LINUX exam preparation. utilities troubleshooting boot-process
