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CHAPTER 3
Linux and Hardware

ONE OF THE JOBS OF THE OPERATING SYSTEM kernel is to interface with hardware connected to your computer. These days you can connect lots of different types of hardware to a computer, everything from external disk drives to mobile phones. Trying to get Linux working with all of them can be somewhat tricky.

This chapter explores the tools available to get your Linux system to interface with different types of hardware devices. The chapter first explores how the Linux kernel handles the software required to interface with hardware devices. It shows how the idea of modules became invaluable in working with the latest removable devices. Next, the chapter examines how to work with various types of hardware settings, such as interrupts and I/O ports, used in both desktop and server environments to identify hardware. Following that is a section on how Linux works with hotplug devices, especially those using the popular USB interface. With the popularity of the USB interface, it’s crucial that your Linux system can work with them and that you know where to find the utilities on your system.