rmmod

Additional Notes

rmmod removes a loaded kernel module from the running kernel. It is the counterpart to insmod and modprobe. Only modules that are not currently in use by other kernel components or processes can be removed.

Kernel modules are pieces of code that can be loaded and unloaded on demand, extending the kernel's functionality without rebooting. Common examples are device drivers, filesystem drivers, and network protocol handlers. The modprobe command is generally preferred over rmmod because it handles dependencies automatically.

Syntax

rmmod [options] module_name

Parameters

• module_name: The name of the kernel module to remove.

Common Options

• -f, --force: Force removal even if the module is in use or references are pending (dangerous).
• -s, --syslog: Log messages via syslog instead of standard output.
• -v, --verbose: Print messages about the removal process.
• -w, --wait: Wait for the module to become unused before removing it.
• --version: Show version information.

Examples

rmmod floppy

Remove the floppy kernel module.

rmmod -v usb_storage

Remove the USB storage driver with verbose output.

rmmod -f e1000

Force-remove the e1000 network driver (use with caution).

Practical Notes

• List loaded modules with lsmod before removing.
• Use modprobe -r instead of rmmod to handle dependencies automatically.
• Force-removing a module (-f) can crash the system or leave it in an unstable state.
• Modules that are in use (refcount > 0) cannot be removed without --force.
• The module name is case-sensitive and matches the name shown by lsmod.