I have multiple releases installed on separate LVM partitions. They
frequently are using the same kernel, so I was thinking that it would be
convenient to have a separate /boot partition and a separate
/lib/modules partition that could be shared between them.  I don't
expect any problems with /boot, since LILO saves the physical disk
locations when it is run and uses these at boot time.  Separating
/lib/modules, however, has issues.  Modules required to actually boot
the system get loaded from the initrd, but others are loaded from the
physical disk after / is mounted, and BEFORE other partitions are
mounted, which includes /lib/modules.  This means that at the time that
modules for, say, my graphics card are loaded, /lib/modules has not yet
been mounted.  The system boots up just fine, but X does not start
because the required kernel modules are not loaded.

Is there a way to have the system mount /lib/modules immediately after
mounting / and before loading the remaining kernel modules? Or even
better, is there a way to have all modules that should be loaded during
the boot process come from the initrd?


Marc