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While upgrading a server from kernel 3.2.9 to kernel 3.5 I had a problem with the network (ifconfig eth0 up won't work) so I updated the system to get a newer userspace, but in the process something seemed to go wrong with modprobe, so the HID kernel module didn't come up, although I know it is compiled and ready to be used.

Since I can't log in through SSH and only USB keyboards can be used I got stuck, but I suspect I should be able to load the HID kernel module from the kernel command line, but I don't know the right arguments for that.

EDIT: Since I use LILO as bootloader, I know it is possible to supply kernel command-line arguments on the boot: prompt following the kernel image label. If my image label is Linux-3.5, what do I need to include after it so USB HID driver is loaded? Should it just read boot: Linux-3.5 usbhid? (The module name was hinted by @Renan on his answer, but it was removed before I could finish commenting it)

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Did you take the old kernel out of lilo.conf before testing the new one? If not, just boot the old one. If you did... ouch, don't do that – Alan Curry Jul 31 '12 at 2:24
@AlanCurry, I always keep the old kernel for these cases, but since I upgraded the existing packages but forgot to install the new ones (I use Slackware), somehow something went missing and even the old one wouldn't load any modules, also leaving me out. I solved it by booting from an USB stick, chrooting to the system partition and then finishing the upgrade. Anyway, I think the question is still valid, since having loaded the usbhid module would have saved me a lot of hassle. For now I just recompiled it statically into the kernel. – Claudio Jul 31 '12 at 12:23
I'm not aware of any method to "pre-modprobe" a module from the kernel command line. It is a valid question and I'd like to know the answer too, but I have a pretty strong feeling that there isn't one. – Alan Curry Jul 31 '12 at 16:20

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