> He should not need to do that if the module exists in 
> his /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers directory tree.
>
> That said, I have some stuff like that I've put, not into modules.conf 
> (or in my case modprobe.conf, FC2 box) but into /etc/rc.d/rc.local.  
> That seems to simplicate matters a bunch here.

My tape drive doesn't load on boot either, though there's an entry in 
/etc/modules.conf for it. I've resorted to the (none too well documented) 
/etc/rc.modules file that is run at boot to load the module.

YMMV.

-- 
Dave Hull
Software Engineer
Networking and Telecommunications Services
A Division of Information Services
The University of Kansas