ubuntu

Minimal install

Fetch the ISO from https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD. Note that it will use the network during installation.

Choose "command line install" during the install.

Tools

htop, hwinfo, iostat, etc.

Modules

What modules are currently loaded by the kernel?

lsmod

# manually
cat /proc/modules

Get info about a specific module

modinfo drm

Sample output

filename:       /lib/modules/3.16.0-28-generic/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/drm.ko
license:        GPL and additional rights
description:    DRM shared core routines
author:         Gareth Hughes, Leif Delgass, José Fonseca, Jon Smirl
srcversion:     CDA2A0E773C64A8C21E4904
depends:
intree:         Y
vermagic:       3.16.0-28-generic SMP mod_unload modversions
signer:         Magrathea: Glacier signing key
sig_key:        43:ED:39:10:44:31:91:78:75:D2:7B:2C:77:81:33:BB:61:68:4E:D9
sig_hashalgo:   sha512
parm:           edid_fixup:Minimum number of valid EDID header bytes (0-8, default 6) (int)
parm:           debug:Enable debug output (int)
parm:           rnodes:Enable experimental render nodes API (int)