Detecting an ISA device

ISA devices like modems should be detected automatically by the kernel. One case where they would not be detected is if the device is Plug and Play. The kernel won't be able to detect ISA PnP devices unless they have been prepared by a program called isapnptools.

The trick is to use this program in initiation scripts. It will detect the ISA PnP devices and make them available to kernel modules and applications.

For example if you want to access an ISA PnP sound card, you will need to compile sound as a module in the kernel, and use isapnptools before loading the module.