---
name: "discover.conf"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "libdiscover2"
version: "2.1.2-10.1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/discover.conf"
---

# discover.conf(5)

configuration file format for discover(1)

## NAME

discover.conf — configuration file format for [discover(1)](/discover/1.md)

## Description

**Discover** looks for configuration files in a configuration  directory, containing a number of files.  These define the   system buses that should be scanned by default, those that should   never be scanned, and the URLs for hardware data   files beyond the local copy provided with the software.

The file format is XML; the *DTD*     is provided with the **Discover** software, and can be used for  informational or validation purposes.

## Examples

**Establishing default buses to scan**

```
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE conffile SYSTEM "conffile.dtd">
<conffile>
<busscan scan="default">
<bus name="ata"/>
<bus name="pci"/>
<bus name="pcmcia"/>
<bus name="scsi"/>
<bus name="usb"/>
</busscan>
</conffile>
```

**A more complex example**

```
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE conffile SYSTEM "conffile.dtd">
<conffile>
<busscan scan="default">
<bus name="ata"/>
<bus name="pci"/>
<bus name="pcmcia"/>
<bus name="usb"/>
</busscan>
<!-- My ancient SCSI card locks up when probed -->
<busscan scan="never">
<bus name="scsi"/>
</busscan>
<data-sources>
<data-source url="http://www.example.com/discover/xfree86.xml"
label="Updated XFree86 hardware information">
</data-sources>
</conffile>
```

## Authors

Josh Bressers, John R. Daily, and  G. Branden Robinson developed the current implementation of  **Discover** for Progeny Linux Systems.

The Linux implementation of the system-dependent interfaces is  derived from **detect**, by MandrakeSoft SA.

## See Also

[discover(1)](/discover/1.md)