linux-kernel - Re: [GIT *] Allow request_firmware() to be satisfied from in-kernel, use it in more drivers.

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Message-ID: <alpine.DEB.1.10.0807160241060.21568@mercury.sdinet.de>
Date:	Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:55:32 +0200 (CEST)
From:	Sven-Haegar Koch <haegar@...net.de>
To:	David Woodhouse <dwmw2@...radead.org>
cc:	Linux-Kernel-Mailinglist <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: [GIT *] Allow request_firmware() to be satisfied from in-kernel,
 use it in more drivers.

On Tue, 15 Jul 2008, David Woodhouse wrote:

> On Tue, 2008-07-15 at 17:39 -0400, Jeff Garzik wrote:
> > 
> > 'make modules_install && make install' will
> >         * install modules in /lib
> >         * install firmware in /lib      [2.6.27 only]
> >         * install kernel
> >         * update grub
> >         * rebuild initrd
> > 
> > Do this, under both 2.6.26 and 2.6.27.
> > 
> > 2.6.26 will put a working driver into initrd.
> > 
> > 2.6.27 will put a dead driver into initrd (because no firmware got 
> > copied into initrd image).
> 
> I believe your claim is untrue. It uses the distribution's tool to
> create the initrd, doesn't it? And those tools _do_ handle the
> MODULE_FIRMWARE() tags and pull in appropriate firmware. They've had to
> get that right for _years_ already.

Something from the non-development world:

At least the initramfs-tools (which contains mkinitrd) of Debian Etch do 
not do this (the current testing/development version Lenny does) - no 
firmware support in the initrd at all - and not needed for booting until 
now.
(It has /lib/firmware support after the initrd for the not-so-important
stuff like usb/sound/video/wireless)

Yes, it may be nearly ancient by now, but for servers it contains all we 
need, and most certainly would not want to use something that changes and 
needs checking/hand-fixing every month - I expect this version to be still 
in use a year from now, then just gradually being updated to the next 
debian version.

Currently we use 2.6.24, and I expect to use some newer kernel to support 
newer replacement hardware before all installs are upgraded. So having the 
firmware-inside-module support would be a help for us when modules are 
starting to be needed for disk or network access, keeping from the need to 
try backporting huge initrd/make-kpkg changes.

c'ya
sven

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