linux-kernel - [PATCH] SCSI: explain the hidden scsi_wait

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Message-ID: <tkrat.ad6f8fb712020451@s5r6.in-berlin.de>
Date:	Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:07:27 +0200 (CEST)
From:	Stefan Richter <stefanr@...6.in-berlin.de>
To:	Matthew Wilcox <matthew@....cx>
cc:	Changli Gao <xiaosuo@...il.com>,
	James.Bottomley@...senPartnership.com,
	Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	linux-scsi@...r.kernel.org
Subject: [PATCH] SCSI: explain the hidden scsi_wait_scan Kconfig variable

People keep sending patches to expose CONFIG_SCSI_WAIT_SCAN as a tunable
item.  These patches aren't accepted upstream, so let's stop the ongoing
irritation of people due to this obscure and strange installed module
and its Kconfig option.

Signed-off-by: Stefan Richter <stefanr@...6.in-berlin.de>
---
 drivers/scsi/Kconfig |   17 ++++++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

Index: b/drivers/scsi/Kconfig
===================================================================
--- a/drivers/scsi/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/scsi/Kconfig
@@ -259,10 +259,25 @@ config SCSI_SCAN_ASYNC
 	  or async on the kernel's command line.
 
 config SCSI_WAIT_SCAN
-	tristate
+	tristate  # No prompt here, this is a hidden option.
 	default m
 	depends on SCSI
 	depends on MODULES
+	help
+	  Wait until all the async scans are complete.  The idea is to use
+	  it in initrd/ initramfs scripts.  You modprobe it after all the
+	  modprobes of the root SCSI drivers and it will wait until they
+	  have all finished scanning their buses before allowing the boot
+	  to proceed.
+
+	  Of course this does not work if targets boot independently of and
+	  in parallel with the initiator, and/ or with transports with non-
+	  deterministic target discovery schemes, and/ or if a transport
+	  driver does not support scsi_wait_scan.
+
+	  Still, this option is not exposed as a prompt because little is
+	  to be gained by disabling it, whereas people who accidentally
+	  switch it off may wonder why their mkinitrd gets into trouble.
 
 menu "SCSI Transports"
 	depends on SCSI

-- 
Stefan Richter
-=====-==--= -==- =---=
http://arcgraph.de/sr/

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