linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] arm64: defconfig: Build STMMAC Ethernet driver into the kernel for NFS boot

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Message-ID: <CA+V-a8s_98eGfBe353Tp6TxZMtkc8JyP2KtxW55c_uN9ZB=NxQ@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2025 12:12:26 +0100
From: "Lad, Prabhakar" <prabhakar.csengg@...il.com>
To: Krzysztof Kozlowski <krzysztof.kozlowski@...aro.org>
Cc: Catalin Marinas <catalin.marinas@....com>, Will Deacon <will@...nel.org>, 
	Bjorn Andersson <bjorn.andersson@....qualcomm.com>, 
	Geert Uytterhoeven <geert+renesas@...der.be>, linux-arm-kernel@...ts.infradead.org, 
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linux-renesas-soc@...r.kernel.org, 
	Biju Das <biju.das.jz@...renesas.com>, 
	Fabrizio Castro <fabrizio.castro.jz@...esas.com>, 
	Lad Prabhakar <prabhakar.mahadev-lad.rj@...renesas.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] arm64: defconfig: Build STMMAC Ethernet driver into the
 kernel for NFS boot

Hi Krzysztof,

On Tue, May 6, 2025 at 11:52 AM Krzysztof Kozlowski
<krzysztof.kozlowski@...aro.org> wrote:
>
> On 06/05/2025 12:47, Prabhakar wrote:
> > From: Lad Prabhakar <prabhakar.mahadev-lad.rj@...renesas.com>
> >
> > Enable `CONFIG_STMMAC_ETH` as built-in (`y`) instead of a module (`m`) to
> > ensure the Ethernet driver is available early in the boot process. This
> > is necessary for platforms mounting the root filesystem via NFS, as the
> > driver must be available before the root filesystem is accessed.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Lad Prabhakar <prabhakar.mahadev-lad.rj@...renesas.com>
>
> Same comments as for previous patches like this (even the same?): you
> are supposed to use initramfs for your arm74 boards. Even armv7 boards
> use initramfs, so network driver does not have to be built in.
>
> For example all of our setups use it thus we do not have to populate all
> other vendors with our own drivers.
>
> Sorry, but I am strongly against such change. Kernel is already way too
> big and with KASAN it does not fit to boot partitions in some of the
> devices (and I cannot change the boot partition size, at least not
> without big effort).
>
Thanks for the feedback. I understand your concerns, and I agree with
your comments regarding the use of initramfs and the impact on kernel
size. I'll drop this change and avoid adding the driver as built-in.

Cheers,
Prabhakar