linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 0/6] module: enable force unloading of modules that have crashed during init

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Message-ID: <000808f3-10cf-46ad-94f9-95a142c08b59@suse.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:21:10 +0200
From: Petr Pavlu <petr.pavlu@...e.com>
To: julian-lagattuta <julian.lagattuta@...il.com>
Cc: Luis Chamberlain <mcgrof@...nel.org>,
 Sami Tolvanen <samitolvanen@...gle.com>, Daniel Gomez
 <da.gomez@...sung.com>, linux-modules@...r.kernel.org,
 linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 0/6] module: enable force unloading of modules that have
 crashed during init

On 9/18/25 10:11 PM, julian-lagattuta wrote:
> Running a module that encounters a fatal error during the initcall leaves
> the module in a state where it cannot be forcefully unloaded since it is 
> "being used" despite there being no reason it couldn't be unloaded. 
> This means that unloading the crashed module requires rebooting.
> 
> This patch allows modules that have crashed during initialization to be
> forcefully unloaded with CONFIG_MODULE_FORCE_UNLOAD enabled.

Could you please explain the motivation for doing this in more detail?

I think we shouldn't attempt to do anything clever with modules that
crashed during initialization. Such a module can already leave the
system in an unstable state and trying to recover can cause even more
problems. For instance, I don't see how it is safe to call the module's
exit function.

-- 
Thanks,
Petr