Re: [PATCH] MODULE_FIRMWARE for binary firmware(s)

[David Lang <dlang@digitalinsight.com>]

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006, Olaf Hering wrote:

> On Tue, Aug 29, Michael Buesch wrote:
>
> > On Tuesday 29 August 2006 20:32, Greg KH wrote:
> > > On Tue, Aug 29, 2006 at 08:46:45AM -0700, David Lang wrote:
> > > > On Mon, 28 Aug 2006, Greg KH wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > I think the current way we handle firmware works quite well, especially
> > > > > given the wide range of different devices that it works for (everything
> > > > > from BIOS upgrades to different wireless driver stages).
> > > >
> > > > the current system works for many people yes, but not everyone.
> > > >
> > > > I'm still waiting to find a way to get the iw2200 working without having to
> > > > use modules.
> > >
> > > Sounds like a bug you need to pester the iw2200 developers about then.
> > > I don't think it has much to do with the firmware subsystem though :)
> >
> > Well, yes and no.
> > The ipw needs the firmware on insmod time (in contrast to bcm43xx
> > for example, which needs it on ifconfig up time).
> > So ipw needs to call request_firmware at insmod time. In case of
> > built-in, that is when the initcall happens. No userland is available
> > and request_firmware can not call the userspace helpers to upload
> > the firmware to sysfs.
>
> I dont use nor do I have access ipw hardware, but:
> If it is an initcall, the initramfs should be usable at that time.
> A creative CONFIG_INITRAMFS_SOURCE= will help, add the firmware and a
> small helper that does the cat(1).

you are assuming that

1. modules are enabled and ipw2200 is compiled as a module

2. initrd or initramfs are in use

besides, several kernel versions ago this used to work. the current requirement 
is a regression as far as the user is concerned.

David Lang
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/