Bug#905404: firmware-iwlwifi firmware won't load without reboot

[Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk>]

Control: reassign src:firmware-nonfree
Control: retitle -1 Should recommend rebooting to load new firmware

On 4 August 2018 14:14:33 GMT+08:00, tom <mantrosheiser@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Package: firmware-iwlwifi
>Version: 20161130-3
>Severity: normal
>
>I installed the package firmware-iwlwifi, and the firmware
>for my adapter would not load (according to dmesg).
>
>I expected the firmware to load after I installed the 
>firmware package. It use to work that way. 

The firmware-iwlwifi package never did anything like that.

However, I think the iwlwifi driver used to try loading firmware every time a network interface was brought up. And maybe that has changed.

>I rebooted, and the firmware loaded properly.
>
>I wish the firmware package would at least print 
>to the log that a reboot may be necessary, or that iwlwifi 
>module needs to be manually loaded in order to load the
>firmware.
>
>There is really no way to tell why the firmware fails 
>to load or what steps to take in the event it doesn't.
[...]

For most drivers, removing the driver module and then reloading it will ensure that firmware is loaded. In some cases that is not possible, and a reboot is necessary.

So, I think we will need to recommend rebooting.

Ben.
-- 
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