Bug#725714: udev firmware loading does not work in the Debian installer
Hi,
On 12.12.2013 23:19, Kay Sievers wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 12, 2013 at 10:58 PM, Michael Biebl
<email@michaelbiebl.de> wrote:
>> This was removed upstream [1] and is highly unlikely to be added back.
>> Especially considering that the user space firmware loader is scheduled
>> to be removed sooner rather then later.
>>
>> This most likely means d-i needs to be updated to use some kind of
>> different mechanism to detect missing firmware.
>>
>> Kay, what is the recommended approach nowadays to detect such missing
>> firmware?
>
> There is no replacement for that. Userspace is no longer in the loop
> any more regarding firmware loading, it's all the kernel's job only.
> Hence, there will be no facility in udev for handling firmware, or
> getting notified about that.
According to Ben Hutchings the kernel still thinks udev is responsible
for handling missing firmware.
> The only possible solution would be to add explicit messages to the
> kernel drivers in case a firmware is really *missing* and the device
> does not just probe for stuff until it finds something.
>
> There are quite a lot devices which just look for *updates* and do not
> need anything to function.
In this case the WLAN devices really need the firmware to work, but
since the firmware is non-free, it is not included in the Debian installer.
> Such an explicit message would probably use printk_emit() and pass
> structured data with the filename and the ides from the kernel to
> userspace, and on systemd systems the journal would pick up the
> MESSAGE_ID and do something with it, or provide the data to other
> consumers.
>
> Kay
>
The better approach would have been to write a replacement *before*
dropping the udev missing-firmware handling.
The Debian installer needs a way to load the firmware during
installation, otherwise the netinst.iso is pretty useless for WLAN
devices with non-free firmware.
Since a majority of the WLAN devices need non-free firmware, just
dropping this functionality without replacement is a serious regression.
Therefore I ask you to re-enable it until a replacement is written.
Best regards,
Andreas
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