Bug#1006708: hw-detect: Fails to reload iwlwifi module (modprobe: FATAL: Module iwlwifi is in use)

[Arnaud Rebillout <arnaudr@kali.org>]

Source: hw-detect
Version: 1.147
Severity: normal
User: devel@kali.org
Usertags: origin-kali

Dear Maintainer,

A Kali Linux user reported a fail install on a Dell XPS 9510. For the
background, the Kali Linux installer is a super lightweight fork of the
Debian installer, kept in sync with Debian.

For additional references:

* The bug report against Kali Linux is at:
  https://gitlab.com/kalilinux/build-scripts/live-build-config/-/issues/47

* The user provided screenshots of the installer logs, available at:
  https://imgur.com/a/QMDMWug. The 3 first screenshots are with an
  unmodified installer, while for the later screenshots, the user
  disabled /bin/check-missing-firmware with a 'exit 0'.

* The Debian installer is expected to work with this particular model of
  laptop: https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Dell/Dell_XPS_15_9510

I don't want to discuss the bug reported in Kali here, that is not the
intent.

The reason I'm opening this bug against Debian is because, while looking
at the logs, a few lines caught my eyes. This is in the screenshot #3 in
the imgur.com link above:

  check-missing-firmware: removing-and-loading kernel module iwlwifi
  check-missing-firmware: modprobe: FATAL: Module iwlwifi is in use.

I wonder if those lines are harmless, or if it really indicates that the
iwlwifi module can't be reloaded, therefore the wifi is not functional.
Since someone documented on the Debian wiki that the firmware-iwlwifi is
needed, and then the WiFi works, it seems that either those lines are
harmless, or the iwlwifi is not always successfully reloaded.

Thanks!

  Arnaud