Bug#1125217: installation-reports: installer leaves a permanent(?) list of wifi network scan (netcfg/wireless_show_essids)
Package: installation-reports
Severity: normal
Tags: d-i
X-Debbugs-Cc: debbugs@electricat.mayfirst.org, debian-boot@lists.debian.org
Boot method: USB
Image version: stable trixie debian-13.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso
Date: middle of December 2025
Machine: laptop
Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Initial boot: [O]
Detect network card: [O]
Configure network: [E]
Detect media: [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Clock/timezone setup: [O]
User/password setup: [O]
Detect hard drives: [O]
Partition hard drives: [E]
Install base system: [O]
Install tasks: [O]
Install boot loader: [O]
Overall install: [O]
Comments/Problems:
Installer leaves a list of wifi networks found in scan in
/var/log/installer/cdebconf/questions.dat (netcfg/wireless_show_essids)
I understand that it can be purged manually or with
`apt purge installation-report` but still it seems unnecessary and
unexpected. It's one thing to have a log of the networks I attempted to
use and how that suceeded or failed but I was shocked to see a log of
all the nearby networks retained indefintely. (I tried to make this report
serious, looked briefly at the policy manual but I'm not familiar with
the manual at all and I don't know where this would fit in)
WPA3 failed and if I recall correctly I gave up and I plugged in a USB
ethernet device to bridge to the wifi. I should try again with other WPA
configurations to test the current state of support, see #757861.
(it worked fine after booting the new system with having to add any
packages to make it work. I guess based on output below maybe from
non-free-firmware)
I trimmed much of the lsmod/dmidecode/lspci/etc. below, I was shocked that you
were including device serial numbers by default in
`reportbug installation-reports`.
Separate issue: I had briefly a Kali installation on the same
drive/machine and was surprised to find a Kali reference still left on
the machine after Debian install. filed as #1125054.
-- Package-specific info:
==============================================
Installer lsb-release:
==============================================
DISTRIB_ID=Debian
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Debian GNU/Linux installer"
DISTRIB_RELEASE="13 (trixie) - installer build 20250803+deb13u2"
X_INSTALLATION_MEDIUM=cdrom
==============================================
Installer hardware-summary:
==============================================
uname -a: Linux foo 6.12.57+deb13-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.12.57-1 (2025-11-05) x86_64 GNU/Linux
lspci -knn: 00:14.3 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Comet Lake PCH-LP CNVi WiFi [8086:02f0]
lspci -knn: Subsystem: Intel Corporation Dual Band Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax) AX201 160MHz 2x2 [Harrison Peak] [8086:0074]
lspci -knn: Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
lspci -knn: Kernel modules: iwlwifi
lsmod: Module Size Used by
lsmod: iwlmvm 647168 0
lsmod: mac80211 1449984 1 iwlmvm
lsmod: libarc4 12288 1 mac80211
lsmod: iwlwifi 581632 1 iwlmvm
lsmod: cfg80211 1392640 3 iwlmvm,iwlwifi,mac80211
lsmod: e1000e 368640 0
lsmod: rfkill 40960 2 iwlmvm,cfg80211
==============================================
Installer firmware-summary:
==============================================
#Package Component Reason
firmware-intel-graphics non-free-firmware dmesg
firmware-iwlwifi non-free-firmware dmesg
firmware-intel-graphics non-free-firmware modalias
firmware-iwlwifi non-free-firmware modalias
firmware-sof-signed non-free-firmware modalias
intel-microcode non-free-firmware cpu
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