Re: Should intel-microcode recommends be versioned (firmware-linux)?
On Wed, 23 Jan 2013, Ben Hutchings wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 11:15:37PM +0200, Touko Korpela wrote:
> > When using squeeze system, with wheezy (backports) of kernel and firmware,
> > recently firmware-linux started to recommend intel-microcode and
> > amd64-microcode packages.
> > I think that intel-microcode recommends can be versioned, so that it prefers
> > reworked versions (1.20120606.1 or newer) instead of old squeeze version.
>
> I don't think a versioned Recommends will have the effect you're
> hoping for.
>
> Also if there have been important bug fixes to the microcode then they
> should be included in stable-updates, not just squeeze-backports.
Ideally, we should get iucode-tool (which would be adding *new* package to
stable, something that is extremely rarely done) and the new versions of
amd64-microcode (also a new package for stable) and intel-microcode to
stable-updates.
I can certainly create an old-style intel-microcode package for
stable-updates, and that will give non-broken hardware counters for stable
Intel users [that run with a custom kernel, stable's doesn't support perf
AFAIK] and some nasty bugs removed. But AMD users would still run with
microcode that screws up power management, has none/broken hardware counter
support, and some nasty bugs that hit rarely.
BTW, currently you cannot get AMD microcode updates from anywhere else other
than the distros and the internet archive. Makes it somewhat more important
to add the package to stable proper, IMHO.
Should we take this to the stable release manager?
Good, up-to-date packages *are* available in stable-backports, though.
Sending word to the users to install those might make more sense and give
better results, as people don't install these microcode packages by
themselves. I've seen an absurd increase of popcon results for the two
microcode packages since the Recommends was added to firmware-linux.
--
"One disk to rule them all, One disk to find them. One disk to bring
them all and in the darkness grind them. In the Land of Redmond
where the shadows lie." -- The Silicon Valley Tarot
Henrique Holschuh
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