[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: [RFC] Proposal for Adding a Dedicated Debug Kernel Package to Debian(follow-up from DebCamp on DebConf25)



Hi

We talked about this in our last team meeting.  We identified some
questions and also some concerns.

On Wed, Jul 09, 2025 at 07:43:35PM +0200, Yunseong Kim wrote:
> I believe having an easily selectable debug-enabled kernel would be a significant
> benefit for users, particularly during board bring-up or when troubleshooting
> kernel-related issues. I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether this might be a
> direction worth exploring.

Yes, this might be useful for troubleshooting.  I don't yet understand
how it would be useful for board bring-up, I would assume this usually
requires code changes.

This would also mean we can overall disable many debug options in the
normal kernel.

> As a potential reference point, Fedora’s approach to debug kernel configuration
> could be quite helpful. Their debug-config is available in the Rawhide branch:
> Link: https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/kernel/tree/rawhide

Sadly this does not look like it actually includes source.  I sincerely
doubt that they modify all those config files by hand this way.  But you
can deduct some things.

Mainly they enable
- many DEBUG options,
- many DEBUGFS options,
- some CONFIGFS options, and
- some handpicked things.

Fedora installs the debug kernel as it would any other.  But somehow
they manage to reduce the priority.

Problems for Debian current are as follows:
- We have size constraints on our software builders, so right now we
  just can't build it.
- We can not make sure it is not used by default.

Regards,
Bastian

-- 
Vulcans never bluff.
		-- Spock, "The Doomsday Machine", stardate 4202.1


Reply to: