Looking for method to best support users firmware needs within
the kernel.
Have a disk-image project that users kernel.org kernels, and have
had users that require firmware that is not included in the
kernel.org source. I've been able to find it in linux-firmware.git and
then manually adding it to the kernel.org firmware directory and
then modifying the Makefile.
Had seen something that was suppose to be working on getting
firmware out of the kernel, but that process seems to have been
dormant for some time.
+----------------------------------------------------------+
Michael D. Setzer II - Computer Science Instructor
Guam Community College Computer Center
mailto:[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]
http://www.guam.net/home/mikes
Guam - Where America's Day Begins
G4L Disk Imaging Project maintainer
http://sourceforge.net/projects/g4l/
+----------------------------------------------------------+
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu (Original)
Number of Seti Units Returned: 19,471
Processing time: 32 years, 290 days, 12 hours, 58 minutes
(Total Hours: 287,489)
BOINC@HOME CREDITS
SETI 14672667.574611 | EINSTEIN 11160884.209852
ROSETTA 7189167.439443 | ABC 15954188.106838
On Tue, May 07, 2013 at 11:44:42AM +1000, Michael D. Setzer II wrote:
> Looking for method to best support users firmware needs within
> the kernel.
>
> Have a disk-image project that users kernel.org kernels, and have
> had users that require firmware that is not included in the
> kernel.org source. I've been able to find it in linux-firmware.git and
> then manually adding it to the kernel.org firmware directory and
> then modifying the Makefile.
Use the linux-firmware package, all of the distros package it up for you
automatically, and install it in the correct place, so it should "just
work".
What is failing for you when you use the firmware package?
thanks,
greg k-h
On 6 May 2013 at 19:47, Greg KH wrote:
Date sent: Mon, 6 May 2013 19:47:50 -0700
From: Greg KH <[email protected]>
To: "Michael D. Setzer II" <[email protected]>
Copies to: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Kernel Firmware Support
> On Tue, May 07, 2013 at 11:44:42AM +1000, Michael D. Setzer II wrote:
> > Looking for method to best support users firmware needs within
> > the kernel.
> >
> > Have a disk-image project that users kernel.org kernels, and have
> > had users that require firmware that is not included in the
> > kernel.org source. I've been able to find it in linux-firmware.git and
> > then manually adding it to the kernel.org firmware directory and
> > then modifying the Makefile.
>
> Use the linux-firmware package, all of the distros package it up for you
> automatically, and install it in the correct place, so it should "just
> work".
>
> What is failing for you when you use the firmware package?
>
First, Thanks for the quick reply. The problem is this isn't using a
distro build. My project (G4L) uses a number of kernels from
kernel.org and I try to include as many of the nic and other
devices in the kernel to make it support hardware that is outside
my control. I've had users with bnx2x hardware that requires
firmware that is not part of the kernel.org source code, and have
manuaully added it by putting the .fw file in the subdirectory of
firmware and modifying the Makefile. Then building the kernel
includes that additional firmware in the about 8M kernel file that
the user selects from the CD boot process.
The ideal is to be able to boot from the cd, or load the kernel with
its filesystem to be able to do partition or disk image backups, but
it must be able to use the hardware to access the disks and in
most cases the nic. Without the firmware these bnx2x nics don't
work.
For awhile I've been manually adding these two firmwares
./bnx2x/bnx2x-e2-7.2.51.0.fw
./bnx2/bnx2-mips-09-6.2.1b.fw
But yesterday, I got a message from a different user with screen
captures that showed failure of loading the firmware below.
Actually, one screen shot with the 7.0.23.0 and another with the
7.0.29.0. Wasn't sure, so I had added all three of th 7.0.x group to
a test build of my kernels. Is only the latest needed?
./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.23.0.fw
./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.29.0.fw
./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.20.0.fw
I don't have access to any hardware with these bnx2? devices, so
have to get feedback from users. The previous additions of
firmware solved the problems, but just looking for the best way to
solve it.
Thanks again.
> thanks,
>
> greg k-h
+----------------------------------------------------------+
Michael D. Setzer II - Computer Science Instructor
Guam Community College Computer Center
mailto:[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]
http://www.guam.net/home/mikes
Guam - Where America's Day Begins
G4L Disk Imaging Project maintainer
http://sourceforge.net/projects/g4l/
+----------------------------------------------------------+
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu (Original)
Number of Seti Units Returned: 19,471
Processing time: 32 years, 290 days, 12 hours, 58 minutes
(Total Hours: 287,489)
BOINC@HOME CREDITS
SETI 14672667.574611 | EINSTEIN 11160884.209852
ROSETTA 7189167.439443 | ABC 15954188.106838
On Tue, May 07, 2013 at 02:56:29PM +1000, Michael D. Setzer II wrote:
> On 6 May 2013 at 19:47, Greg KH wrote:
>
> Date sent: Mon, 6 May 2013 19:47:50 -0700
> From: Greg KH <[email protected]>
> To: "Michael D. Setzer II" <[email protected]>
> Copies to: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: Kernel Firmware Support
>
> > On Tue, May 07, 2013 at 11:44:42AM +1000, Michael D. Setzer II wrote:
> > > Looking for method to best support users firmware needs within
> > > the kernel.
> > >
> > > Have a disk-image project that users kernel.org kernels, and have
> > > had users that require firmware that is not included in the
> > > kernel.org source. I've been able to find it in linux-firmware.git and
> > > then manually adding it to the kernel.org firmware directory and
> > > then modifying the Makefile.
> >
> > Use the linux-firmware package, all of the distros package it up for you
> > automatically, and install it in the correct place, so it should "just
> > work".
> >
> > What is failing for you when you use the firmware package?
> >
>
> First, Thanks for the quick reply. The problem is this isn't using a
> distro build. My project (G4L) uses a number of kernels from
> kernel.org and I try to include as many of the nic and other
> devices in the kernel to make it support hardware that is outside
> my control. I've had users with bnx2x hardware that requires
> firmware that is not part of the kernel.org source code, and have
> manuaully added it by putting the .fw file in the subdirectory of
> firmware and modifying the Makefile. Then building the kernel
> includes that additional firmware in the about 8M kernel file that
> the user selects from the CD boot process.
>
> The ideal is to be able to boot from the cd, or load the kernel with
> its filesystem to be able to do partition or disk image backups, but
> it must be able to use the hardware to access the disks and in
> most cases the nic. Without the firmware these bnx2x nics don't
> work.
>
> For awhile I've been manually adding these two firmwares
> ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e2-7.2.51.0.fw
> ./bnx2/bnx2-mips-09-6.2.1b.fw
>
> But yesterday, I got a message from a different user with screen
> captures that showed failure of loading the firmware below.
> Actually, one screen shot with the 7.0.23.0 and another with the
> 7.0.29.0. Wasn't sure, so I had added all three of th 7.0.x group to
> a test build of my kernels. Is only the latest needed?
>
> ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.23.0.fw
> ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.29.0.fw
> ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.20.0.fw
If you are supporting multiple versions of the kernel, that need
different versions of the firmware package, then you need to include all
of these to handle that properly.
Best of luck,
greg k-h
On 7 May 2013 at 10:20, Greg KH wrote:
Date sent: Tue, 7 May 2013 10:20:10 -0700
From: Greg KH <[email protected]>
To: "Michael D. Setzer II" <[email protected]>
Copies to: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Kernel Firmware Support
> On Tue, May 07, 2013 at 02:56:29PM +1000, Michael D. Setzer II wrote:
> > On 6 May 2013 at 19:47, Greg KH wrote:
> >
> > Date sent: Mon, 6 May 2013 19:47:50 -0700
> > From: Greg KH <[email protected]>
> > To: "Michael D. Setzer II" <[email protected]>
> > Copies to: [email protected]
> > Subject: Re: Kernel Firmware Support
> >
> > > On Tue, May 07, 2013 at 11:44:42AM +1000, Michael D. Setzer II wrote:
> > > > Looking for method to best support users firmware needs within
> > > > the kernel.
> > > >
> > > > Have a disk-image project that users kernel.org kernels, and have
> > > > had users that require firmware that is not included in the
> > > > kernel.org source. I've been able to find it in linux-firmware.git and
> > > > then manually adding it to the kernel.org firmware directory and
> > > > then modifying the Makefile.
> > >
> > > Use the linux-firmware package, all of the distros package it up for you
> > > automatically, and install it in the correct place, so it should "just
> > > work".
> > >
> > > What is failing for you when you use the firmware package?
> > >
> >
> > First, Thanks for the quick reply. The problem is this isn't using a
> > distro build. My project (G4L) uses a number of kernels from
> > kernel.org and I try to include as many of the nic and other
> > devices in the kernel to make it support hardware that is outside
> > my control. I've had users with bnx2x hardware that requires
> > firmware that is not part of the kernel.org source code, and have
> > manuaully added it by putting the .fw file in the subdirectory of
> > firmware and modifying the Makefile. Then building the kernel
> > includes that additional firmware in the about 8M kernel file that
> > the user selects from the CD boot process.
> >
> > The ideal is to be able to boot from the cd, or load the kernel with
> > its filesystem to be able to do partition or disk image backups, but
> > it must be able to use the hardware to access the disks and in
> > most cases the nic. Without the firmware these bnx2x nics don't
> > work.
> >
> > For awhile I've been manually adding these two firmwares
> > ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e2-7.2.51.0.fw
> > ./bnx2/bnx2-mips-09-6.2.1b.fw
> >
> > But yesterday, I got a message from a different user with screen
> > captures that showed failure of loading the firmware below.
> > Actually, one screen shot with the 7.0.23.0 and another with the
> > 7.0.29.0. Wasn't sure, so I had added all three of th 7.0.x group to
> > a test build of my kernels. Is only the latest needed?
> >
> > ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.23.0.fw
> > ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.29.0.fw
> > ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.20.0.fw
>
> If you are supporting multiple versions of the kernel, that need
> different versions of the firmware package, then you need to include all
> of these to handle that properly.
>
> Best of luck,
Unfortuantely, that didn't fix the problem. For some reason, when
this user booted the system, it came up with a different firmware
listing. This time it was a 7.8 version.
So, I went thru the trouble of adding all of the firmware from the
bnx2x to the 3.8.12 kernel, but it increases the kernel size from
about 8.7M to 12.5M.
So added all of these, and this then worked.
bnx2x-e1-6.0.34.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-6.2.5.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-6.2.9.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-7.0.20.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-7.0.23.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-7.0.29.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-7.2.16.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-7.2.51.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-7.8.17.0.fw
bnx2x-e1-7.8.2.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-6.0.34.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-6.2.5.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-6.2.9.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-7.0.20.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-7.0.23.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-7.0.29.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-7.2.16.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-7.2.51.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-7.8.17.0.fw
bnx2x-e1h-7.8.2.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-6.0.34.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-6.2.5.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-6.2.9.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-7.0.20.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-7.0.23.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-7.0.29.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-7.2.16.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-7.2.51.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-7.8.17.0.fw
bnx2x-e2-7.8.2.0.fw
But since I include about 8 kernels on the cd image, add all these
to all the kernels would add about 32M.
In the past, I had tried to add one set to the filesystem all the
kernels load, but it then didn't find the firmware at all, so went
back to build the 3 firmwares into the kernels.
Know of any documentation on setup firmware that might have
the info on how to do it.
Thanks again.
>
> greg k-h
+----------------------------------------------------------+
Michael D. Setzer II - Computer Science Instructor
Guam Community College Computer Center
mailto:[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]
http://www.guam.net/home/mikes
Guam - Where America's Day Begins
G4L Disk Imaging Project maintainer
http://sourceforge.net/projects/g4l/
+----------------------------------------------------------+
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu (Original)
Number of Seti Units Returned: 19,471
Processing time: 32 years, 290 days, 12 hours, 58 minutes
(Total Hours: 287,489)
BOINC@HOME CREDITS
SETI 14715813.284302 | EINSTEIN 11214099.389852
ROSETTA 7221087.578604 | ABC 15958460.564726
On Tue, 2013-05-07 at 10:20 -0700, Greg KH wrote:
> > But yesterday, I got a message from a different user with screen
> > captures that showed failure of loading the firmware below.
> > Actually, one screen shot with the 7.0.23.0 and another with the
> > 7.0.29.0. Wasn't sure, so I had added all three of th 7.0.x group to
> > a test build of my kernels. Is only the latest needed?
> >
> > ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.23.0.fw
> > ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.29.0.fw
> > ./bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.0.20.0.fw
>
> If you are supporting multiple versions of the kernel, that need
> different versions of the firmware package, then you need to include
> all of these to handle that properly.
The linux-firmware tree should include them all, hopefully. We don't
intentionally *remove* old stuff, since that would break old kernels.
Eventually we'll want a way for people to filter out firmware which is
only used by old kernels, when they install or package linux-firmware.
But for now you just get everything.
--
David Woodhouse Open Source Technology Centre
[email protected] Intel Corporation