Messages in this thread | | | Subject | Re: [GIT *] Allow request_firmware() to be satisfied from in-kernel, use it in more drivers. | From | Marcel Holtmann <> | Date | Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:39:29 +0200 |
| |
Hi Henrique,
> > You release 2.6.27-rc2 and I build it. Ouch! It fails to install, at least > > if I want to install it _alongside_ 2.6.27-rc1 or other kernels (which I > > do!). Why does it fail? Because dpkg's package management does not allow > > one package to overwrite files already "owned" by another package. > > I believe I read in the previous thread that some distros are already using > /lib/firmware/<kernel version>/. > > There was also the suggestion of moving the entire set of kernel-packaged > firmware to /lib/modules/<kernel version>/firmware, probably while keeping > /lib/firmware as a second place to look for firmware so that we don't hose > any system.
can we please leave the /lib/modules/*/firmware idea out of it. While this thread is about the kernel drivers that need firmware loading, but it is not the whole story. We do have hardware that needs a firmware loading process that takes place entirely in userspace. In some USB and UART cases we can do the firmware loading step before any kernel driver takes control of that device and currently these firmware loading helpers look into /lib/firmware/ where every firmware file should be placed.
Also the /lib/firmware directory was chosen a long time ago and you find the discussion on the linux-hotplug mailing list archive if you are interested.
That said, using /lib/firmware/`uname -r`/ like Ubuntu supports right now and then fall back to /lib/firmware looks like a sane approach to me. However as David mentioned, this needs patches to udev first before we go any step further.
Regards
Marcel
| |