Re: Firmware loading with static kernel and initramfs

[John Talbut <jt@dpets.co.uk>]

On 29/06/14 19:31, Larry Finger wrote:
> On 06/29/2014 12:15 PM, John Talbut wrote:
>> There seems to be a general problem when using a static kernel and
>> initramfs in
>> that the wireless drivers try to load firmware before the disks are
>> mounted and
>> the /lib/firmware folder is available.  Various people seem to have
>> come across
>> problems with firmware not loading, some of which seem to relate to this
>> problem, which they have approached as if it is a problem with their
>> particular
>> driver.  However it seems to be a general problem and I have had it
>> with three
>> different drivers.
>>
>> There seems to be a number of possible approaches to this: loading the
>> firmware
>> in an initramfs; changing the sequence in which wireless drivers start
>> so that
>> they wait until the disks are mounted; compiling the firmware into the
>> kernel
>> and loading the firmware as part of ifup. I see that the latter has
>> been done
>> for one driver
>> (http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.wireless.general/3390).
>>
>> What is the current situation with this problem and what needs doing?
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>
> What kernel version, and what wireless drivers have this problem?
>
> At one point, there was a timeout of 30 seconds for request_firmware()
> calls, and that led to problems even when the drivers were built as
> modules. That situation was handled in a number of wireless drivers by
> using request_firmware_nowait(); however, my understanding was that user
> space was fixed to avoid the timeout. I think udev was the component
> that changed. What version of that are you using?
>
> Larry
>
I originally had the problem with a Broadcom BCM43225 wireless.  This 
was with a 3.8 kernel.  This was solved by a patch to the kernel 
brcmsmac driver and this is still working with a 3.14 kernel.

Currently I have the problem with an Intel Centrino Wireless-N 130.  The 
problem was present with a 3.11 kernel and currently with a 3.14 kernel. 
  udev version 204-5linuxmint.

A friend seems to have the problem with a Realtek 8129se wireless but we 
are still checking out that this is the problem.

John