Re: [PATCH]microcode update driver rewrite - takes 2

Randy.Dunlap
2006-06-27T17:28:17Z

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 16:15:09 +0800 Shaohua Li wrote:

> On Mon, 2006-06-26 at 23:02 -0700, Greg KH wrote:
> > On Tue, Jun 27, 2006 at 10:51:33AM +0800, Shaohua Li wrote:
> > > This is the rewrite of microcode update driver. Changes:
> > > 1. trim the code
> > > 2. using request_firmware to pull ucode from userspace, so we don't need
> > > the application 'microcode_ctl' to assist. We name each ucode file
> > > according to CPU's info as intel-ucode/family-model-stepping. In this
> > > way we could split ucode file as small one. This has a lot of advantages
> > > such as selectively update and validate microcode for specific models,
> > > better manage microcode file, easily write tools for administerators and
> > > so on.
> > > 3. add sysfs support. Currently each CPU has two microcode related
> > > attributes. One is 'version' which shows current ucode version of CPU.
> > > Tools can use the attribute do validation or show CPU ucode status. The
> > > other is 'reload' which allows manually reloading ucode.
> > > 4. add suspend/resume and CPU hotplug support.
> >
> > Why not break this up into 4 patches so we can better review them?
> >
> > Remember, one patch per change please :)
> >
> > > With the changes, we should put all intel-ucode/xx-xx-xx microcode files
> > > into the firmware dir (I had a tool to split previous big data file into
> > > small one and later we will release new style data file). The init
> > > script should be changed to just loading the driver without unloading
> > > for hotplug and suspend/resume (for back compatibility I keep old
> > > interface, so old init script also works).
> > >
> > > Previous post is at
> > > http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-kernel&m=114852925121064&w=2
> > > Changes against previous patch:
> > > 1. use sys_create_group to add attributes
> > > 2. add a fake platform_device for reqeust_firmware as Greg disliked the
> > > request_firmware_kobj interface previous patch introduced
> > > 3. add a new attribute 'pf' to help tools check if CPU has latest ucode
> >
> > What does "pf" stand for?
> [PATCH 3/3] suspend/resume & hotplug support for microcode driver

meta-comment: that line would have made a good Subject: line.

See "2: Subject:" from
http://www.zip.com.au/~akpm/linux/patches/stuff/tpp.txt

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~Randy