Re: [PATCH] Fix regression due to "fs: move binfmt_misc sysctl to its own file"

Thorsten Leemhuis
2022-02-08T06:47:13Z

[TLDR: I'm adding the regression report below to regzbot, the Linux
kernel regression tracking bot; all text you find below is compiled from
a few templates paragraphs you might have encountered already already
from similar mails.]

Hi, this is your Linux kernel regression tracker speaking.

CCing the regression mailing list, as it should be in the loop for all
regressions, as explained here:
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/reporting-issues.html

On 07.02.22 14:27, Domenico Andreoli wrote:
> Commit 3ba442d5331f did not go unnoticed, binfmt-support stopped to
> work on my Debian system since v5.17-rc2 (did not check with -rc1).
>
> The existance of /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc is a precondition for
> attempting to mount the binfmt_misc fs, which in turn triggers the
> autoload of the binfmt_misc module. Without it, no module is loaded
> and no binfmt is available at boot.
>
> Building as built-in or manually loading the module and mounting the fs
> works fine, it's therefore only a matter of interaction with user-space.
>
> I could try to improve the Debian systemd configuration but I can't
> say anything about the other distributions.
>
> In the meanwhile this patch restores a working system right after boot.
> [...]

To be sure this issue doesn't fall through the cracks unnoticed, I'm
adding it to regzbot, my Linux kernel regression tracking bot:

#regzbot ^introduced 3ba442d5331f
#regzbot title binfmt-support stopped to work
#regzbot ignore-activity

Reminder for developers: when fixing the issue, please add a 'Link:'
tags pointing to the report (the mail quoted above) using
lore.kernel.org/r/, as explained in
'Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst' and
'Documentation/process/5.Posting.rst'. This allows the bot to connect
the report with any patches posted or committed to fix the issue; this
again allows the bot to show the current status of regressions and
automatically resolve the issue when the fix hits the right tree.

I'm sending this to everyone that got the initial report, to make them
aware of the tracking. I also hope that messages like this motivate
people to directly get at least the regression mailing list and ideally
even regzbot involved when dealing with regressions, as messages like
this wouldn't be needed then.

Don't worry, I'll send further messages wrt to this regression just to
the lists (with a tag in the subject so people can filter them away), if
they are relevant just for regzbot. With a bit of luck no such messages
will be needed anyway.

Ciao, Thorsten (wearing his 'the Linux kernel's regression tracker' hat)

P.S.: As the Linux kernel's regression tracker I'm getting a lot of
reports on my table. I can only look briefly into most of them and lack
knowledge about most of the areas they concern. I thus unfortunately
will sometimes get things wrong or miss something important. I hope
that's not the case here; if you think it is, don't hesitate to tell me
in a public reply, it's in everyone's interest to set the public record
straight.

--
Additional information about regzbot:

If you want to know more about regzbot, check out its web-interface, the
getting start guide, and the references documentation:

https://linux-regtracking.leemhuis.info/regzbot/
https://gitlab.com/knurd42/regzbot/-/blob/main/docs/getting_started.md
https://gitlab.com/knurd42/regzbot/-/blob/main/docs/reference.md

The last two documents will explain how you can interact with regzbot
yourself if your want to.

Hint for reporters: when reporting a regression it's in your interest to
CC the regression list and tell regzbot about the issue, as that ensures
the regression makes it onto the radar of the Linux kernel's regression
tracker -- that's in your interest, as it ensures your report won't fall
through the cracks unnoticed.

Hint for developers: you normally don't need to care about regzbot once
it's involved. Fix the issue as you normally would, just remember to
include 'Link:' tag in the patch descriptions pointing to all reports
about the issue. This has been expected from developers even before
regzbot showed up for reasons explained in
'Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst' and
'Documentation/process/5.Posting.rst'.