Re: [PATCH v2 resend] driver core: Make deferred_probe_timeout default a Kconfig option

From: Hans de Goede

Date: Mon Mar 30 2026 - 11:22:48 EST


Hi All,

On 14-Mar-26 09:49, Hans de Goede wrote:
> Code using driver_deferred_probe_check_state() differs from most
> EPROBE_DEFER handling in the kernel. Where other EPROBE_DEFER handling
> (e.g. clks, gpios and regulators) waits indefinitely for suppliers to
> show up, code using driver_deferred_probe_check_state() will fail
> after the deferred_probe_timeout.
>
> This is a problem for generic distro kernels which want to support many
> boards using a single kernel build. These kernels want as much drivers to
> be modular as possible. The initrd also should be as small as possible,
> so the initrd will *not* have drivers not needing to get the rootfs.
>
> Combine this with waiting for a full-disk encryption password in
> the initrd and it is pretty much guaranteed that the default 10s timeout
> will be hit, causing probe() failures when drivers on the rootfs happen
> to get modprobe-d before other rootfs modules providing their suppliers.
>
> Make the default timeout configurable from Kconfig to allow distro kernel
> configs where many of the supplier drivers are modules to set the default
> through Kconfig.
>
> While at it document that a value of -1 can be used to disable the timeout
> (wait indefinitely).
>
> Acked-by: Saravana Kannan <saravanak@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Signed-off-by: Hans de Goede <johannes.goede@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

gentle ping ?

AFAICT there is no reason to not merge this ?

Regards,

Hans



> ---
> Changes in v2:
> - Remove unnecessary addition of "if (driver_deferred_probe_timeout < 0)"
> check
> - Add Acked-by from Saravana
> ---
> Resending as this one seems to have fallen through the cracks.
> ---
> Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt | 2 +-
> drivers/base/Kconfig | 9 +++++++++
> drivers/base/dd.c | 6 +-----
> 3 files changed, 11 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
> index aa0031108bc1..d26957741713 100644
> --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
> @@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ Kernel parameters
> out hasn't expired, it'll be restarted by each
> successful driver registration. This option will also
> dump out devices still on the deferred probe list after
> - retrying.
> + retrying. Set to -1 to wait indefinitely.
>
> delayacct [KNL] Enable per-task delay accounting
>
> diff --git a/drivers/base/Kconfig b/drivers/base/Kconfig
> index 1786d87b29e2..f7d385cbd3ba 100644
> --- a/drivers/base/Kconfig
> +++ b/drivers/base/Kconfig
> @@ -73,6 +73,15 @@ config DEVTMPFS_SAFE
> with the PROT_EXEC flag. This can break, for example, non-KMS
> video drivers.
>
> +config DRIVER_DEFERRED_PROBE_TIMEOUT
> + int "Default value for deferred_probe_timeout"
> + default 0 if !MODULES
> + default 10 if MODULES
> + help
> + Set the default value for the deferred_probe_timeout kernel parameter.
> + See Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt for a description
> + of the deferred_probe_timeout kernel parameter.
> +
> config STANDALONE
> bool "Select only drivers that don't need compile-time external firmware"
> default y
> diff --git a/drivers/base/dd.c b/drivers/base/dd.c
> index bea8da5f8a3a..2f358e29e0e8 100644
> --- a/drivers/base/dd.c
> +++ b/drivers/base/dd.c
> @@ -257,11 +257,7 @@ static int deferred_devs_show(struct seq_file *s, void *data)
> }
> DEFINE_SHOW_ATTRIBUTE(deferred_devs);
>
> -#ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
> -static int driver_deferred_probe_timeout = 10;
> -#else
> -static int driver_deferred_probe_timeout;
> -#endif
> +static int driver_deferred_probe_timeout = CONFIG_DRIVER_DEFERRED_PROBE_TIMEOUT;
>
> static int __init deferred_probe_timeout_setup(char *str)
> {