Re: [PATCH net-next] net: vxge: Add MODULE_FIRMWARE

From: Ben Hutchings
Date: Sun Apr 15 2012 - 09:57:47 EST


On Thu, 2012-04-12 at 14:34 -0600, Tim Gardner wrote:
> Cc: Jon Mason <jdmason@xxxxxxxx>
> Cc: netdev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Signed-off-by: Tim Gardner <tim.gardner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> drivers/net/ethernet/neterion/vxge/vxge-main.c | 2 ++
> 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/neterion/vxge/vxge-main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/neterion/vxge/vxge-main.c
> index 51387c3..dcef72d 100644
> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/neterion/vxge/vxge-main.c
> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/neterion/vxge/vxge-main.c
> @@ -4856,3 +4856,5 @@ vxge_closer(void)
> }
> module_init(vxge_starter);
> module_exit(vxge_closer);
> +MODULE_FIRMWARE("vxge/X3fw-pxe.ncf");
> +MODULE_FIRMWARE("vxge/X3fw.ncf");

I don't agree; these firmware files are updates for the flash and only
need to be loaded once.

Also: this driver's behaviour of automatically updating flash without
any confirmation seems quite dangerous. The driver also isn't usable
after it performs such an update:

printk(KERN_NOTICE "Upgrade of firmware successful! Adapter must be "
"hard reset before using, thus requiring a system reboot or a "
"hotplug event.\n");

So what is the point of integrating firmware update into the driver at
all?

Ben.

--
Ben Hutchings
It is easier to change the specification to fit the program than vice versa.

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