Hey folks,
I've rebuilt quite a few Fedora kernels to enable the dell_rbu module for firmware updates on various Dell servers, workstations, and laptops that are running Fedora 21 and 22. Would it be possible to have it enabled in the normal kernel builds?
I found a bugzilla ticket[1] referenced in the kernel config[2] that points to some installation issues in Fedora 20. I can't tell if the bug was within dell_rbu or perhaps in systemd-udevd from the ticket. However, I've had success loading the module on various Dell equipment over the last 18 months or so.
If we enable it, could we ensure that it's not enabled by default? I wondered if a kernel subpackage would be helpful but that seems a bit like overkill.
Thanks!
[1] https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=997149 [2] http://pkgs.fedoraproject.org/cgit/kernel.git/tree/config-x86-generic?h=f22
-- Major Hayden
On Thu, Aug 13, 2015 at 2:48 PM, Major Hayden major@mhtx.net wrote:
If we enable it, could we ensure that it's not enabled by default?
Why would we not want it by default? The Dell firmware update stuff doesn't work without this. I'd want it enabled by default - it's in the CentOS/RHEL kernel by default, and I'd think we'd want the same user experience of the firmware updates Just Working(TM).
$0.02 -Jon
On 08/13/2015 03:08 PM, Jon Stanley wrote:
Why would we not want it by default? The Dell firmware update stuff doesn't work without this. I'd want it enabled by default - it's in the CentOS/RHEL kernel by default, and I'd think we'd want the same user experience of the firmware updates Just Working(TM).
I phrased that poorly. I meant let's *enable* it during kernel builds and build it as a module by default.
However, I don't feel like the module should be automatically loaded without user interaction. First off, that bugzilla ticket looks ugly and I'd hate to see that happen again. Second, most folks probably aren't flashing their BIOS on a daily basis. ;)
Does that make sense?
-- Major Hayden
On Thu, Aug 13, 2015 at 2:48 PM, Major Hayden major@mhtx.net wrote:
Hey folks,
I've rebuilt quite a few Fedora kernels to enable the dell_rbu module for firmware updates on various Dell servers, workstations, and laptops that are running Fedora 21 and 22. Would it be possible to have it enabled in the normal kernel builds?
I found a bugzilla ticket[1] referenced in the kernel config[2] that points to some installation issues in Fedora 20. I can't tell if the bug was within dell_rbu or perhaps in systemd-udevd from the ticket. However, I've had success loading the module on various Dell equipment over the last 18 months or so.
If we enable it, could we ensure that it's not enabled by default? I wondered if a kernel subpackage would be helpful but that seems a bit like overkill.
I will have to dig into the history to remember the exact details, but the reason this driver is disabled is because it is one of the two or three drivers left in the kernel that cannot use the direct firmware loading mechanism. It requires the older userspace helper callout, and udev stopped supporting that quite some time ago. When it is enabled and is loaded in the kernel, I believe we get the nasty 60 second hang/timeout issue still.
I'll try and review it in more detail again.
josh
On 08/13/2015 02:44 PM, Josh Boyer wrote:
I will have to dig into the history to remember the exact details, but the reason this driver is disabled is because it is one of the two or three drivers left in the kernel that cannot use the direct firmware loading mechanism. It requires the older userspace helper callout, and udev stopped supporting that quite some time ago. When it is enabled and is loaded in the kernel, I believe we get the nasty 60 second hang/timeout issue still.
I'll try and review it in more detail again.
For what it's worth, I tossed together a COPR build of 4.1.6 for enabling dell_rbu:
https://copr.fedoraproject.org/coprs/mhayden/kernel-dellrbu/build/109667/
I installed it on an Optiplex 3020 and I was able to update the BIOS without any problems.
-- Major Hayden
Hi,
Thanks a lot for digging into this. Is there a way to get dell_rbu on Fedora 23? The stuff in your repository appears to be for F22 only.
I'd like to upgrade the firmware on a Dell Inspiron laptop (DMI: Dell Inc. Inspiron 7548/0AM6R0, BIOS A00 11/19/2014). Although most people mention servers when posting about dell_rbu, this Ubuntu howto says that the same kernel module and tool set should be applicable to laptops as well: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DellBIOS
Is there any chance that this could work for my laptop? Sadly, despite what the Ubuntu wiki says, the BIOS .exe file doesn't work in wine and doesn't produce the .hdr file. It just hangs instead. (Here's the .exe file: http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=39...)
This makes me wonder if the update could instead run from a FreeDOS boot flashdisk, considering the note about the "universal format" of the .exe file. But sadly enough, FreeDOS doesn't work with UEFI. I'm not really sure whether switching the machine to the legacy BIOS emulation mode that could hopefully boot FreeDOS would actually make it possible to update the firmware...
Anyway, suggestions are more than welcome in this case. :-)
Cheers, Andrej
This makes me wonder if the update could instead run from a FreeDOS boot flashdisk, considering the note about the "universal format" of the .exe file. But sadly enough, FreeDOS doesn't work with UEFI. I'm not really sure whether switching the machine to the legacy BIOS emulation mode that could hopefully boot FreeDOS would actually make it possible to update the firmware...
FTR, yes, this works, however scary it may seem. :-) You switch the machine to legacy boot mode, boot from a FreeDOS flashdisk (with the BIOS update binary stored on it), run the BIOS update binary and finally switch back to UEFI+SecureBoot upon reboot.
Anyway, having the Dell toolset working directly on Fedora would be definitely less of a hassle. :-)
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On 12/19/2015 08:41 AM, andrej@podzimek.org wrote:
Thanks a lot for digging into this. Is there a way to get dell_rbu on Fedora 23? The stuff in your repository appears to be for F22 only.
Hey Andrej,
I can certainly pop a new COPR up there with a F23 kernel. With that said, I'm far from being a kernel developer, and I don't play one on TV. I can't guarantee that the changes won't make your server catch fire or chase cars. ;)
I'll let you know as soon as I have something up on COPR.
- -- Major Hayden
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On 12/19/2015 08:41 AM, andrej@podzimek.org wrote:
Thanks a lot for digging into this. Is there a way to get dell_rbu on Fedora 23? The stuff in your repository appears to be for F22 only.
The build is finally on the way. I'm sorry for the delay. ;)
https://copr.fedoraproject.org/coprs/mhayden/kernel-dellrbu/build/151160/
- -- Major Hayden
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