Firmware packages
teresaejunior
Status: Interested
Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 30
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Hello, there!

Debian provides a bunch of separate *-firmware, firmware-*, and firmware-*-installer packages. After installing the liquorix kernel, do these packages become useless? Does liquorix already include them? If not, will installing them just work?

A situation: firmware-ralink installs /lib/modules/rt*.bin, while liquorix doesn't seem to have rt*.bin, and it installs its firmware into a different folder: /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/

Thank you!
Teresa e Junior
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damentz
Status: Assistant
Joined: 09 Sep 2008
Posts: 1117
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They're not useless, by default the firmware is loaded from /lib/firmware, not the sub-directories.

I actually haven't tested any systems without all of the firmware packages to know if the firmware can even be read from the /lib/modules$(uname -r)/ directory. At least you would be able to copy the firmware to /lib/firmware if you were in a jam.

If I remember correctly, Kanotix uses the source code for the kernels Ubuntu produces. In order for firmware to be loaded from the $(uname -r) directory, you need to install a patched udev package to read the firmware that the kernel package writes. I don't know if this is absolutely necessary or if patching udev simply prevents the kernel from loading firmware outside of it's own firmware directory. Either way, you're the first person actually care that there is a firmware directory created just for my kernel and maybe the only person that may get any use out of this.

As far as the rt* firmware goes, I'll find a way to add it to zen's sources upstream then back to Liquorix.
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teresaejunior
Status: Interested
Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 30
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OK, thanks, damentz, for your reply!

But, a BIG MISTAKE I committed: I shoudn't have written: /lib/modules/$(uname -r), but /lib/firmware/$(uname -r) instead. Please, reconsider this and forget any mention to /lib/modules!

So, somehow the question remains: Debian puts its firmware directly into /lib/firmware, and liquorix into $(uname -r). I just wanted to know, if I install some firmware into /lib/firmware, will liquorix find it? Just for compatibility.

Thanks for the rt* thing, and sorry for taking your time!

Best regards!
Teresa e Junior
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damentz
Status: Assistant
Joined: 09 Sep 2008
Posts: 1117
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Liquorix will find that firmware :)
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teresaejunior
Status: Interested
Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 30
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Thank you, that's enough for me! I had made such a big mess in confusing the modules and firmware directories...
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