OK. so, I basically had 2 choices for modprobe.d auto_loading of mlx4_en upon usage of mlx4_core. Neither was perfect.
A.) "softdep mlx4_core post: mlx4_en mlx4_ib" The softdep route hits what it seems to me to be a bug in 12.04 in modprobe or update-initramfs. The updating of initramfs gives warnings like: FATAL: modprobe: softdep dependency loop encountered inserting mlx4_core FATAL: modprobe: softdep dependency loop encountered inserting mlx4_core It exits with success (0), but it does not put mlx4_en inside the initramfs. B.) "install mlx4_core /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install mlx4_core; /sbin/modprobe mlx4_en; /sbin/modprobe mlx4_ib" With this entry, creation of initramfs goes fine, but but if there is no mlx4_en or mlx4_ib module available upon request to load the mlx4_core module, the user gets a confusing error: $ sudo modprobe mlx4_core; echo $? FATAL: Could not read '/lib/modules/3.2.0-37-virtual/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/mlx4_en.ko': No such file or directory 0 It really feels to me that soft-dep is more intended to satisfy this exact need, but the initramfs is a killer. So, we'll go with the 'install' route. ### issue with softdep route #### $ sudo rm /boot/initrd.img-$(uname -r); sudo update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r); echo $?; echo === ; cat /etc/modprobe.d/mlx4.conf; echo ===; lsinitramfs /boot/initrd.img-$(uname -r) | grep mlx update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-37-virtual FATAL: modprobe: softdep dependency loop encountered inserting mlx4_core FATAL: modprobe: softdep dependency loop encountered inserting mlx4_core 0 === # mlx4_core should load mlx4_en (LP: #1115710). softdep mlx4_core post: mlx4_en mlx4_ib === lib/modules/3.2.0-37-virtual/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4 lib/modules/3.2.0-37-virtual/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/mlx4_core.ko etc/modprobe.d/mlx4.conf ### issue with install route #### $ sudo cp ~/mlx4.conf.install /etc/modprobe.d/mlx4.conf; sudo rmmod mlx4_en mlx4_ib mlx4_core &>/dev/null; sudo rm -f /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/mlx4_en.ko; echo === ; cat /etc/modprobe.d/mlx4.conf; echo ===; sudo modprobe mlx4_core; echo $?; === # mlx4_core should load mlx4_en (LP: #1115710). #softdep mlx4_core post: mlx4_en mlx4_ib install mlx4_core /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install mlx4_core; /sbin/modprobe mlx4_en; /sbin/modprobe mlx4_ib === FATAL: Could not read '/lib/modules/3.2.0-37-virtual/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/mlx4_en.ko': No such file or directory 0 -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1115710 Title: Mellanox mlx4_en network driver is not automatically loaded To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/maas/+bug/1115710/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
