linux: please move dmi-sysfs.ko (CONFIG_DMI_SYSFS for SMBIOS support) from linux-modules-extra to linux-modules

[Luca Boccassi]

SRU Justification

[Impact]

The dmi-sysfs.ko module (CONFIG_DMI_SYSFS) is currently shipped in linux-modules-extra. This makes it hard to pull in via the linux-virtual package, it can only come from the linux-generic one that also pulls in the firmware and everything else needed for baremetal, and that serves no purpose in a qemu VM. This stops VMs using these kernels from being configurable using qemu or cloud-hypervisor's SMBIOS type 11 strings. This feature is supported and used widely by systemd:

https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/smbios-type-11.html
https://systemd.io/CREDENTIALS/

A user launching a VM using the linux-kvm kernel image is not able to specify SMBIOS strings to automatically configured userspace services and programs due to the lack of this kconfig. We make extensive use of these in systemd's upstream CI, which is running on Github Actions, which uses Jammy, so it would be great to have this backported.

For example:

qemu-system-x86_64 \
        -machine type=q35,accel=kvm,smm=on \
        -smp 2 \
        -m 1G \
        -cpu host \
        -nographic \
        -nodefaults \
        -serial mon:stdio \
        -drive if=none,id=hd,file=ubuntu_jammy.raw,format=raw \
        -device virtio-scsi-pci,id=scsi \
        -device scsi-hd,drive=hd,bootindex=1 \
        -smbios type=11,value=io.systemd.credential:mycred=supersecret

[Fix]

Please consider moving this module to linux-modules.

These are already enabled in the 'main' kernel config, and in other distros. In Debian/Archlinux/Fedora it is a built-in, and on SUSE it is a module installed by default.

To verify this works, it is sufficient to check that the /sys/firmware/dmi/entries/ directory in sysfs is present:

$ ls /sys/firmware/dmi/entries/
0-0 126-1 126-4 126-8 130-0 133-0 136-0 140-2 15-0 18-0 21-1 221-1 24-0 7-1 8-2 8-6
1-0 126-10 126-5 126-9 131-0 134-0 14-0 140-3 16-0 19-0 219-0 221-2 3-0 7-2 8-3 9-0
12-0 126-2 126-6 127-0 131-1 135-0 140-0 140-4 17-0 2-0 22-0 221-3 4-0 8-0 8-4 9-1
126-0 126-3 126-7 13-0 132-0 135-1 140-1 14-1 17-1 21-0 221-0 222-0 7-0 8-1 8-5

Without this module installed and loaded, the directory won't be there. Once enabled, it will be there.

[Test]

1. pull built linux-modules packages for architectures with do_extras_package
   set to true;
2. extract the deb and check if dmi-sysfs kernel module file exists:

   $ dpkg-deb -R linux-modules-*.deb .
   $ find . -name dmi-sysfs.ko\*

[Regression Potential]

Moving a module from a less-common to a more-common package should not have any negative side effects. The main effect will be a little more disk space used by the more common package, whether the module is in use or not. There will also be more functionality available in the default installation, which means a slightly increased surface and possibility of new bugs in case it gets used.

[Simon Déziel (sdeziel)]

This shouldn't be an issue in Mantic and Noble as the linux-kvm flavor was replaced by linux-virtual which has the normal config set.

[Luca Boccassi (bluca)]

Thanks - what about Jammy?

[Dimitri John Ledkov (xnox)]

> Thanks - what about Jammy?

please use linux-virtual instead of linux-kvm.

the original intend for linux-kvm was to not have UEFI nor SMBIOS support at all, as was needed at the time by the original kata-containers / clearlinux containers.

[Luca Boccassi (bluca)]

Got it, thank you

[Simon Déziel (sdeziel)]

@Lucas, you mentioned GitHub Actions but those use the Azure flavor (https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/ubuntu22/20231126.1/images/ubuntu/Ubuntu2204-Readme.md#ubuntu-2204). That flavor also lacks the CONFIG_DMI_SYSFS however.

The Azure flavor seems to also be lacking the config on newer releases so Mantic and Noble would be affected in the end:

$ grep CONFIG_DMI_SYSFS config-6.5.0-1007-azure
# CONFIG_DMI_SYSFS is not set

[Luca Boccassi (bluca)]

So it's a module: CONFIG_DMI_SYSFS=m and it's part of the modules-extra package. That means there's no way, without knowing the exact kernel version in advance, to pull that package in using linux-virtual. You'd have to use linux-generic, but that also pulls in all the firmware stuff.

Can a solution be implemented to make this easier? Other distros have it as built-in. It could also be moved to the core package. Or linux-virtual could depend on the appropriate modules-extra package.

[Luca Boccassi (bluca)]

Given this module doesn't really depend on firmware or anything, it would be a good candidate to be in linux-modules instead of linux-modules-extra. That way it will be pulled in without having to use the virtual package that depends on the firmware too.

On Debian, Fedora and Archlinux it is a built-in. On OpenSUSE, it is a module installed by default.

[Luca Boccassi (bluca)]

Gentle ping. Would love to see this fix in time for Noble's release. Thanks!

[Daan De Meyer (daandemeyer)]

Ping, would love to see this resolved. dmi-sysfs has no firmware dependency and as such should be a good fit for linux-modules instead of linux-modules-extra.

The same goes for qemu-fw-cfg as well actually which also isn't a part of linux-modules.

[Roxana Nicolescu (roxanan)]

lunar is EOL

[You-Sheng Yang (vicamo)]

SRU:
* https://kernel.ubuntu.com/gitea/kernel/noble-linux-unstable/pulls/18 (unstable)
* https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/kernel-team/2024-February/149078.html (noble, mantic, jammy)

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux/5.15.0-102.112 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux' to 'verification-done-jammy-linux'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux' to 'verification-failed-jammy-linux'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux/6.5.0-27.28 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-mantic-linux' to 'verification-done-mantic-linux'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-mantic-linux' to 'verification-failed-mantic-linux'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package linux - 6.8.0-20.20

---------------
linux (6.8.0-20.20) noble; urgency=medium

  * noble/linux: 6.8.0-20.20 -proposed tracker (LP: #2058221)

  * Noble update: v6.8.1 upstream stable release (LP: #2058224)
    - x86/mmio: Disable KVM mitigation when X86_FEATURE_CLEAR_CPU_BUF is set
    - Documentation/hw-vuln: Add documentation for RFDS
    - x86/rfds: Mitigate Register File Data Sampling (RFDS)
    - KVM/x86: Export RFDS_NO and RFDS_CLEAR to guests
    - Linux 6.8.1

  * Autopkgtest failures on amd64 (LP: #2048768)
    - [Packaging] update to clang-18

  * Miscellaneous Ubuntu changes
    - SAUCE: apparmor4.0.0: LSM stacking v39: fix build error with
      CONFIG_SECURITY=n
    - [Config] amd64: MITIGATION_RFDS=y

 -- Paolo Pisati <email address hidden> Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:08:14 +0100

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-aws-fips/5.15.0-1057.63+fips1 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-aws-fips' to 'verification-done-jammy-linux-aws-fips'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-aws-fips' to 'verification-failed-jammy-linux-aws-fips'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-aws-5.15/5.15.0-1057.63~20.04.1 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-focal-linux-aws-5.15' to 'verification-done-focal-linux-aws-5.15'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-focal-linux-aws-5.15' to 'verification-failed-focal-linux-aws-5.15'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Roxana Nicolescu (roxanan)]

Tested on jammy and mantic main kernels. Derivatives inherited this change.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-nvidia-tegra/5.15.0-1023.23 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-nvidia-tegra' to 'verification-done-jammy-linux-nvidia-tegra'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-nvidia-tegra' to 'verification-failed-jammy-linux-nvidia-tegra'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15/5.15.0-1023.23~20.04.1 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-focal-linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15' to 'verification-done-focal-linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-focal-linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15' to 'verification-failed-focal-linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package linux - 5.15.0-102.112

---------------
linux (5.15.0-102.112) jammy; urgency=medium

  * jammy/linux: 5.15.0-102.112 -proposed tracker (LP: #2055632)

  * Drop ABI checks from kernel build (LP: #2055686)
    - [Packaging] Remove in-tree abi checks
    - [Packaging] Drop abi checks from final-checks

  * Packaging resync (LP: #1786013)
    - [Packaging] drop ABI data
    - [Packaging] update annotations scripts
    - debian.master/dkms-versions -- update from kernel-versions (main/2024.03.04)

  * block/loop: No longer allows to create partitions (LP: #2056143)
    - block, loop: support partitions without scanning

  * Cranky update-dkms-versions rollout (LP: #2055685)
    - [Packaging] remove update-dkms-versions
    - Move debian/dkms-versions to debian.master/dkms-versions
    - [Packaging] Replace debian/dkms-versions with $(DEBIAN)/dkms-versions
    - [Packaging] remove update-version-dkms

  * linux: please move erofs.ko (CONFIG_EROFS for EROFS support) from linux-
    modules-extra to linux-modules (LP: #2054809)
    - UBUNTU [Packaging]: Include erofs in linux-modules instead of linux-modules-
      extra

  * linux-tools-common: man page of usbip[d] is misplaced (LP: #2054094)
    - [Packaging] rules: Put usbip manpages in the correct directory

  * CVE-2024-23851
    - dm ioctl: log an error if the ioctl structure is corrupted
    - dm: limit the number of targets and parameter size area

  * CVE-2024-23850
    - btrfs: do not ASSERT() if the newly created subvolume already got read

  * x86: performance: tsc: Extend watchdog check exemption to 4-Sockets platform
    (LP: #2054699)
    - x86/tsc: Extend watchdog check exemption to 4-Sockets platform

  * linux: please move dmi-sysfs.ko (CONFIG_DMI_SYSFS for SMBIOS support) from
    linux-modules-extra to linux-modules (LP: #2045561)
    - [Packaging] Move dmi-sysfs.ko into linux-modules

  * Fix bpf selftests build failure after v5.15.139 update (LP: #2054567)
    - Revert "selftests/bpf: Test tail call counting with bpf2bpf and data on
      stack"

  * Jammy update: v5.15.148 upstream stable release (LP: #2055145)
    - f2fs: explicitly null-terminate the xattr list
    - pinctrl: lochnagar: Don't build on MIPS
    - ALSA: hda - Fix speaker and headset mic pin config for CHUWI CoreBook XPro
    - mptcp: fix uninit-value in mptcp_incoming_options
    - wifi: cfg80211: lock wiphy mutex for rfkill poll
    - debugfs: fix automount d_fsdata usage
    - drm/amdgpu: Fix cat debugfs amdgpu_regs_didt causes kernel null pointer
    - nvme-core: check for too small lba shift
    - ASoC: wm8974: Correct boost mixer inputs
    - ASoC: Intel: Skylake: Fix mem leak in few functions
    - ASoC: nau8822: Fix incorrect type in assignment and cast to restricted
      __be16
    - ASoC: Intel: Skylake: mem leak in skl register function
    - ASoC: cs43130: Fix the position of const qualifier
    - ASoC: cs43130: Fix incorrect frame delay configuration
    - ASoC: rt5650: add mutex to avoid the jack detection failure
    - nouveau/tu102: flush all pdbs on vmm flush
    - net/tg3: fix race condition in tg3_reset_task()
    - ASoC: da7219: Support low DC impedance hea...

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package linux - 6.5.0-27.28

---------------
linux (6.5.0-27.28) mantic; urgency=medium

  * mantic/linux: 6.5.0-27.28 -proposed tracker (LP: #2055584)

  * Packaging resync (LP: #1786013)
    - [Packaging] drop ABI data
    - [Packaging] update annotations scripts
    - debian.master/dkms-versions -- update from kernel-versions (main/2024.03.04)

  * CVE-2024-26597
    - net: qualcomm: rmnet: fix global oob in rmnet_policy

  * CVE-2024-26599
    - pwm: Fix out-of-bounds access in of_pwm_single_xlate()

  * Drop ABI checks from kernel build (LP: #2055686)
    - [Packaging] Remove in-tree abi checks

  * Cranky update-dkms-versions rollout (LP: #2055685)
    - [Packaging] remove update-dkms-versions
    - Move debian/dkms-versions to debian.master/dkms-versions
    - [Packaging] Replace debian/dkms-versions with $(DEBIAN)/dkms-versions

  * linux: please move erofs.ko (CONFIG_EROFS for EROFS support) from linux-
    modules-extra to linux-modules (LP: #2054809)
    - UBUNTU [Packaging]: Include erofs in linux-modules instead of linux-modules-
      extra

  * performance: Scheduler: ratelimit updating of load_avg (LP: #2053251)
    - sched/fair: Ratelimit update to tg->load_avg

  * IB peer memory feature regressed in 6.5 (LP: #2055082)
    - SAUCE: RDMA/core: Introduce peer memory interface

  * linux-tools-common: man page of usbip[d] is misplaced (LP: #2054094)
    - [Packaging] rules: Put usbip manpages in the correct directory

  * CVE-2024-23851
    - dm: limit the number of targets and parameter size area

  * CVE-2024-23850
    - btrfs: do not ASSERT() if the newly created subvolume already got read

  * x86: performance: tsc: Extend watchdog check exemption to 4-Sockets platform
    (LP: #2054699)
    - x86/tsc: Extend watchdog check exemption to 4-Sockets platform

  * linux: please move dmi-sysfs.ko (CONFIG_DMI_SYSFS for SMBIOS support) from
    linux-modules-extra to linux-modules (LP: #2045561)
    - [Packaging] Move dmi-sysfs.ko into linux-modules

  * Fix AMD brightness issue on AUO panel (LP: #2054773)
    - drm/amdgpu: make damage clips support configurable

  * Mantic update: upstream stable patchset 2024-02-28 (LP: #2055199)
    - f2fs: explicitly null-terminate the xattr list
    - pinctrl: lochnagar: Don't build on MIPS
    - ALSA: hda - Fix speaker and headset mic pin config for CHUWI CoreBook XPro
    - mptcp: fix uninit-value in mptcp_incoming_options
    - wifi: cfg80211: lock wiphy mutex for rfkill poll
    - wifi: avoid offset calculation on NULL pointer
    - wifi: mac80211: handle 320 MHz in ieee80211_ht_cap_ie_to_sta_ht_cap
    - debugfs: fix automount d_fsdata usage
    - nvme-core: fix a memory leak in nvme_ns_info_from_identify()
    - drm/amd/display: update dcn315 lpddr pstate latency
    - drm/amdgpu: Fix cat debugfs amdgpu_regs_didt causes kernel null pointer
    - smb: client, common: fix fortify warnings
    - blk-mq: don't count completed flush data request as inflight in case of
      quiesce
    - nvme-core: check for too small lba shift
    - hwtracing: hisi_ptt: Handle the interrupt in hardirq context
    - hwtracing: hisi_ptt: Don't try to attach a task
    - ASoC: wm8974:...

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-raspi/6.5.0-1014.17 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-mantic-linux-raspi' to 'verification-done-mantic-linux-raspi'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-mantic-linux-raspi' to 'verification-failed-mantic-linux-raspi'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-intel-iotg/5.15.0-1052.58 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-intel-iotg' to 'verification-done-jammy-linux-intel-iotg'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-intel-iotg' to 'verification-failed-jammy-linux-intel-iotg'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-bluefield/5.15.0-1040.42 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-bluefield' to 'verification-done-jammy-linux-bluefield'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-bluefield' to 'verification-failed-jammy-linux-bluefield'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-oracle-5.15/5.15.0-1055.61~20.04.1 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-focal-linux-oracle-5.15' to 'verification-done-focal-linux-oracle-5.15'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-focal-linux-oracle-5.15' to 'verification-failed-focal-linux-oracle-5.15'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-gkeop/5.15.0-1041.47 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-gkeop' to 'verification-done-jammy-linux-gkeop'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-gkeop' to 'verification-failed-jammy-linux-gkeop'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-nvidia-tegra-igx/5.15.0-1010.10 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-nvidia-tegra-igx' to 'verification-done-jammy-linux-nvidia-tegra-igx'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-nvidia-tegra-igx' to 'verification-failed-jammy-linux-nvidia-tegra-igx'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the linux-xilinx-zynqmp/5.15.0-1029.33 kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-xilinx-zynqmp' to 'verification-done-jammy-linux-xilinx-zynqmp'. If the problem still exists, change the tag 'verification-needed-jammy-linux-xilinx-zynqmp' to 'verification-failed-jammy-linux-xilinx-zynqmp'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!