module-init-tools: ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists

[Debian Bug Importer]

Automatically imported from Debian bug report #269305 http://bugs.debian.org/269305

[Marco d'Itri (md)]

On Aug 31, Roland Stigge <email address hidden> wrote:

> module-init-tools ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists.
> Is this a bug or a feature? The former should be solved, the latter one
> documented.
It is.

       -C --config
              This option overrides the configuration file/directory. The
              default is /etc/modprobe.conf if available, or /etc/modprobe.d
              if available, or nothing. [...]

--
ciao, |
Marco | [7734 avHGyTYRQJ.VI]

[Roland Stigge (stigge-debian)]

Hi Marco,

On Tue, 2004-08-31 at 23:18, you wrote:
> > module-init-tools ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists.
> > Is this a bug or a feature? The former should be solved, the latter one
> > documented.
> It is.
>
> -C --config
> This option overrides the configuration file/directory. The
> default is /etc/modprobe.conf if available, or /etc/modprobe.d
> if available, or nothing. [...]

What about the packages that ship files in /etc/modprobe.d/? With
creating /etc/modprobe.conf, their contents could be ignored by
accident.

bye,
  Roland

[Marco d'Itri (md)]

On Aug 31, Roland Stigge <email address hidden> wrote:

> What about the packages that ship files in /etc/modprobe.d/? With
> creating /etc/modprobe.conf, their contents could be ignored by
> accident.
Don't do it then, it's documented that this is what will happen.

--
ciao, |
Marco | [7735 scY6IhnYz98XM]

[Eduard Bloch (edi-gmx)]

reopen 269305
thanks

That is not true! I have just read the modprobe.conf manpage and there
was no good hint, no visible warning about that UNEXPECTED behaviour of
the new modprobe. There may be a side comment somewhere, but it is NOT
documented well enough.
Really, I expected that a tool like update-modules
still reads /etc/modprobe.d and created /etc/modprobe.conf, and I spent
a lot of time figuring out that this is not the case (and even worse,
some unknown package has silently created that file).

What I expect as user (and average admin), is a proper notice:

 - separate paragraph in the modprobe and modprobe.conf manpages!
 - a warning appearing when the init script starts and modprobe.conf
   exist and something in modprobe.d/ exists as well. Eg.

WARNING: modprobe.conf exists, modprobe.d/ contents are ignored (see
modprobe.conf(5) for details, /etc/default/module-init-tools to hide warnings)

Regards,
Eduard.
--
<Getty> <flirtmode>
* Getty knuddelt ij durch den Channel
<Getty> </flirtmode>

[Marco d'Itri (md)]

On Sep 12, Eduard Bloch <email address hidden> wrote:

> Really, I expected that a tool like update-modules
> still reads /etc/modprobe.d and created /etc/modprobe.conf, and I spent
root@wonderland:~#cat /sbin/update-modules
#!/bin/sh -e
if [ -x /sbin/update-modules.modutils ]; then
  exec /sbin/update-modules.modutils "$*"
fi
exit 0
root@wonderland:~#

update-modules has never created /etc/modprobe.conf, BTW.

> - separate paragraph in the modprobe and modprobe.conf manpages!
Please send a patch.

> - a warning appearing when the init script starts and modprobe.conf
> exist and something in modprobe.d/ exists as well. Eg.
This would be bogus, modprobe.conf may include modprobe.d/.

--
ciao, |
Marco | [7949 alkz/RbQujRyU]

[Eduard Bloch (edi-gmx)]

#include <hallo.h>
* Marco d'Itri [Sun, Sep 12 2004, 11:26:17AM]:
> On Sep 12, Eduard Bloch <email address hidden> wrote:
>
> > Really, I expected that a tool like update-modules
> > still reads /etc/modprobe.d and created /etc/modprobe.conf, and I spent
> root@wonderland:~#cat /sbin/update-modules
> #!/bin/sh -e
> if [ -x /sbin/update-modules.modutils ]; then
> exec /sbin/update-modules.modutils "$*"
> fi
> exit 0
> root@wonderland:~#

That is no the point. I expected the update-modules from
module-init-tools to create /etc/modprobe.conf (because of the apparent
"modules*" -> "modprobe*" name transition). Believe it or not,
upstream thinking != user thinking.

> update-modules has never created /etc/modprobe.conf, BTW.

I see, but something has created it. And messed up few things here.

> > - separate paragraph in the modprobe and modprobe.conf manpages!
> Please send a patch.

Attached.

> > - a warning appearing when the init script starts and modprobe.conf
> > exist and something in modprobe.d/ exists as well. Eg.
> This would be bogus, modprobe.conf may include modprobe.d/.

Possible, but also dealt with by the patch below.

Regards,
Eduard.
--
"The quiet ones are the ones who change the universe.
 The loud ones only take the credit."
                                                               L.M. ItB

[Marco d'Itri (md)]

Source: module-init-tools
Source-Version: 3.1-pre5-7

We believe that the bug you reported is fixed in the latest version of
module-init-tools, which is due to be installed in the Debian FTP archive:

module-init-tools-udeb_3.1-pre5-7_i386.udeb
  to pool/main/m/module-init-tools/module-init-tools-udeb_3.1-pre5-7_i386.udeb
module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.diff.gz
  to pool/main/m/module-init-tools/module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.diff.gz
module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.dsc
  to pool/main/m/module-init-tools/module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.dsc
module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7_i386.deb
  to pool/main/m/module-init-tools/module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7_i386.deb

A summary of the changes between this version and the previous one is
attached.

Thank you for reporting the bug, which will now be closed. If you
have further comments please address them to <email address hidden>,
and the maintainer will reopen the bug report if appropriate.

Debian distribution maintenance software
pp.
Marco d'Itri <email address hidden> (supplier of updated module-init-tools package)

(This message was generated automatically at their request; if you
believe that there is a problem with it please contact the archive
administrators by mailing <email address hidden>)

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Format: 1.7
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 19:12:45 +0200
Source: module-init-tools
Binary: module-init-tools-udeb module-init-tools
Architecture: source i386
Version: 3.1-pre5-7
Distribution: unstable
Urgency: medium
Maintainer: Marco d'Itri <email address hidden>
Changed-By: Marco d'Itri <email address hidden>
Description:
 module-init-tools - tools for managing Linux kernel modules
 module-init-tools-udeb - tools for managing Linux kernel modules (udeb)
Closes: 269305 269481
Changes:
 module-init-tools (3.1-pre5-7) unstable; urgency=medium
 .
   * Fixed a very obscure postinst failure. (Closes: #269481)
   * Fixed a very obscure preinst failure.
   * Silence md5sum in preinst.
   * New patch manpage_warnings: adds warnings about modprobe.conf vs.
     modprobe.d usage in the init script and the update-modprobe, modprobe
     and modprobe.conf man pages, by Eduard Bloch. (Closes: Bug#269305)
Files:
 c1fef0e97a54427fe8e223c3ccc1e51d 716 admin standard module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.dsc
 3bc3aca3b92af0cccb8373ea73ac8116 27537 admin standard module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.diff.gz
 d68249525c1b3899c292f8748ce35ccb 82678 admin standard module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7_i386.deb
 542ce6e36659808138dc5ad8cab81433 23100 debian-installer extra module-init-tools-udeb_3.1-pre5-7_i386.udeb
package-type: udeb

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[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Automatically imported from Debian bug report #269305 http://bugs.debian.org/269305

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <email address hidden>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 23:01:18 +0200
From: Roland Stigge <email address hidden>
To: Debian Bug Tracking System <email address hidden>
Subject: module-init-tools: ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists

Package: module-init-tools
Version: 3.1-pre5-6
Severity: normal

Hi,

module-init-tools ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists.
Is this a bug or a feature? The former should be solved, the latter one
documented.

(I reproduced this bug with defining aliases that are recognized from a
/etc/modprobe.d/* file only when /etc/modprobe.conf doesn't exist.)

Thanks for considering.

bye,
  Roland

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 3.1
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.6.8
Locale: LANG=en_GB.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_GB.UTF-8 (ignored: LC_ALL set to en_GB.UTF-8)

Versions of packages module-init-tools depends on:
ii libc6 2.3.2.ds1-16 GNU C Library: Shared libraries an

-- no debconf information

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 23:14:00 +0200
From: Marco d'Itri <email address hidden>
To: Roland Stigge <email address hidden>, <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#269305: module-init-tools: ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists

On Aug 31, Roland Stigge <email address hidden> wrote:

> module-init-tools ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists.
> Is this a bug or a feature? The former should be solved, the latter one
> documented.
It is.

       -C --config
              This option overrides the configuration file/directory. The
              default is /etc/modprobe.conf if available, or /etc/modprobe.d
              if available, or nothing. [...]

--
ciao, |
Marco | [7734 avHGyTYRQJ.VI]

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <email address hidden>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 23:37:52 +0200
From: Roland Stigge <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#269305 acknowledged by developer (Re: Bug#269305:
 module-init-tools: ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists)

Hi Marco,

On Tue, 2004-08-31 at 23:18, you wrote:
> > module-init-tools ignores /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists.
> > Is this a bug or a feature? The former should be solved, the latter one
> > documented.
> It is.
>
> -C --config
> This option overrides the configuration file/directory. The
> default is /etc/modprobe.conf if available, or /etc/modprobe.d
> if available, or nothing. [...]

What about the packages that ship files in /etc/modprobe.d/? With
creating /etc/modprobe.conf, their contents could be ignored by
accident.

bye,
  Roland

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 23:54:28 +0200
From: Marco d'Itri <email address hidden>
To: Roland Stigge <email address hidden>, <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#269305: acknowledged by developer (Re: Bug#269305: module-init-tools: ignores
 /etc/modprobe.d/* when /etc/modprobe.conf exists)

On Aug 31, Roland Stigge <email address hidden> wrote:

> What about the packages that ship files in /etc/modprobe.d/? With
> creating /etc/modprobe.conf, their contents could be ignored by
> accident.
Don't do it then, it's documented that this is what will happen.

--
ciao, |
Marco | [7735 scY6IhnYz98XM]

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 11:13:10 +0200
From: Eduard Bloch <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: no warning in the manpage

reopen 269305
thanks

That is not true! I have just read the modprobe.conf manpage and there
was no good hint, no visible warning about that UNEXPECTED behaviour of
the new modprobe. There may be a side comment somewhere, but it is NOT
documented well enough.
Really, I expected that a tool like update-modules
still reads /etc/modprobe.d and created /etc/modprobe.conf, and I spent
a lot of time figuring out that this is not the case (and even worse,
some unknown package has silently created that file).

What I expect as user (and average admin), is a proper notice:

 - separate paragraph in the modprobe and modprobe.conf manpages!
 - a warning appearing when the init script starts and modprobe.conf
   exist and something in modprobe.d/ exists as well. Eg.

WARNING: modprobe.conf exists, modprobe.d/ contents are ignored (see
modprobe.conf(5) for details, /etc/default/module-init-tools to hide warnings)

Regards,
Eduard.
--
<Getty> <flirtmode>
* Getty knuddelt ij durch den Channel
<Getty> </flirtmode>

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 11:26:17 +0200
From: Marco d'Itri <email address hidden>
To: Eduard Bloch <email address hidden>, <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#269305: no warning in the manpage

On Sep 12, Eduard Bloch <email address hidden> wrote:

> Really, I expected that a tool like update-modules
> still reads /etc/modprobe.d and created /etc/modprobe.conf, and I spent
root@wonderland:~#cat /sbin/update-modules
#!/bin/sh -e
if [ -x /sbin/update-modules.modutils ]; then
  exec /sbin/update-modules.modutils "$*"
fi
exit 0
root@wonderland:~#

update-modules has never created /etc/modprobe.conf, BTW.

> - separate paragraph in the modprobe and modprobe.conf manpages!
Please send a patch.

> - a warning appearing when the init script starts and modprobe.conf
> exist and something in modprobe.d/ exists as well. Eg.
This would be bogus, modprobe.conf may include modprobe.d/.

--
ciao, |
Marco | [7949 alkz/RbQujRyU]

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 12:25:01 +0200
From: Eduard Bloch <email address hidden>
To: "Marco d'Itri" <email address hidden>
Cc: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#269305: no warning in the manpage

--MGYHOYXEY6WxJCY8
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline

#include <hallo.h>
* Marco d'Itri [Sun, Sep 12 2004, 11:26:17AM]:
> On Sep 12, Eduard Bloch <email address hidden> wrote:
>
> > Really, I expected that a tool like update-modules
> > still reads /etc/modprobe.d and created /etc/modprobe.conf, and I spent
> root@wonderland:~#cat /sbin/update-modules
> #!/bin/sh -e
> if [ -x /sbin/update-modules.modutils ]; then
> exec /sbin/update-modules.modutils "$*"
> fi
> exit 0
> root@wonderland:~#

That is no the point. I expected the update-modules from
module-init-tools to create /etc/modprobe.conf (because of the apparent
"modules*" -> "modprobe*" name transition). Believe it or not,
upstream thinking != user thinking.

> update-modules has never created /etc/modprobe.conf, BTW.

I see, but something has created it. And messed up few things here.

> > - separate paragraph in the modprobe and modprobe.conf manpages!
> Please send a patch.

Attached.

> > - a warning appearing when the init script starts and modprobe.conf
> > exist and something in modprobe.d/ exists as well. Eg.
> This would be bogus, modprobe.conf may include modprobe.d/.

Possible, but also dealt with by the patch below.

Regards,
Eduard.
--
"The quiet ones are the ones who change the universe.
 The loud ones only take the credit."
                                                               L.M. ItB

--MGYHOYXEY6WxJCY8
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="proper_warnings.diff"

diff -u module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/debian/changelog module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/debian/changelog
--- module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/debian/changelog
+++ module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+module-init-tools (3.1-pre5-7) unstable; urgency=low
+
+ * Eduard Bloch: Added warnings about modprobe.conf vs. modprobe.d usage in
+ the init script, update-modprobe, modprobe, modprobe.conf manpages
+ (patch: manpage_warnings, closes: Bug#269305)
+
+ -- Eduard Bloch <email address hidden> Sun, 12 Sep 2004 12:13:32 +0200
+
 module-init-tools (3.1-pre5-6) unstable; urgency=high

   * Removed the autofs4 alias. (Closes: #267065, #261026)
diff -u module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/debian/module-init-tools.init module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/debian/module-init-tools.init
--- module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/debian/module-init-tools.init
+++ module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/debian/module-init-tools.init
@@ -43,4 +43,12 @@
     modprobe "$mod"
 done
+
+# catch the corner case where modprobe.conf exists (bad) but is not configured
+# to include additional files (eg. not including modprobe.d), so may be created
+# by stupid tools and is a problem unknown for the system administrator
+if test -r /etc/modprobe.conf && ! grep -q 'include.*modprobe.d' /etc/modprobe.conf ; then
+ echo 'WARNING: /etc/modprobe.conf exists but does not include /etc/modprobe.d!'
+fi
+
 exit 0

diff -u module-init-tools-3.1-pre5/ext...

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <email address hidden>
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 13:32:03 -0400
From: Marco d'Itri <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Bug#269305: fixed in module-init-tools 3.1-pre5-7

Source: module-init-tools
Source-Version: 3.1-pre5-7

We believe that the bug you reported is fixed in the latest version of
module-init-tools, which is due to be installed in the Debian FTP archive:

module-init-tools-udeb_3.1-pre5-7_i386.udeb
  to pool/main/m/module-init-tools/module-init-tools-udeb_3.1-pre5-7_i386.udeb
module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.diff.gz
  to pool/main/m/module-init-tools/module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.diff.gz
module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.dsc
  to pool/main/m/module-init-tools/module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.dsc
module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7_i386.deb
  to pool/main/m/module-init-tools/module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7_i386.deb

A summary of the changes between this version and the previous one is
attached.

Thank you for reporting the bug, which will now be closed. If you
have further comments please address them to <email address hidden>,
and the maintainer will reopen the bug report if appropriate.

Debian distribution maintenance software
pp.
Marco d'Itri <email address hidden> (supplier of updated module-init-tools package)

(This message was generated automatically at their request; if you
believe that there is a problem with it please contact the archive
administrators by mailing <email address hidden>)

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Format: 1.7
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 19:12:45 +0200
Source: module-init-tools
Binary: module-init-tools-udeb module-init-tools
Architecture: source i386
Version: 3.1-pre5-7
Distribution: unstable
Urgency: medium
Maintainer: Marco d'Itri <email address hidden>
Changed-By: Marco d'Itri <email address hidden>
Description:
 module-init-tools - tools for managing Linux kernel modules
 module-init-tools-udeb - tools for managing Linux kernel modules (udeb)
Closes: 269305 269481
Changes:
 module-init-tools (3.1-pre5-7) unstable; urgency=medium
 .
   * Fixed a very obscure postinst failure. (Closes: #269481)
   * Fixed a very obscure preinst failure.
   * Silence md5sum in preinst.
   * New patch manpage_warnings: adds warnings about modprobe.conf vs.
     modprobe.d usage in the init script and the update-modprobe, modprobe
     and modprobe.conf man pages, by Eduard Bloch. (Closes: Bug#269305)
Files:
 c1fef0e97a54427fe8e223c3ccc1e51d 716 admin standard module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.dsc
 3bc3aca3b92af0cccb8373ea73ac8116 27537 admin standard module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7.diff.gz
 d68249525c1b3899c292f8748ce35ccb 82678 admin standard module-init-tools_3.1-pre5-7_i386.deb
 542ce6e36659808138dc5ad8cab81433 23100 debian-installer extra module-init-tools-udeb_3.1-pre5-7_i386.udeb
package-type: udeb

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[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

*** Bug 8717 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

I disagree with the resolution of this bug. I'm searching for some
justification as to why /etc/modprobe.d should be ignored when modprobe.conf exists.

[Olivier Garet (olivier-garet)]

(In reply to comment #10)
> I disagree with the resolution of this bug. I'm searching for some
> justification as to why /etc/modprobe.d should be ignored when modprobe.conf
exists.

I agree with Matt. I think it is better if the admin can put additive
configuration options
in another place than in the directory /etc/modprobe.d , which essentially contains
files generated by package install scripts.

[Scott James Remnant (Canonical) (canonical-scott)]

In particular, the maintainer lies, or at least is misleading:

syndicate /etc# rm modules.conf
syndicate /etc# update-modules
syndicate /etc# head modules.conf
### This file is automatically generated by update-modules"
#
# Please do not edit this file directly. If you want to change or add
# anything please take a look at the files in /etc/modutils and read
# the manpage for update-modules.
#
### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/0keep
# DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE!
# This file is not marked as conffile to make sure if you upgrade modutils
# it will be restored in case some modifications have been made.

As this is run by many postinst scripts, this makes /etc/modprobe.d pretty
useless because we ship both modutils and module-init-tools in base.

[Scott James Remnant (Canonical) (canonical-scott)]

gah, ignore me -- chasing the wrong file; my bug's just due to a typo <g>

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

The fix in Debian does not fix this bug; warnings in the man page do not excuse
this kind of breakage.

Any reason we should not honor both?

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

The reason seems to be this:

module-init-tools (3.1-pre2-1) unstable; urgency=medium

  * New upstream release. (Closes: #254204)
  * Now /etc/modprobe.d/ is processed by modprobe. This means that
    /etc/modprobe.conf and /lib/modules/modprobe.conf are not needed
    anymore and update-modules is now a no-op. Executable scripts in
    /etc/modprobe.d/ are not supported anymore.
    /etc/modprobe.conf will be removed or moved to /etc/modprobe.d/.

Previously, /etc/modprobe.conf was automatically generated, so I suppose that on
upgrade, the file could contain duplicate configuration data.
Surely this could be handled better, though.