[PATCH] watchdog: allow WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=y

[PATCH] watchdog: allow WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=y

[Dmitry Voytik]

Fix the issue when WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y,
and always is =m.

The issues can be reproduced with the following steps:
	make mrproper
	make defconfig
	./scripts/config \
	  -e WATCHDOG_CORE \
	  -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV \
	  -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL \
	  --refresh
	make olddefconfig
	make mod2yesconfig

	grep '=m$' .config
returns only CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL as module:
	CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=m

"make menuconfig" doesn't let it to be switched from =m to =y either.

Signed-off-by: Dmitry Voytik <voytikd@gmail.com>
---
 drivers/watchdog/Kconfig | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig b/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
index f7d0a0c2c0ef..712ebfa1c99c 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ config WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV
 config WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL
 	tristate
 	depends on WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV
-	default m
+	default WATCHDOG_CORE
 	select WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC if \
 		WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_NOOP=n && WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_DUMP=n
 
-- 
2.55.0

Re: [PATCH] watchdog: allow WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=y

[Guenter Roeck]

On 10/4/26 14:37, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> Fix the issue when WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y,
> and always is =m.
> 
> The issues can be reproduced with the following steps:
> 	make mrproper
> 	make defconfig
> 	./scripts/config \
> 	  -e WATCHDOG_CORE \
> 	  -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV \
> 	  -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL \
> 	  --refresh
> 	make olddefconfig
> 	make mod2yesconfig
> 
> 	grep '=m$' .config
> returns only CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL as module:
> 	CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=m
> 
> "make menuconfig" doesn't let it to be switched from =m to =y either.
> 

This does not explain what the problem actually is that is supposed
to be solved with this patch. Since this is just a selector used to
enable other configurations, and the configuration option does not
result in any packages built, "WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be
set to =y" on its own is not a problem.

Guenter

> Signed-off-by: Dmitry Voytik <voytikd@gmail.com>
> ---
>   drivers/watchdog/Kconfig | 2 +-
>   1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig b/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
> index f7d0a0c2c0ef..712ebfa1c99c 100644
> --- a/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
> +++ b/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
> @@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ config WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV
>   config WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL
>   	tristate
>   	depends on WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV
> -	default m
> +	default WATCHDOG_CORE
>   	select WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC if \
>   		WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_NOOP=n && WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_DUMP=n
>   

Re: [PATCH] watchdog: allow WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=y

[Dmitry Voytik]

Hi Guenter,

Thanks for reviewing the patch!

On Fri, Oct 16, 2026 at 8:21 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
>
> On 10/4/26 14:37, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> > Fix the issue when WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y,
> > and always is =m.
> >
> > The issues can be reproduced with the following steps:
> >       make mrproper
> >       make defconfig
> >       ./scripts/config \
> >         -e WATCHDOG_CORE \
> >         -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV \
> >         -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL \
> >         --refresh
> >       make olddefconfig
> >       make mod2yesconfig
> >
> >       grep '=m$' .config
> > returns only CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL as module:
> >       CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=m
> >
> > "make menuconfig" doesn't let it to be switched from =m to =y either.
> >
>
> This does not explain what the problem actually is that is supposed
> to be solved with this patch. Since this is just a selector used to
> enable other configurations, and the configuration option does not
> result in any packages built, "WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be
> set to =y" on its own is not a problem.

The issue is that
  make mod2yesconfig
doesn't work as expected. Help says "Change answers from mod to yes if
possible".
I might have misunderstood it, but I thought all configs should be =y
for this make target.

Maybe a dumb question, but why does only this config have " default m"
and others use
"default WATCHDOG_CORE"? Does it have some special meaning with "default m"?

I want to have no modules and still not disable the module load
ability, and it annoys me
that some configs don't allow "=y" :-) otherwise when I do
 grep '=m$' .config
I need to remember that CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL is a special case.

FYI, for Arch Linux based config, only
CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL pops up with =m.
A fix for the same issue with CONFIG_TDX_HOST_SERVICES seems to be accepted:
https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/as04AoNxjzlvh-K8@thinkstation/

Thanks again!

> Guenter

Best Regards,
Dmitry Voytik.

Re: [PATCH] watchdog: allow WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=y

[Guenter Roeck]

On 10/17/26 08:59, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> Hi Guenter,
> 
> Thanks for reviewing the patch!
> 
> On Fri, Oct 16, 2026 at 8:21 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
>>
>> On 10/4/26 14:37, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
>>> Fix the issue when WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y,
>>> and always is =m.
>>>
>>> The issues can be reproduced with the following steps:
>>>        make mrproper
>>>        make defconfig
>>>        ./scripts/config \
>>>          -e WATCHDOG_CORE \
>>>          -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV \
>>>          -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL \
>>>          --refresh
>>>        make olddefconfig
>>>        make mod2yesconfig
>>>
>>>        grep '=m$' .config
>>> returns only CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL as module:
>>>        CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=m
>>>
>>> "make menuconfig" doesn't let it to be switched from =m to =y either.
>>>
>>
>> This does not explain what the problem actually is that is supposed
>> to be solved with this patch. Since this is just a selector used to
>> enable other configurations, and the configuration option does not
>> result in any packages built, "WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be
>> set to =y" on its own is not a problem.
> 
> The issue is that
>    make mod2yesconfig
> doesn't work as expected. Help says "Change answers from mod to yes if
> possible".

This does say "If possible".

> I might have misunderstood it, but I thought all configs should be =y
> for this make target.
> 

$ make allmodconfig
$ make mod2yesconfig
$ grep =m .config | wc -l
51

Not really.

> Maybe a dumb question, but why does only this config have " default m"
> and others use
> "default WATCHDOG_CORE"? Does it have some special meaning with "default m"?
> 

Again, this configuration option is only used to set the (default) value
for the watchdog pretimeout governor, and the "=m" states that the default
should be WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC=m, not =WATCHDOG_CORE.

> I want to have no modules and still not disable the module load
> ability, and it annoys me
> that some configs don't allow "=y" :-) otherwise when I do
>   grep '=m$' .config
> I need to remember that CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL is a special case.
> 
> FYI, for Arch Linux based config, only
> CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL pops up with =m.
> A fix for the same issue with CONFIG_TDX_HOST_SERVICES seems to be accepted:
> https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/as04AoNxjzlvh-K8@thinkstation/
You are comparing apples with oranges. That commit states:

   Fix the issue when the driver always gets compiled as a module.

There is no module that can or will be compiled based on
WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL.

Guenter

Re: [PATCH] watchdog: allow WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=y

[Dmitry Voytik]

On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 11:42 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
>
> On 10/17/26 08:59, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> > Hi Guenter,
> >
> > Thanks for reviewing the patch!
> >
> > On Fri, Oct 16, 2026 at 8:21 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> On 10/4/26 14:37, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> >>> Fix the issue when WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y,
> >>> and always is =m.
> >>>
> >>> The issues can be reproduced with the following steps:
> >>>        make mrproper
> >>>        make defconfig
> >>>        ./scripts/config \
> >>>          -e WATCHDOG_CORE \
> >>>          -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV \
> >>>          -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL \
> >>>          --refresh
> >>>        make olddefconfig
> >>>        make mod2yesconfig
> >>>
> >>>        grep '=m$' .config
> >>> returns only CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL as module:
> >>>        CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=m
> >>>
> >>> "make menuconfig" doesn't let it to be switched from =m to =y either.
> >>>
> >>
> >> This does not explain what the problem actually is that is supposed
> >> to be solved with this patch. Since this is just a selector used to
> >> enable other configurations, and the configuration option does not
> >> result in any packages built, "WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be
> >> set to =y" on its own is not a problem.
> >
> > The issue is that
> >    make mod2yesconfig
> > doesn't work as expected. Help says "Change answers from mod to yes if
> > possible".
>
> This does say "If possible".
>
> > I might have misunderstood it, but I thought all configs should be =y
> > for this make target.
> >
>
> $ make allmodconfig
> $ make mod2yesconfig
> $ grep =m .config | wc -l
> 51
>
> Not really.
>
> > Maybe a dumb question, but why does only this config have " default m"
> > and others use
> > "default WATCHDOG_CORE"? Does it have some special meaning with "default m"?
> >
>
> Again, this configuration option is only used to set the (default) value
> for the watchdog pretimeout governor, and the "=m" states that the default
> should be WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC=m, not =WATCHDOG_CORE.

This doesn't explain why it's =m by default.

> > I want to have no modules and still not disable the module load
> > ability, and it annoys me
> > that some configs don't allow "=y" :-) otherwise when I do
> >   grep '=m$' .config
> > I need to remember that CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL is a special case.
> >
> > FYI, for Arch Linux based config, only
> > CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL pops up with =m.
> > A fix for the same issue with CONFIG_TDX_HOST_SERVICES seems to be accepted:
> > https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/as04AoNxjzlvh-K8@thinkstation/
> You are comparing apples with oranges. That commit states:
>
>    Fix the issue when the driver always gets compiled as a module.
>
> There is no module that can or will be compiled based on
> WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL.

Sure, I understand that. What is the semantic meaning of making it by
default =m? And why can't I make it =y?
I understand the build artifacts are the same, but I'm curious why =m?
Why WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC is not =m by default?
Thanks for the explanation in advance!

> Guenter
>

Best Regards,
Dmitry Voytik.

Re: [PATCH] watchdog: allow WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=y

[Guenter Roeck]

On 10/17/26 15:27, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 11:42 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
>>
>> On 10/17/26 08:59, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
>>> Hi Guenter,
>>>
>>> Thanks for reviewing the patch!
>>>
>>> On Fri, Oct 16, 2026 at 8:21 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> On 10/4/26 14:37, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
>>>>> Fix the issue when WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y,
>>>>> and always is =m.
>>>>>
>>>>> The issues can be reproduced with the following steps:
>>>>>         make mrproper
>>>>>         make defconfig
>>>>>         ./scripts/config \
>>>>>           -e WATCHDOG_CORE \
>>>>>           -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV \
>>>>>           -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL \
>>>>>           --refresh
>>>>>         make olddefconfig
>>>>>         make mod2yesconfig
>>>>>
>>>>>         grep '=m$' .config
>>>>> returns only CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL as module:
>>>>>         CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=m
>>>>>
>>>>> "make menuconfig" doesn't let it to be switched from =m to =y either.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> This does not explain what the problem actually is that is supposed
>>>> to be solved with this patch. Since this is just a selector used to
>>>> enable other configurations, and the configuration option does not
>>>> result in any packages built, "WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be
>>>> set to =y" on its own is not a problem.
>>>
>>> The issue is that
>>>     make mod2yesconfig
>>> doesn't work as expected. Help says "Change answers from mod to yes if
>>> possible".
>>
>> This does say "If possible".
>>
>>> I might have misunderstood it, but I thought all configs should be =y
>>> for this make target.
>>>
>>
>> $ make allmodconfig
>> $ make mod2yesconfig
>> $ grep =m .config | wc -l
>> 51
>>
>> Not really.
>>
>>> Maybe a dumb question, but why does only this config have " default m"
>>> and others use
>>> "default WATCHDOG_CORE"? Does it have some special meaning with "default m"?
>>>
>>
>> Again, this configuration option is only used to set the (default) value
>> for the watchdog pretimeout governor, and the "=m" states that the default
>> should be WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC=m, not =WATCHDOG_CORE.
> 
> This doesn't explain why it's =m by default.
> 
>>> I want to have no modules and still not disable the module load
>>> ability, and it annoys me
>>> that some configs don't allow "=y" :-) otherwise when I do
>>>    grep '=m$' .config
>>> I need to remember that CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL is a special case.
>>>
>>> FYI, for Arch Linux based config, only
>>> CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL pops up with =m.
>>> A fix for the same issue with CONFIG_TDX_HOST_SERVICES seems to be accepted:
>>> https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/as04AoNxjzlvh-K8@thinkstation/
>> You are comparing apples with oranges. That commit states:
>>
>>     Fix the issue when the driver always gets compiled as a module.
>>
>> There is no module that can or will be compiled based on
>> WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL.
> 
> Sure, I understand that. What is the semantic meaning of making it by
> default =m? And why can't I make it =y?
> I understand the build artifacts are the same, but I'm curious why =m?
> Why WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC is not =m by default?
> Thanks for the explanation in advance!
> 

The idea is to build WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC as module
by default. There is no "why" to answer. Why build anything as module
by default ? Are you going to question all those 478 default=m
configurations in the kernel ?

You still do not explain what actual problem you are trying to fix,
except that WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y, which is
not a problem. The only problem I can see is that you don't like it,
which is not a reason for making any changes.

Guenter

Re: [PATCH] watchdog: allow WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=y

[Dmitry Voytik]

On Sun, Oct 18, 2026 at 6:48 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
>
> On 10/17/26 15:27, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> > On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 11:42 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> On 10/17/26 08:59, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> >>> Hi Guenter,
> >>>
> >>> Thanks for reviewing the patch!
> >>>
> >>> On Fri, Oct 16, 2026 at 8:21 PM Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> On 10/4/26 14:37, Dmitry Voytik wrote:
> >>>>> Fix the issue when WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y,
> >>>>> and always is =m.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The issues can be reproduced with the following steps:
> >>>>>         make mrproper
> >>>>>         make defconfig
> >>>>>         ./scripts/config \
> >>>>>           -e WATCHDOG_CORE \
> >>>>>           -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV \
> >>>>>           -e WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL \
> >>>>>           --refresh
> >>>>>         make olddefconfig
> >>>>>         make mod2yesconfig
> >>>>>
> >>>>>         grep '=m$' .config
> >>>>> returns only CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL as module:
> >>>>>         CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL=m
> >>>>>
> >>>>> "make menuconfig" doesn't let it to be switched from =m to =y either.
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> This does not explain what the problem actually is that is supposed
> >>>> to be solved with this patch. Since this is just a selector used to
> >>>> enable other configurations, and the configuration option does not
> >>>> result in any packages built, "WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be
> >>>> set to =y" on its own is not a problem.
> >>>
> >>> The issue is that
> >>>     make mod2yesconfig
> >>> doesn't work as expected. Help says "Change answers from mod to yes if
> >>> possible".
> >>
> >> This does say "If possible".
> >>
> >>> I might have misunderstood it, but I thought all configs should be =y
> >>> for this make target.
> >>>
> >>
> >> $ make allmodconfig
> >> $ make mod2yesconfig
> >> $ grep =m .config | wc -l
> >> 51
> >>
> >> Not really.
> >>
> >>> Maybe a dumb question, but why does only this config have " default m"
> >>> and others use
> >>> "default WATCHDOG_CORE"? Does it have some special meaning with "default m"?
> >>>
> >>
> >> Again, this configuration option is only used to set the (default) value
> >> for the watchdog pretimeout governor, and the "=m" states that the default
> >> should be WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC=m, not =WATCHDOG_CORE.
> >
> > This doesn't explain why it's =m by default.
> >
> >>> I want to have no modules and still not disable the module load
> >>> ability, and it annoys me
> >>> that some configs don't allow "=y" :-) otherwise when I do
> >>>    grep '=m$' .config
> >>> I need to remember that CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL is a special case.
> >>>
> >>> FYI, for Arch Linux based config, only
> >>> CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL pops up with =m.
> >>> A fix for the same issue with CONFIG_TDX_HOST_SERVICES seems to be accepted:
> >>> https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/as04AoNxjzlvh-K8@thinkstation/
> >> You are comparing apples with oranges. That commit states:
> >>
> >>     Fix the issue when the driver always gets compiled as a module.
> >>
> >> There is no module that can or will be compiled based on
> >> WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL.
> >
> > Sure, I understand that. What is the semantic meaning of making it by
> > default =m? And why can't I make it =y?
> > I understand the build artifacts are the same, but I'm curious why =m?
> > Why WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC is not =m by default?
> > Thanks for the explanation in advance!
> >
>
> The idea is to build WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC as module
> by default.

Doesn't this contradict to:

config WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_PANIC
    default WATCHDOG_CORE

I double checked with "make menuconfig" - when I select "WatchDog
Timer Driver Core"
and then "Enable watchdog pretimeout governors", it sets by default
"Panic watchdog pretimeout governor" as =y, not =m.

Anyway, I'll stop arguing. I may be misunderstanding something here.
I'll just remember
that CONFIG_WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set =y for whatever reason.

Thanks for looking into it.

> There is no "why" to answer. Why build anything as module
> by default ? Are you going to question all those 478 default=m
> configurations in the kernel ?
>
> You still do not explain what actual problem you are trying to fix,
> except that WATCHDOG_PRETIMEOUT_GOV_SEL can't be set to =y, which is
> not a problem. The only problem I can see is that you don't like it,
> which is not a reason for making any changes.

> Guenter
>

Best regards,
Dmitry Voytik.