Re: RocketPort Linux driver errors on module reload

["Jiri Slaby" <jirislaby@gmail.com>]

On 10/16/07, Wagner Ferenc <wferi@niif.hu> wrote:
> Jiri Slaby <jirislaby@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > Anyway the driver faces another problem with pci refcounting (it
> > doesn't increment the counter) and the device might be removed from
> > it any time the pci bus code decides.
>
> That doesn't sound too good...  Do you mean the module could stop
> working any time, even if its devices are being used continuously?

Hmm, nobody holds the reference according to the current
implementation, so the pci layer doesn't know that anybody is working
with it.

> > Are you willing to test to-pci-probing patches (i.e. patches which
> > converts the driver to the model introduced in linux 2.4)?
>
> Well yes.  We've got a copule of such cards, which raises some
> interest in a proper driver.  Just send the patches with some
> instructions along, or point me to a git branch if you prefer.

Maybe the git with stand-alone module would be better...

> > If not, I'll only increment the counter on modprobe and decrement it
> > on rmmod, since it would be a safe (in the meaning of not changing
> > that much code) way of fixing the problem.
>
> And what are the drawbacks of this simple solution?

Nothing, but it's not the proper way -- just a safe fallback. But you
can still say no :).

regards,
--js