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From: Thorsten Leemhuis <linux@leemhuis.info>
To: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
Cc: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>,
	linux-doc@vger.kernel.org, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: [RFC PATCH v2 12/26] docs: reporting-bugs: tell users to disable DKMS et al.
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2020 18:58:49 +0100	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <294b3d14ecf72be6cff9a592919bae8650732cb1.1605203187.git.linux@leemhuis.info> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <cover.1605203187.git.linux@leemhuis.info>

Tell users to disable solutions like DKMS to make sure the kernel they
install later remains vanilla. The old text did not do that, but such
solutions were not that widespread back when it was written.

Signed-off-by: Thorsten Leemhuis <linux@leemhuis.info>
---
 Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 22 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
index 8633f0976b00..5f6d3b2b55f9 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-bugs.rst
@@ -602,6 +602,28 @@ reinstall the operating system as well as everything you need to restore the
 backup.
 
 
+Make sure your kernel doesn't get enhanced
+------------------------------------------
+
+    *Ensure your system does not enhance its kernels by building additional
+    kernel modules on-the-fly, which solutions like DKMS might be doing locally
+    without your knowledge.*
+
+Your kernel must be 'vanilla' when reporting an issue, but stops being pure as
+soon as it loads a kernel module not built from the sources used to compile the
+kernel image itself. That's why you need to ensure your Linux kernel stays
+vanilla by removing or disabling mechanisms like akmods and DKMS: those might
+build additional kernel modules automatically, for example when your boot into
+a newly installed Linux kernel the first time. Reboot after removing them and
+any modules they installed.
+
+Note, you might not be aware that your system is using one of these solutions:
+they often get set up silently when you install Nvidia's proprietary graphics
+driver, VirtualBox, or other software that requires a some support from a
+module not part of the Linux kernel. That why your might need to uninstall the
+packages with such software to get rid of any 3rd party kernel module.
+
+
 .. ############################################################################
 .. Temporary marker added while this document is rewritten. Sections above
 .. are new and dual-licensed under GPLv2+ and CC-BY 4.0, those below are old.
-- 
2.28.0


  parent reply	other threads:[~2020-11-12 18:00 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 43+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2020-11-12 17:58 [RFC PATCH v2 00/26] Make reporting-bugs easier to grasp and yet more detailed & helpful Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 01/26] docs: reporting-bugs: temporary markers for licensing and diff reasons Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 02/26] docs: reporting-bugs: Create a TLDR how to report issues Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 03/26] docs: reporting-bugs: step-by-step guide on " Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 04/26] docs: reporting-bugs: step-by-step guide for issues in stable & longterm Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 05/26] docs: reporting-bugs: begin reference section providing details Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 06/26] docs: reporting-bugs: point out we only care about fresh vanilla kernels Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 07/26] docs: reporting-bugs: let users classify their issue Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 08/26] docs: reporting-bugs: make readers check the taint flag Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-19  0:05   ` Jonathan Corbet
2020-11-19 10:26     ` Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 09/26] docs: reporting-bugs: help users find the proper place for their report Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 10/26] docs: reporting-bugs: remind people to look for existing reports Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 11/26] docs: reporting-bugs: remind people to back up their data Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` Thorsten Leemhuis [this message]
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 13/26] docs: reporting-bugs: point out the environment might be causing issue Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 14/26] docs: reporting-bugs: make users write notes, one for each issue Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 15/26] docs: reporting-bugs: make readers test a fresh kernel Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 16/26] docs: reporting-bugs: let users check taint status again Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 17/26] docs: reporting-bugs: explain options if reproducing on mainline fails Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 18/26] docs: reporting-bugs: let users optimize their notes Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 19/26] docs: reporting-bugs: decode failure messages [need help!] Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 20/26] docs: reporting-bugs: instructions for handling regressions Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 21/26] docs: reporting-bugs: details on writing and sending the report Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-19  0:17   ` Jonathan Corbet
2020-11-19  9:42     ` Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:58 ` [RFC PATCH v2 22/26] docs: reporting-bugs: explain what users should do once the report is out Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:59 ` [RFC PATCH v2 23/26] docs: reporting-bugs: details for issues specific to stable and longterm Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:59 ` [RFC PATCH v2 24/26] docs: reporting-bugs: explain why users might get neither reply nor fix Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:59 ` [RFC PATCH v2 25/26] docs: reporting-bugs: explain things could be easier Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-12 17:59 ` [RFC PATCH v2 26/26] docs: reporting-bugs: add SPDX tag and license hint, remove markers Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-13 22:33 ` [RFC PATCH v2 00/26] Make reporting-bugs easier to grasp and yet more detailed & helpful Jonathan Corbet
2020-11-13 22:47   ` Randy Dunlap
2020-11-15 10:13   ` Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-19  0:29     ` Jonathan Corbet
2020-11-19 12:29       ` Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-19 16:20         ` Randy Dunlap
2020-11-20 21:59         ` Jonathan Corbet
2020-11-20 10:46       ` Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-20 16:27         ` Randy Dunlap
2020-11-20 21:58         ` Jonathan Corbet
2020-11-22  5:33           ` Thorsten Leemhuis
2020-11-22  5:42             ` Randy Dunlap

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