Enable modules in Linux configuration.

Enable modules in Linux configuration.

[Dmitry Nikolaev]

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Hi everybody.

I'm trying to set up GuixSD on Reiser4 file system. I've succeeded with
patching and compiling Linux with Reiser4 patch, but I've found that
reiser4 module is disabled by default. Everything I did was pointless 8-]

How do I enable Reiser4 module in Linux configuration? As far as I know I
need to add "REISER4_FS=m" to .config after running "make defconfig", but
before "make".

I've found an example of linux.scm with description how to build
linux-libre with additional modules

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drewc/guix/master/gnu/packages/linux.scm

But it looks too complex for me. Is there an easier way to enable
additional modules in Linux configuration? Shouldn't I use "extra-options"
in make-linux-libre function? How could I do that?

One more question for GuixSD maintainers: will you add linux-libre-reiser4,
libaal and reiser4progs packages to main package repository if I'll send
you patches?

Dmitry Nikolaev

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Re: Enable modules in Linux configuration.

[ng0]

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Dmitry Nikolaev transcribed 2.4K bytes:
> Hi everybody.
> 
> I'm trying to set up GuixSD on Reiser4 file system. I've succeeded with
> patching and compiling Linux with Reiser4 patch, but I've found that
> reiser4 module is disabled by default. Everything I did was pointless 8-]
> 
…

I'm going to respond only to this part:

> will you add linux-libre-reiser4,
> libaal and reiser4progs packages to main package repository if I'll send
> you patches?

That depends mainly on the licenses, from my point of view.
I haven't looked into the sources, but from what other systems
provide:
 - libaal: GPL2
 - reiser4progs: GPL2
 and I think the reiser4 patches were GPL2 too?

The other question is, will someone maintain this linux-libre package
variation? Are there people who would update it? We don't assign people
to packages, but knowing that there is at least one person caring for
it would help.

> Dmitry Nikolaev

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Re: Enable modules in Linux configuration.

[Joshua Branson]

Out of curiosity why would you want Reiser4?  I'm sure it's an ok 
filesystem, but it's just being maintain these days right?  Not really 
developed.


I feel like your life would be so much simplier if you just used ext4 or 
XFS.


On 07/29/2017 03:33 PM, Dmitry Nikolaev wrote:
> Hi everybody.
>
> I'm trying to set up GuixSD on Reiser4 file system. I've succeeded 
> with patching and compiling Linux with Reiser4 patch, but I've found 
> that reiser4 module is disabled by default. Everything I did was 
> pointless 8-]
>
> How do I enable Reiser4 module in Linux configuration? As far as I 
> know I need to add "REISER4_FS=m" to .config after running "make 
> defconfig", but before "make".
>
> I've found an example of linux.scm with description how to build 
> linux-libre with additional modules
>
> https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drewc/guix/master/gnu/packages/linux.scm
>
> But it looks too complex for me. Is there an easier way to enable 
> additional modules in Linux configuration? Shouldn't I use 
> "extra-options" in make-linux-libre function? How could I do that?
>
> One more question for GuixSD maintainers: will you add 
> linux-libre-reiser4, libaal and reiser4progs packages to main package 
> repository if I'll send you patches?
>
> Dmitry Nikolaev

Re: Enable modules in Linux configuration.

[ng0]

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Joshua Branson transcribed 1.7K bytes:
> I feel like your life would be so much simplier if you just used ext4 or 
> XFS.

I can hand you work in progress (but-not-really-because-currently
-otherwise-busy) xfs + xfs/static patches if you want XFS instead
of reiser4.

> On 07/29/2017 03:33 PM, Dmitry Nikolaev wrote:
> > Hi everybody.
> >
> > I'm trying to set up GuixSD on Reiser4 file system. I've succeeded 
> > with patching and compiling Linux with Reiser4 patch, but I've found 
> > that reiser4 module is disabled by default. Everything I did was 
> > pointless 8-]
> >
> > How do I enable Reiser4 module in Linux configuration? As far as I 
> > know I need to add "REISER4_FS=m" to .config after running "make 
> > defconfig", but before "make".
> >
> > I've found an example of linux.scm with description how to build 
> > linux-libre with additional modules
> >
> > https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drewc/guix/master/gnu/packages/linux.scm
> >
> > But it looks too complex for me. Is there an easier way to enable 
> > additional modules in Linux configuration? Shouldn't I use 
> > "extra-options" in make-linux-libre function? How could I do that?
> >
> > One more question for GuixSD maintainers: will you add 
> > linux-libre-reiser4, libaal and reiser4progs packages to main package 
> > repository if I'll send you patches?
> >
> > Dmitry Nikolaev
> 

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Re: Enable modules in Linux configuration.

[Mark H Weaver]

Hi,

Dmitry Nikolaev <cameltheman@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm trying to set up GuixSD on Reiser4 file system. I've succeeded
> with patching and compiling Linux with Reiser4 patch, but I've found
> that reiser4 module is disabled by default. Everything I did was
> pointless 8-]
>
> How do I enable Reiser4 module in Linux configuration? As far as I
> know I need to add "REISER4_FS=m" to .config after running "make
> defconfig", but before "make".

You would also need to add Reiser4-related code to (gnu system
linux-initrd) and (gnu build file-systems).  Search for "btrfs" in our
source tree to get an idea of what code needs to be added.

> One more question for GuixSD maintainers: will you add
> linux-libre-reiser4, libaal and reiser4progs packages to main package
> repository if I'll send you patches?

As long as the licenses comply with the GNU FSDG, I see no obstacle to
merging 'libaal' and 'reiser4progs' to the main repository.

However, 'linux-libre-reiser4' makes me a bit nervous.  As the de-facto
maintainer of our linux-libre packages, my main concern is the
additional maintenance burden going forward.  Every time a new major
version of 'linux-libre' is released, the job of updating and testing
the reiser4 patch would fall on my shoulders.

However, I can tell you from personal experience that it is quite easy
to run GuixSD from your own private git branch, and to periodically
rebase your local changes on our upstream master branch (or, if you
prefer, to merge upstream master into your local branch).  I've been
doing this for a long time.  My method is to have a git checkout in my
home directory that is always kept in good working order, and then to
put the following script in ~/bin/guix and ~root/bin/guix:

  #!/bin/sh
  exec /home/mhw/guix/pre-inst-env guix "$@"

I also add "PATH=/home/mhw/bin:$PATH" to my .bash_profile, and the
analogous thing for root.  Let me know if you need help setting this up.

     Regards,
       Mark

Re: Enable modules in Linux configuration.

[Mark H Weaver]

Hi again,

Dmitry Nikolaev <cameltheman@gmail.com> writes:

> How do I enable Reiser4 module in Linux configuration? As far as I
> know I need to add "REISER4_FS=m" to .config after running "make
> defconfig", but before "make".

Sorry, I realize that I didn't answer this question in my last message.
It might be sufficient to merely add "REISER4_FS=m" to

  gnu/packages/aux-files/linux-libre/<version>-<arch>.conf

in the Guix source tree.  However, if there are other configuration
options that need to be changed to accommodate Reiser4, then this might
not be enough.

The more general method is to unpack a copy of the linux-libre source
tree, copy the appropriate config file from the Guix source tree to
.config in the top-level linux-libre source, run "make oldconfig" (or
whichever *config target you prefer) to update the config, and then copy
the updated .config file back to the Guix source tree.

A good way to unpack the source is to run "guix build -S linux-libre"
(or your own variant package), and then "tar xf" on the returned file
name.

A good way to make sure you have the necessary software in your
environment to run "make oldconfig" is to run "guix environment
linux-libre" and then work within the spawned shell.

      Mark

Re: Enable modules in Linux configuration.

[Marius Bakke]

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Dmitry Nikolaev <cameltheman@gmail.com> writes:

> But it looks too complex for me. Is there an easier way to enable
> additional modules in Linux configuration? Shouldn't I use "extra-options"
> in make-linux-libre function? How could I do that?

I suppose we could export the various Linux-Libre variables so that the
following (untested) would work:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(use-package-modules linux)
(operating-system
  (kernel
    (make-linux-libre %linux-libre-version %linux-libre-hash
                      %intel-compatible-systems
                      #:extra-options
                      (cons ("CONFIG_REISER4" . m)
                            %default-extra-linux-options)
--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---

It would be a convenient way to add custom options and patches without
maintaing a full-blown kernel configuration on the side.

Just to cover all bases, here's what I do today for a custom
kernel configuration file next to a GuixSD 'config.scm':
 
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---
(define-module (my packages)
  #:use-module (gnu packages linux))

(define kernel-config
  (string-append (dirname (current-filename)) "/kernel.config"))

(define-public my-kernel
  (package
    (inherit linux-libre)
    (native-inputs
     `(("kconfig" ,kernel-config)
       ,@(alist-delete "kconfig"
                       (package-native-inputs linux-libre))))))

(use-modules (my packages))
(operating-system
  [...]
  (kernel my-kernel)
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

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Re: Enable modules in Linux configuration.

[Joshua Branson]

Wow!  I did not know that you could use guixSD to maintain specific 
versions of packages!  Having it manage a custom linux kernel is pretty 
awesome!


On 07/31/2017 05:39 PM, Marius Bakke wrote:
> Dmitry Nikolaev <cameltheman@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> But it looks too complex for me. Is there an easier way to enable
>> additional modules in Linux configuration? Shouldn't I use "extra-options"
>> in make-linux-libre function? How could I do that?
> I suppose we could export the various Linux-Libre variables so that the
> following (untested) would work:
>
> --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
> (use-package-modules linux)
> (operating-system
>    (kernel
>      (make-linux-libre %linux-libre-version %linux-libre-hash
>                        %intel-compatible-systems
>                        #:extra-options
>                        (cons ("CONFIG_REISER4" . m)
>                              %default-extra-linux-options)
> --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
>
> It would be a convenient way to add custom options and patches without
> maintaing a full-blown kernel configuration on the side.
>
> Just to cover all bases, here's what I do today for a custom
> kernel configuration file next to a GuixSD 'config.scm':
>   
> --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---
> (define-module (my packages)
>    #:use-module (gnu packages linux))
>
> (define kernel-config
>    (string-append (dirname (current-filename)) "/kernel.config"))
>
> (define-public my-kernel
>    (package
>      (inherit linux-libre)
>      (native-inputs
>       `(("kconfig" ,kernel-config)
>         ,@(alist-delete "kconfig"
>                         (package-native-inputs linux-libre))))))
>
> (use-modules (my packages))
> (operating-system
>    [...]
>    (kernel my-kernel)
> --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---