Bug 8265

Summary: description of CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED is a bit misleading
Product: File System Reporter: Martin Steigerwald (Martin)
Component: SysFSAssignee: Greg Kroah-Hartman (greg)
Status: REJECTED DOCUMENTED    
Severity: low    
Priority: P2    
Hardware: i386   
OS: Linux   
Kernel Version: 2.6.20.3-ck1-tp42-sws2-2.2.9.9 Subsystem:
Regression: --- Bisected commit-id:

Description Martin Steigerwald 2007-03-26 13:49:01 UTC 
Most recent kernel where this bug did *NOT* occur: 2.6.19.2 is the last I 
tested
Distribution: Debian Etch/Sid/Experimental
Hardware Environment: ThinkPad T42
Software Environment:
Problem Description:
I think the description of CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED is a bit misleading to 
people who compile their own kernels. Especially this bit:

"If you are using a distro that was released in 2006 or later,                                                             
it should be safe to say N here."

At least with the upcoming Debian Etch - not yet released! - this is not safe:
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=411960
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=410868

And it seems it is going to stay that way for Debian Etch. 

I suggest rewording it to be a bit more precise. At least add:

"If your distribution uses HAL <=0.5.8 you should instead say yes here
as those older HAL versions need these pathes."

Steps to reproduce: 
Use a distribution with HAL 0.5.8 and try to mount an USB storage device

I am using a custom built kernel with ck patchset and sws2, but that 
should not matter here.
Comment 1 Greg Kroah-Hartman 2007-03-26 14:00:32 UTC 
This has already been fixed in the 2.6.21-rc releases.
Comment 2 Martin Steigerwald 2007-03-26 14:10:56 UTC 
Does that mean that I can enable CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED again with kernel 
2.6.21 or should I leave it disabled? I did not find anything in kernel 
bugzilla and via Google.
Comment 3 Greg Kroah-Hartman 2007-03-26 14:18:35 UTC 
With 2.6.21, and an up to date Debian userspace, and CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
disabled, you should not have any problems.

If you do, please let me know.
Comment 4 Martin Steigerwald 2007-04-28 08:33:45 UTC 
Hmmm... I compiled 2.6.21.1 now and disabled CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED. I know 
again an error while trying to mount an external drive with KDE:

hal-storage-fixed-mount refused uid 1000

It worked in 2.6.20 with CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED=y.

I am not sure whether I got exact the same error message with 2.6.20 and 
disabled CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED. In my understanding HAL has a policy of 
allowing user to mount removable devices only. And it seems HAL 0.5.8 can't 
determine this correctly with CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED=n.

That is with hal 0.5.8.1-1 which is the latest I can get for debian (including 
experimental):

shambala:~> apt-cache policy hal
hal:
  Installiert:0.5.8.1-9
  M
Comment 5 Greg Kroah-Hartman 2007-09-05 06:51:25 UTC 
This is all fixed up now, right?
Comment 6 Martin Steigerwald 2007-09-19 13:44:35 UTC 
Latest one I tested was the 2.6.21.1 one I wrote about above and there it didn't work with hal from Debian Etch (Package version: 0.5.8.1-9).

I didn't test it since then. Did you change anything with CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED=y since then?

I can't test on my laptops anymore - at least not without downgrading hal -, since they already have a newer version of hal (Package version 0.5.9.1-4 from Debian Lenny), but on the workstation at work I still have the hal from Debian Etch. I can retest for you, when something with CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED=y changed since 2.6.21.1. Will need some time tough since I am swamped with TODOs ATM.

Please note Debian Etch's hal will most likely stay at 0.5.8 for the whole lifetime of this stable release of Debian.