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Regression, i.MX7 boot failure, Linux v6.1.77

DISCUSSION Francesco Dolcini 2 participants 2 messages Feb 13, 2024

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Hello Sasha,
kernel v6.1.77 introduces a regression, with a boot failure, on i.MX7, with commit db30f469ae8b ("ARM: dts: imx7s: Fix nand-controller #size-cells").

The issue is known [1][2], changing #size-cells = <0> is formally correct, but do not play well with the firmware that are deployed on those embedded devices, leading to a boot failure.

A mitigation was implemented in the Linux kernel,
commit 84549c816dc3 ("mtd: parsers: ofpart: add workaround for #size-cells 0") that was merged into v6.3, the firmware was also fixed, however existing device using old firmware will not boot anymore if updating to a newer kernel.

I would ask you to drop such a patch from any stable patches queue and not backport it to any older kernel.

To fix v6.1.y I see two options:
- backport 84549c816dc3
- revert db30f469ae8b

What do you prefer? Should I send myself a patch?

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/
[2] https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

Francesco

#1 lore raw
Quoted 14 lines · Francesco Dolcini

Hello Sasha,
kernel v6.1.77 introduces a regression, with a boot failure, on i.MX7, with commit db30f469ae8b ("ARM: dts: imx7s: Fix nand-controller #size-cells").

The issue is known [1][2], changing #size-cells = <0> is formally correct, but do not play well with the firmware that are deployed on those embedded devices, leading to a boot failure.

A mitigation was implemented in the Linux kernel,
commit 84549c816dc3 ("mtd: parsers: ofpart: add workaround for #size-cells 0") that was merged into v6.3, the firmware was also fixed, however existing device using old firmware will not boot anymore if updating to a newer kernel.

Quoted 8 lines

I would ask you to drop such a patch from any stable patches queue and not backport it to any older kernel.

To fix v6.1.y I see two options:
- backport 84549c816dc3
- revert db30f469ae8b

What do you prefer? Should I send myself a patch?

Backport would be best, that way we are in sync with newer releases.

I'll go queue it up now, thanks.

greg k-h