NDISWRAPPER and 2.6.9-1.715_FC3 task_nice issue

[headclark]

Help!

I am having a problem with NDISWRAPPER when I try to make or make rpm. I had it working under the 681_FC3 kernel before and now in 715_FC3 it's broken. I know about 4STACKS, but it has never been an issue and I do not think that is the issue here.

Here is the output when I run "make":

[root@smallville ndiswrapper-0.12]# make
make -C driver
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver'


WARNING: Kernel seems to have 4K size stack option (CONFIG_4KSTACKS) removed; many Windows drivers will need at least 8K size stacks. You should read wiki about 4K size stack issue. Don't complain about crashes until you resolve this.


make -C /lib/modules/2.6.9-1.715_FC3/build SUBDIRS=/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver \
NDISWRAPPER_VERSION=0.12 \
EXTRA_VERSION= modules
make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.9/linux-2.6.9'
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/wrapper.o
/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/wrapper.c:58: warning: `MODULE_PARM_' is deprecated (declared at include/linux/module.h:552)
/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/wrapper.c:60: warning: `MODULE_PARM_' is deprecated (declared at include/linux/module.h:552)
/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/wrapper.c:62: warning: `MODULE_PARM_' is deprecated (declared at include/linux/module.h:552)
/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/wrapper.c:64: warning: `MODULE_PARM_' is deprecated (declared at include/linux/module.h:552)
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/iw_ndis.o
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/pe_loader.o
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/ndis.o
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/ntoskernel.o
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/misc_funcs.o
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/proc.o
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/divdi3.o
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/hal.o
CC [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/usb.o
LD [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/ndiswrapper.o
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST
*** Warning: "task_nice" [/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/ndiswrapper.ko] undefined!
CC /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/ndiswrapper.mod.o
LD [M] /home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/ndiswrapper.ko
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.9/linux-2.6.9'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver'
make -C utils
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/utils'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/utils'


The problem is here:
*** Warning: "task_nice" [/home/edward/ndiswrapper-0.12/driver/ndiswrapper.ko] undefined!

How do I fix this?

[ajnabi]

downgrade your kernel is one option...

[mjman]

have you tried the latest version? I believe that version 1.0 rc1 is out.

[headclark]

same thing.

Recompiled kernel. At first was getting some lock debug issue. Went and removed that from kernel.
Now back to the task_nice issue again.

2.6.9-1.715_FC3 and ndiswrapper-1.0rc1

[headclark]

downgrading kernel to 681 works but 681 has bad USB DVD Burner issues. Need to use kernel 698_FC3 or 715_FC3.

Having same issue with both 698 and 715.

[headclark]

I have been told...
"It works with vanilla kernels. We can't support vendor-specific
kernels. You could either use vanilla kernel or (get someone to) send
patches for ndiswrapper."

So...can anyone come up with a patch for FC3?

[headclark]

From Giri:

The information about KeSetPriorityThread (NT kernel function where we
use task_nice) can be found from msdn.microsoft.com (use search
there). The priorities in NT range from 0 to 32. However, the driver
functions are expected to use 2 values: HIGH_PRIORITY (value 32),
LOW_REALTIME_PRIORITY (16). For reference, LOW_PRIORITY, which I
gather is for system schedule tasks is 1. So it looks like they use
priority values as nice values.

I know the current implementation of KeSetPriorityThread is not
correct (e.g., we just need to worry about 2 priority values, instead
of all 32), but I haven't gotten around to getting it right for all
kernels.

From Arjan:
> Arjan,
>
> Any chance you could send a patch to Giri for the task_nice issue?

nope; I'm not in a position where I can or want to help NDISWRAPPER
since it means looking at microsoft apis

> I
> really do not want to use a vanilla kernel.

the vanilla kernel as task_nice() not exported nowadays just like that
fedora kernel you pointed at.

So...at this point is there anyone out there who can solve this?

[headclark]

Using kernel 2.6.10-1.1056_FC4, ndiswrapper-1.0rc1 works fine with my Dell Truemobile 1350 on my Latitude D800.


I guess it was something in the kernel.

[georgekodinov]

Guys,
check the driver/ntoskernel.h (I'm using the rc1 source).

At line 319 it says :


319 #if LINUX_VERSION_CODE > KERNEL_VERSION(2,6,9)
320 #define task_nice(task) ((task)->static_prio - MAX_RT_PRIO - 20)
321 #endif

This however is not true for the FC3 2.6.9 patched kernels - they've apperently backported the removal of task_nice () but this is not detected by that ifdef. RH people are known to "backport" things in such a way
So to solve the issue one would :
- Use "vanilla kernel" : no backport, no problem
- Use a 2.6.10 based kernel : the define works
- Use the current 2.6.9 FC3 kernel : just change the 319 line to say :

319 #if LINUX_VERSION_CODE > KERNEL_VERSION(2,6,8)

You may also want to comment out the following lines in the driver/Makefile :

57 #ifeq ($(CONFIG_DEBUG_SPINLOCK),y)
58 #$(error CONFIG_DEBUG_SPINLOCK conflicts with ndiswrapper. Do not \
59 # complain about kernel crashes until CONFIG_DEBUG_SPINLOCK \
60 # is disabled in kernel configuration)
61 #endif

HTH

[georgekodinov]

However it's best not to rush in and wait for a later release of the ndiswrapper - after doing the above procedure I've got a kernel panic. This procedure is working however w/ the 0.12 release. So either be prepared to handle the panic or wait for the official release.

[headclark]

I am using kernel 2.6.10-1.1056_FC4, ndiswrapper-1.0rc1 works fine with my Dell Truemobile 1350 on my Latitude D800. When I did a rebuild of my kernel, I removed kernel hacking so I could avoid that spinlock message.

Was that ok to do (remove the kernel hacking part) ?

[breun]

I also got the task_nice error in dmesg when modprobing ndiswrapper on kernel-2.6.9-1.724_FC3.stk16 (stock FC3 kernel modified by Linuxant to use 16K stacks instead of 4K) using ndiswrapper 0.12. Guess I´ll stick with 2.6.9-1.681_FC3.stk16 till Fedora releases a 2.6.10 based kernel.

Or could upgrading ndiswrapper help?

[bärtil]

ndiswrapper 1.0rc2 released.. no more task_nice issue..

[headclark]

It is kernel related, I still had problems using ndiswrapper 1.0rc2 under .681.
The task_nice issue went away when I switched to kernel 2.6.10-1.1056_FC4.

[bärtil]

Changelog for ndiswrapper 1.0rc2, says task_nice is not used anymore?

Version 1.0 2005-XX-XX
======================
* Workaround for CONFIG_DEBUG_SPINLOCK, but this option is discouraged
* task_nice is not used anymore, so should compile with kernels where
  this is not exported
* More spinlock correction. Some drivers are reported to work with
  SMP. Not all drivers may work (at least Prism54 USB driver seems to
  be buggy)

* Spinlock rewrite: This time SMP should work. Really.
* Sends multiple packets (if driver supports it) in each send
  operation for better efficiency
* Most of the functionality of loader is moved to userspace tool
  loadndisdriver so it is more robust
* Encryption info is restored during disassociation; this is useful if
  ad-hoc mode is used as psuedo master mode
* MAC address can be set in .conf files (in /etc/ndiswrapper/<driver>
  directory) or changed at any time (with 'ifconfig hw class' command)
* Association and disassociation should happen quickly especially with
  wpa_supplicant
* Compilation issues with old gcc and sed are fixed
* Kernel crash when ejecting cards with cardctl in 2.4 kernels is
  fixed