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Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

https://www.forum.mxlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=81315

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Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 11:15 am
by shmu26
In the MX Cleanup tool, there is an option to remove unused WiFi drivers.
I ticked that option, and now I want to reinstall the removed drivers, in order to create a MX snapshot suitable for installation on different hardware.
Which drivers might I have removed?
My system has a wired connection, so I don't really use any wifi drivers at the moment.

Code: Select all

Snapshot created on: 20240716_1911
System:
  Kernel: 6.9.9-1-liquorix-amd64 [6.9-8~mx23ahs] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0 parameters: audit=0
    intel_pstate=disable BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.9.9-1-liquorix-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro
    quiet splash
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 wm: kwin_wayland vt: 8 dm: SDDM Distro: MX-23.3_x64 Libretto
    August 26 2023 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: ASUSTeK model: PRIME B365M-A v: Rev X.0x serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends v: 2208 date: 07/09/2021
Battery:
  ID-1: hidpp_battery_0 charge: 92% condition: N/A volts: 4.1 min: N/A model: Logitech G903
    LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Mouse w/ HERO type: N/A serial: <filter> status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-9700 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Coffee Lake gen: core 9 level: v3
    note: check built: 2018 process: Intel 14nm family: 6 model-id: 0x9E (158) stepping: 0xD (13)
    microcode: 0xFC
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 8 smt: <unsupported> cache: L1: 512 KiB desc: d-8x32 KiB; i-8x32 KiB
    L2: 2 MiB desc: 8x256 KiB L3: 12 MiB desc: 1x12 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 3000 min/max: N/A cores: 1: 3000 2: 3000 3: 3000 4: 3000 5: 3000 6: 3000
    7: 3000 8: 3000 bogomips: 48000
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling mitigation: Microcode
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: Split huge pages
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT disabled
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed mitigation: Enhanced IBRS
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced / Automatic IBRS; IBPB: conditional; RSB filling;
    PBRSB-eIBRS: SW sequence; BHI: SW loop, KVM: SW loop
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort mitigation: TSX disabled
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel CoffeeLake-S GT2 [UHD Graphics 630] vendor: ASUSTeK driver: i915 v: kernel
    arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20 ports: active: HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-2 empty: DP-1
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:3e98 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: USB C Video Adaptor type: USB driver: N/A bus-ID: 1-3.1.1:7 chip-ID: 25a4:9321
    class-ID: 1100 serial: <filter>
  Device-3: Microdia USB Live camera type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-3.4:8
    chip-ID: 0c45:636b class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 compositor: kwin_wayland
    driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 d-rect: 3840x1080
    display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 pos: primary,left res: 1920x1080 size: N/A modes: N/A
  Monitor-2: HDMI-A-2 pos: right res: 1920x1080 size: N/A modes: N/A
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 23.1.2-1~mx23ahs renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 630 (CFL GT2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 200 Series PCH HD Audio vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    bus-ID: 1-3.4:8 alternate: snd_soc_avs chip-ID: 0c45:636b class-ID: 0102 bus-ID: 00:1f.3
    chip-ID: 8086:a2f0 serial: <filter> class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Microdia USB Live camera type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo
  API: ALSA v: k6.9.9-1-liquorix-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: ASUSTeK PRIME B450M-A
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: e000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
    chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter type: USB driver: r8152 bus-ID: 2-3.1:4
    chip-ID: 0bda:8153 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
  IF: eth1 state: down mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-1: virbr0 state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: unknown mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-2: vnet0 state: unknown speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Cambridge Silicon Radio Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode) type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8
    bus-ID: 1-9:4 chip-ID: 0a12:0001 class-ID: e001
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 2.1 lmp-v: 4.0
    sub-v: 22bb hci-v: 4.0 rev: 22bb
  Info: acl-mtu: 310:10 sco-mtu: 64:8 link-policy: rswitch hold sniff park
    link-mode: peripheral accept service-classes: rendering, capturing, object transfer, audio,
    telephony
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 2.26 TiB used: 1021.6 GiB (44.2%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Kingston model: SA400S37480G size: 447.13 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: K1B3 scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Toshiba model: HDWD120 size: 1.82 TiB block-size:
    physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter> rev: ACF0
    scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 44.46 GiB size: 43.46 GiB (97.75%) used: 15.47 GiB (35.6%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda7 maj-min: 8:7
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 100 MiB size: 98.4 MiB (98.42%) used: 48.4 MiB (49.1%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 150 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 7.75 GiB used: 832.2 MiB (10.5%) priority: 100 dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 41.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2771 libs: 1479 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://it.mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
    2: deb http://it.mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm ahs
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/polychromatic.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/teamviewer.list
    1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/teamviewer-keyring.gpg] https://linux.teamviewer.com/deb stable main
Info:
  Processes: 375 Uptime: 7h 36m wakeups: 31 Memory: 15.49 GiB used: 10.12 GiB (65.3%)
  Init: SysVinit v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0
  alt: 12 Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

Re: Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"  [Solved]

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 11:42 am
by DukeComposed
shmu26 wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2024 11:15 am In the MX Cleanup tool, there is an option to remove unused WiFi drivers.
I ticked that option, and now I want to reinstall the removed drivers, in order to create a MX snapshot suitable for installation on different hardware.
Which drivers might I have removed?
If you re-open MX Cleanup and try to remove the unused wifi drivers a second time, you'll see what the script does and it will print out what it's looking to remove:

Code: Select all

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Package 'rtl8812au-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'rtl8814au-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'rtl8821au-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'rtl8821cu-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'rtl8821ce-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'broadcom-sta-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Press any key to close

Re: Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 11:50 am
by j2mcgreg
I don't think it works how you have envisaged it. The drivers in the kernel are read by the installer, the appropriate ones are then rewritten into your install and those copies are what can be removed, while the actual drivers in the kernel remain intact. When you install your snapshot on a new machine the process will repeat.

Re: Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 12:26 pm
by dolphin_oracle
j2mcgreg wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2024 11:50 am I don't think it works how you have envisaged it. The drivers in the kernel are read by the installer, the appropriate ones are then rewritten into your install and those copies are what can be removed, while the actual drivers in the kernel remain intact. When you install your snapshot on a new machine the process will repeat.
That is totally not how it works.

The tool only works on drivers and installed via DKMS, which by definition are not in kernel.

Once the packages are removed. The kernel modules are most certainly gone.

Anything built into the kernel is not affected

Re: Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 12:57 pm
by j2mcgreg
@dolphin_oracle wrote:
Anything built into the kernel is not affected
That's what i was trying to say, but I obviously didn't do so correctly.

Re: Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 1:29 pm
by MXRobo
Really reaching - and Duke's seems to satisfy, but possibly - - Live boot any unaltered MX distro onto computer to be installed to (even DL'd without checking hash), run QSI, under QSI's Network, find what that computer requires.

Not sure this would work, the reason that I state to TRY it this way, is because I don't know if the altered (removed) distro's QSI would indicate what is required, e.g. Device-1: Intel Wireless 8265 / 8275 driver: iwlwifi n/a (not available) or something similar.

Again, really reaching.

Re: Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 1:54 pm
by dolphin_oracle
j2mcgreg wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2024 12:57 pm @dolphin_oracle wrote:
Anything built into the kernel is not affected
That's what i was trying to say, but I obviously didn't do so correctly.
My bad sorry.

Re: Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 2:49 pm
by Stevo
Making it even more complex, some of those Realtek devices are now supported in kernels >= 6.2, so the DKMS builds will stop themselves on those kernels...with an "error" message to boot.

Re: Which drivers are subject to "Remove unused WiFi drivers"

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 3:31 pm
by shmu26
DukeComposed wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2024 11:42 am
shmu26 wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2024 11:15 am In the MX Cleanup tool, there is an option to remove unused WiFi drivers.
I ticked that option, and now I want to reinstall the removed drivers, in order to create a MX snapshot suitable for installation on different hardware.
Which drivers might I have removed?
If you re-open MX Cleanup and try to remove the unused wifi drivers a second time, you'll see what the script does and it will print out what it's looking to remove:

Code: Select all

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Package 'rtl8812au-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'rtl8814au-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'rtl8821au-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'rtl8821cu-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'rtl8821ce-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'broadcom-sta-dkms' is not installed, so not removed
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Press any key to close
I did this, and the driver it said is not installed, and therefore will not be removed, is
rtl8821cu-dkms
regarding the other ones, I already guessed that they used to be on my system, so I already manually reinstalled them.
Question about rtl8821cu-dkms:
the description says it is for kernels up to 5:17. We are way past that now, so I probably don't need this driver for a new computer, right?
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