X-Git-Url: http://demsky.eecs.uci.edu/git/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=REPORTING-BUGS;h=0cb8cdfa63bcf0837582d5db2a443d511e5ddf48;hb=32665f2bbfed2e325d37236d9b0071a11a69124e;hp=6ed518b6f71565e9fab85e2adc8166759039531c;hpb=d60418bce5a2afe4ea838cda6a59c74ba8837c3f;p=firefly-linux-kernel-4.4.55.git diff --git a/REPORTING-BUGS b/REPORTING-BUGS index 6ed518b6f715..0cb8cdfa63bc 100644 --- a/REPORTING-BUGS +++ b/REPORTING-BUGS @@ -1,3 +1,25 @@ +Background +========== + +The upstream Linux kernel maintainers only fix bugs for specific kernel +versions. Those versions include the current "release candidate" (or -rc) +kernel, any "stable" kernel versions, and any "long term" kernels. + +Please see https://www.kernel.org/ for a list of supported kernels. Any +kernel marked with [EOL] is "end of life" and will not have any fixes +backported to it. + +If you've found a bug on a kernel version isn't listed on kernel.org, +contact your Linux distribution or embedded vendor for support. +Alternatively, you can attempt to run one of the supported stable or -rc +kernels, and see if you can reproduce the bug on that. It's preferable +to reproduce the bug on the latest -rc kernel. + + +How to report Linux kernel bugs +=============================== + + Identify the problematic subsystem ---------------------------------- @@ -42,24 +64,38 @@ information on the linux-kernel mailing list see http://www.tux.org/lkml/). -[Some of this is taken from Frohwalt Egerer's original linux-kernel FAQ] +Tips for reporting bugs +----------------------- + +If you haven't reported a bug before, please read: + +http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html +http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html + +It's REALLY important to report bugs that seem unrelated as separate email +threads or separate bugzilla entries. If you report several unrelated +bugs at once, it's difficult for maintainers to tease apart the relevant +data. -What follows is a suggested procedure for reporting Linux bugs. You aren't -obliged to use the bug reporting format, it is provided as a guide to the -kind of information that can be useful to developers - no more. -If the failure includes an "OOPS:" type message in your log or on screen -please read "Documentation/oops-tracing.txt" before posting your bug -report. This explains what you should do with the "Oops" information to -make it useful to the recipient. +Gather information +------------------ -If it occurs repeatably try and describe how to recreate it. That is worth -even more than the oops itself. +The most important information in a bug report is how to reproduce the +bug. This includes system information, and (most importantly) +step-by-step instructions for how a user can trigger the bug. -This is a suggested format for a bug report sent to the Linux kernel mailing -list. Having a standardized bug report form makes it easier for you not to +If the failure includes an "OOPS:", take a picture of the screen, capture +a netconsole trace, or type the message from your screen into the bug +report. Please read "Documentation/oops-tracing.txt" before posting your +bug report. This explains what you should do with the "Oops" information +to make it useful to the recipient. + +This is a suggested format for a bug report sent via email or bugzilla. +Having a standardized bug report form makes it easier for you not to overlook things, and easier for the developers to find the pieces of -information they're really interested in. Don't feel you have to follow it. +information they're really interested in. If some information is not +relevant to your bug, feel free to exclude it. First run the ver_linux script included as scripts/ver_linux, which reports the version of some important subsystems. Run this script with @@ -93,4 +129,46 @@ summary from [1.]>" for easy identification by the developers. [X.] Other notes, patches, fixes, workarounds: -Thank you +Follow up +========= + +Expectations for bug reporters +------------------------------ + +Linux kernel maintainers expect bug reporters to be able to follow up on +bug reports. That may include running new tests, applying patches, +recompiling your kernel, and/or re-triggering your bug. The most +frustrating thing for maintainers is for someone to report a bug, and then +never follow up on a request to try out a fix. + +That said, it's still useful for a kernel maintainer to know a bug exists +on a supported kernel, even if you can't follow up with retests. Follow +up reports, such as replying to the email thread with "I tried the latest +kernel and I can't reproduce my bug anymore" are also helpful, because +maintainers have to assume silence means things are still broken. + +Expectations for kernel maintainers +----------------------------------- + +Linux kernel maintainers are busy, overworked human beings. Some times +they may not be able to address your bug in a day, a week, or two weeks. +If they don't answer your email, they may be on vacation, or at a Linux +conference. Check the conference schedule at LWN.net for more info: + https://lwn.net/Calendar/ + +In general, kernel maintainers take 1 to 5 business days to respond to +bugs. The majority of kernel maintainers are employed to work on the +kernel, and they may not work on the weekends. Maintainers are scattered +around the world, and they may not work in your time zone. Unless you +have a high priority bug, please wait at least a week after the first bug +report before sending the maintainer a reminder email. + +The exceptions to this rule are regressions, kernel crashes, security holes, +or userspace breakage caused by new kernel behavior. Those bugs should be +addressed by the maintainers ASAP. If you suspect a maintainer is not +responding to these types of bugs in a timely manner (especially during a +merge window), escalate the bug to LKML and Linus Torvalds. + +Thank you! + +[Some of this is taken from Frohwalt Egerer's original linux-kernel FAQ]