RHBA-2010:0242 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

Update module-init-tools packages that fix several bugs are now available.

Description

The module-init-tools package includes various programs needed for
automatic loading and unloading of modules under 2.6 and later kernels, as
well as other module management programs. Device drivers and filesystems
are two examples of loaded and unloaded modules.

The updated packages fix the following bugs:

• on Xen systems with more than one detected serial device, a race

condition could occur between simultaneously executed modprobe module
loading utilty commands if the Xen Hypervisor was blocking access or was
misconfigured. The updated packages implement a read-only filesystem
locking mechanism that prevents modprobe race conditions from
occurring. (BZ#430942)

• on systems where a driver update was removed and no compatible driver

update exists after the removal, the weak-module post-installation scripts
created symbolic links to the location of the deleted driver. This caused
problems with driver updates, and using the weak-module utility. The
updated packages ensure post-installation scripts create valid symbolic
links to installed drivers. (BZ#477089)

• on systems running Xen hypervisor compatible kernels, where the kernel is

used as a guest kernel (Dom0) and not as a host kernel (DomU), the scripts
that perform module post-install checks could re-generate an incorrect
bootloader entry for the system. In some cases, this prevented the sytem
from booting. The updated packages implement revised post-install checks,
which prevent this scenario from occurring. (BZ#509568)

All module-init-tools users are advised to upgrade to these updated
packages, which resolve these issues.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure that all previously-released
errata relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via Red Hat Network. Details on how to use
the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 430942 - [RHEL5 U2] Kernel-xen reports "Unknown symbols" during boot
• BZ - 477089 - weak-modules --remove-modules add same modules as compatible module
• BZ - 509568 - /sbin/weak-modules erroneously creates a multiboot grub entry for domU

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)