simple-cdd: Non-free firmware is included in Buster image, but not in Bullseye image

[Scott]

Hi everyone,

I have a simple-cdd project which I currently run on Buster to build a
Buster image. It includes one non-free firmware package
(firmware-iwlwifi) in the image. That package is listed in my .packages
file.

When the project is run on Bullseye to build a Bullseye image though,
that firmware package is not included in the image, although I want it
to be.

Maybe I'm missing something simple or obvious, but I can't see it.

The project is here if that's any use:
https://github.com/countermeasure/basic-box/

I filed this bug report describing the problem further, but the only
reply to it recommends exporting FORCE_FIRMWARE=1 as a solution, which I
tried but found not to work:

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=995986

So I have two (related) questions:

1) Does anyone have any advice for getting a simple-cdd project which
successfully includes some non-free firmware when run on Buster to also
include that firmware when run on Bullseye; and

2) Can anyone confirm that simple-cdd is able to include non-free
firmware when run on Bullseye, and maybe point me to a working example
of that?

Thanks,

Scott

[Daniel Leidert]

Hi Scott,

Post by Scott
I have a simple-cdd project which I currently run on Buster to build a
Buster image. It includes one non-free firmware package
(firmware-iwlwifi) in the image. That package is listed in my .packages
file.
When the project is run on Bullseye to build a Bullseye image though,
that firmware package is not included in the image, although I want it
to be.

I'll test it soon.

Post by Scott
Maybe I'm missing something simple or obvious, but I can't see it.
https://github.com/countermeasure/basic-box/

JFTR: I have this project setup:
https://salsa.debian.org/dleidert/cdd

I keep profiles for different purposes . I also keep profiles for different
(end-user) targets in separate (private) branches. So this project only
contains the basic profiles to mix them together. I like your setup for a full
encryption. I'd like to add this to my project in a separate profile.

Or maybe we can move these profiles back into simple-cdd so every user can
benefit of them.

Post by Scott
I filed this bug report describing the problem further, but the only
reply to it recommends exporting FORCE_FIRMWARE=1 as a solution, which I
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=995986

https://lists.debian.org/debian-cd/2021/02/msg00026.html

BTW: You have a typo in your preseed file (di -> d-i down at grub-installer's
bootdev)

Regards, Daniel

[Scott]

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for the link to your "cdd" project. I tried it out on a machine
running Bullseye to see what I could learn, and noticed two things:

1) I think it was trying to build a Buster image, even when running on
Bullseye; and

2) It kept crashing before actually building the image.

Perhaps the crashes were due to being run on Bullseye rather than
Buster, or maybe it was some mistake I was making.

Anyway, at the moment my key concern is whether it's possible to include
firmware in a Bullseye image built by simple-cdd on a Bullseye machine.
I'm wondering if there's a bug stopping that.

So my questions are:

1) Have you ever used your "cdd" project to build a Bullseye image which
included firmware on a Bullseye machine?

2) And do you know of any other projects which have successfully used
simple-cdd to build a Bullseye image which included firmware on a
Bullseye machine?

Cheers,

Scott

P.S. Thanks for picking up that di / d-i typo in my code. Interestingly,
it hasn't been causing me any problems, but I'll look into it :)