Subject: Re: [PATCH] pch_gbe: Use a randomly generated MAC instead of failing probe

From: Alan Cox <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:31:10 +0000

> Saving MAC address into external ROM is generic method, I think.
> Though I know the ROM-less system using eg20t-pch, however I think
> this system is not common.
> So, I think pch_gbe shouldn't have auto-mac address assignment.

The problem is the module load fails for those cases. You cannot load
the module and use the standard ifconfig eth0 hw aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff
interface. The better fix might be to make sure it loads.

So change from

        memcpy(netdev->dev_addr, adapter->hw.mac.addr,
        netdev->addr_len);   
        if (!is_valid_ether_addr(netdev->dev_addr)) {
                dev_err(&pdev->dev, "Invalid MAC Address\n");
                ret = -EIO; 
                goto err_free_adapter;
        }

to just printing a warning, and check the current address when a user
tries to ifconfig it up and refuse to allow the port to go active.

Alan