Zack's Kernel News
Zack's Kernel News

Chronicler Zack Brown reports on the latest news, views, dilemmas, and developments within the Linux kernel community.
Is It a Bug or Is It Time to Go?
Davyd McColl wanted to mount a really old Common Internet File System (CIFS) v1.0 drive but ran into a kernel bug that caused the mount to fail. He spent a few hours in Git bisecting the exact patch that caused the problem and posted his findings in the hope that a fix might be found.
CIFS is a variant of Server Message Block (SMB) introduced by Microsoft with Windows 95 in 1996. SMB in turn was developed by IBM in the 1980s. CIFS and SMB are used for sharing file repositories with other users on the same network.
This is old tech that has long since been replaced with much better options, but apparently CIFS 1.0 drives can still be found with data on them, and people like Davyd would still like to access that data. Davyd in particular remarked in his email, "Whilst I understand the desire to clean up code and remove dead branches, I'd really appreciate it if this particular feature remains available either by kernel configuration (which suits me fine, but is likely to be a hassle for anyone running a binary distribution) or via boot parameters."
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.