main
1#!/usr/bin/env bash
2# check-firmware-usage.sh
3# Analyzes which firmware is actually loaded/needed on your system
4
5set -euo pipefail
6
7# Colors
8BOLD='\033[1m'
9GREEN='\033[0;32m'
10YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
11CYAN='\033[0;36m'
12NC='\033[0m'
13
14echo -e "${BOLD}=== Firmware Usage Analysis ===${NC}"
15echo ""
16
17# 1. Check what firmware files are actually loaded
18echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}1. Firmware Files Currently Loaded${NC}"
19echo "---"
20echo "Checking dmesg for firmware loading..."
21echo ""
22
23LOADED_FW=$(dmesg | grep -i "firmware" | grep -i "load" | grep -v "failed" | sort -u || echo "")
24if [ -n "$LOADED_FW" ]; then
25 echo "$LOADED_FW" | while read -r line; do
26 # Extract firmware filename
27 fw=$(echo "$line" | grep -oP '(?<=firmware: ).*?(?=\s|$)' || echo "$line")
28 echo -e " ${GREEN}✓${NC} $fw"
29 done
30else
31 echo " No firmware load messages found in dmesg"
32fi
33echo ""
34
35# 2. Check for firmware loading failures
36echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}2. Firmware Loading Failures (if any)${NC}"
37echo "---"
38FAILED_FW=$(dmesg | grep -i "firmware" | grep -iE "fail|error|not found" | sort -u || echo "")
39if [ -n "$FAILED_FW" ]; then
40 echo "$FAILED_FW" | while read -r line; do
41 fw=$(echo "$line" | grep -oP '(?<=firmware: ).*?(?=\s|$)' || echo "$line")
42 echo -e " ${YELLOW}⚠${NC} $fw"
43 done
44else
45 echo -e " ${GREEN}✓ No firmware failures detected${NC}"
46fi
47echo ""
48
49# 3. Identify hardware that typically needs firmware
50echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}3. Hardware Components${NC}"
51echo "---"
52
53echo -e "${YELLOW}WiFi/Wireless:${NC}"
54lspci | grep -iE "network|wireless|wifi|802.11" || echo " None found via lspci"
55lsusb | grep -iE "network|wireless|wifi|802.11" || echo " None found via lsusb"
56echo ""
57
58echo -e "${YELLOW}Graphics:${NC}"
59lspci | grep -iE "vga|3d|display|graphics" || echo " None found"
60echo ""
61
62echo -e "${YELLOW}Bluetooth:${NC}"
63lsusb | grep -i bluetooth || lspci | grep -i bluetooth || echo " None found"
64echo ""
65
66echo -e "${YELLOW}Sound/Audio:${NC}"
67lspci | grep -i audio || echo " None found"
68echo ""
69
70# 4. Check loaded kernel modules
71echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}4. Loaded Kernel Modules (firmware-heavy drivers)${NC}"
72echo "---"
73
74MODULES=$(lsmod | tail -n +2 | awk '{print $1}' | sort)
75
76# Common modules that need firmware
77FW_MODULES=(
78 "iwlwifi" # Intel WiFi
79 "ath10k" # Atheros WiFi
80 "ath9k" # Atheros WiFi
81 "rtw88" # Realtek WiFi
82 "mt76" # MediaTek WiFi
83 "brcmfmac" # Broadcom WiFi
84 "btusb" # Bluetooth
85 "i915" # Intel graphics
86 "amdgpu" # AMD graphics
87 "nouveau" # Nvidia (open)
88 "nvidia" # Nvidia (proprietary)
89 "snd_hda" # HD Audio
90)
91
92echo "Firmware-dependent modules currently loaded:"
93for mod in "${FW_MODULES[@]}"; do
94 if echo "$MODULES" | grep -q "^${mod}"; then
95 echo -e " ${GREEN}✓${NC} $mod"
96 fi
97done
98echo ""
99
100# 5. List firmware files in /lib/firmware
101echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}5. Firmware Files Present in /lib/firmware${NC}"
102echo "---"
103if [ -d /lib/firmware ]; then
104 FW_COUNT=$(find /lib/firmware -type f 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
105 FW_SIZE=$(du -sh /lib/firmware 2>/dev/null | cut -f1)
106 echo "Total firmware files: $FW_COUNT"
107 echo "Total size: $FW_SIZE"
108 echo ""
109
110 echo "Largest firmware directories:"
111 du -sh /lib/firmware/* 2>/dev/null | sort -rh | head -10
112else
113 echo " /lib/firmware not found"
114fi
115echo ""
116
117# 6. Check what's actually being used from linux-firmware
118echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}6. Specific Firmware Recommendations${NC}"
119echo "---"
120
121RECOMMENDATIONS=""
122
123# Check for Intel WiFi
124if echo "$MODULES" | grep -q "^iwlwifi"; then
125 RECOMMENDATIONS="${RECOMMENDATIONS}hardware.firmware = [ pkgs.linux-firmware ]; # Intel WiFi (iwlwifi)\n"
126fi
127
128# Check for AMD GPU
129if lspci | grep -q "AMD.*Radeon\|AMD.*Graphics" || echo "$MODULES" | grep -q "^amdgpu"; then
130 RECOMMENDATIONS="${RECOMMENDATIONS}hardware.firmware = [ pkgs.linux-firmware ]; # AMD GPU needs firmware\n"
131fi
132
133# Check for Atheros WiFi
134if echo "$MODULES" | grep -qE "^ath10k|^ath9k"; then
135 RECOMMENDATIONS="${RECOMMENDATIONS}hardware.firmware = [ pkgs.linux-firmware ]; # Atheros WiFi\n"
136fi
137
138# Check for Realtek
139if lspci | grep -qi "realtek" || echo "$MODULES" | grep -q "^rtw"; then
140 RECOMMENDATIONS="${RECOMMENDATIONS}hardware.firmware = [ pkgs.linux-firmware ]; # Realtek devices\n"
141fi
142
143# Check for Broadcom
144if lspci | grep -qi "broadcom" || echo "$MODULES" | grep -q "^brcm"; then
145 RECOMMENDATIONS="${RECOMMENDATIONS}hardware.firmware = [ pkgs.linux-firmware ]; # Broadcom WiFi\n"
146fi
147
148# Check for Intel graphics
149if lspci | grep -q "Intel.*Graphics\|Intel.*VGA" || echo "$MODULES" | grep -q "^i915"; then
150 echo -e "${GREEN}✓${NC} Intel graphics detected - usually works without firmware"
151fi
152
153if [ -n "$RECOMMENDATIONS" ]; then
154 echo ""
155 echo -e "${YELLOW}Based on your hardware, you likely need:${NC}"
156 echo ""
157 echo -e "$RECOMMENDATIONS"
158else
159 echo ""
160 echo -e "${GREEN}✓${NC} No obvious firmware dependencies detected"
161 echo " Your hardware might work fine without linux-firmware package"
162fi
163
164echo ""
165echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}7. NixOS Configuration Recommendations${NC}"
166echo "---"
167
168cat << 'EOF'
169For a laptop, you have several options:
170
171Option 1: Keep redistributable firmware (safest for laptops)
172 hardware.enableRedistributableFirmware = true;
173 # Includes: WiFi, Bluetooth, GPU firmware (~730MB)
174
175Option 2: Minimal firmware (if WiFi/GPU work without it)
176 hardware.enableRedistributableFirmware = false;
177 hardware.firmware = with pkgs; [
178 # Only include what you actually need, e.g.:
179 # wireless-regdb # Regulatory database for WiFi
180 ];
181
182Option 3: Disable entirely (test carefully!)
183 hardware.enableRedistributableFirmware = false;
184 # Only works if all hardware functions without firmware
185
186To test Option 2 or 3:
1871. Boot with current config
1882. Test all hardware (WiFi, Bluetooth, suspend/resume, graphics)
1893. Check 'dmesg | grep -i firmware' for failures
1904. If anything breaks, revert to Option 1
191EOF
192
193echo ""
194echo -e "${BOLD}Next Steps:${NC}"
195echo "1. Review the loaded firmware and hardware above"
196echo "2. Choose a configuration option"
197echo "3. Test thoroughly before committing to production"
198echo ""