# md: dead code in md\_alloc()

- From: Andrey Ryabinin \<hidden\>
- Date: 2018-09-20 16:03:41 
- List: linux-raid
- Page: https://ratatoskr.run/linux-raid/2018/09/5386327
- Thread: https://ratatoskr.run/linux-raid/2018/09/5386327/t.md

```text
Hi,
Kirill noticed that the following piece of code from md_alloc(dev, name)
is dead:
	if (name && dev)
		/*
		 * Creating /dev/mdNNN via "newarray", so adjust hold_active.
		 */
		mddev->hold_active = UNTIL_STOP;

md_alloc() is always called with either dev == 0 or name == NULL.

Judging from the commit that added this code:

039b7225e6e98783a7a7e79c52b29c437f29967d
Author: NeilBrown [ref]
Date:   Wed Apr 12 16:26:13 2017 +1000

    md: allow creation of mdNNN arrays via md_mod/parameters/new_array

and from the comment, it seems should be "if (!name && dev)".
But that would also change ->hold_active for created-by-open md devices,
and I'm not sure whether that would be a desirable change or not.
```