Bug 1624574 - Kernel bug on GPD WiFi Driver on Kernel Versions +4.18
Summary: Kernel bug on GPD WiFi Driver on Kernel Versions +4.18
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED INSUFFICIENT_DATA
Alias: None
Product: Fedora
Classification: Fedora
Component: kernel
Version: 28
Hardware: x86_64
OS: Linux
unspecified
high
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Kernel Maintainer List
QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2018-09-01 17:10 UTC by Alphakarem
Modified: 2019-02-21 21:12 UTC (History)
16 users (show)

Fixed In Version:
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed: 2019-02-21 21:12:51 UTC
Type: Bug
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)
dmesg log (62.77 KB, text/plain)
2018-09-03 21:55 UTC, Alphakarem
no flags Details
dmesg log 4.18.6 (64.07 KB, text/plain)
2018-09-06 12:09 UTC, Alphakarem
no flags Details
brcm firmware list (2.60 KB, text/plain)
2018-09-16 13:07 UTC, Alphakarem
no flags Details

Description Alphakarem 2018-09-01 17:10:46 UTC
Description of problem:
Kernel Versions starting from 4.18 (could possibly be affected in Versions 4.17) breaks functionality of WiFi Driver on GPD system

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
Fedora 28 Workstation x86_64

How reproducible:
Upgrade Kernel to latest distribution versions (currently at version 4.19) and reboot to apply new Kernel, try to connect to WiFi and you can't get the WiFi adapter to connect to any network.
Reboot and choose a lower kernel (version 4.16.3-301-fc28.x86_64 in my case) and it works well.

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Upgrade Kernel and reboot to apply.
2.try to connect to a wireless network, adapter fails and never connect.
3.Downgrade or choose a previous version like 4.16.3-301-fc28.x86_64
4.Reboot
5.Wireless card registers and works fine.

Actual results:
Newer Kernel breaks wireless adapter functionality.

Expected results:
Newer version should work and shouldn't break current adapters functionality.

Additional info:
Any debugging or dmesg log entries are available as well as any testings required.

Comment 1 Hans de Goede 2018-09-02 12:58:31 UTC
GPD makes multiple systems, are you seeing this on a "GPD win", a "GPD win 2" or a "GPD pocket" ?

Comment 2 Alphakarem 2018-09-03 15:02:43 UTC
The system I have is GDP Pocket .

Comment 3 Hans de Goede 2018-09-03 15:16:26 UTC
Ok, I've a GPD win myself and the hardware is very similar, still I cannot reproduce this.

I've asked a friend with a pocket if I can borrow it. In the mean time can you attach the output of "dmesg" after booting a 4.18 kernel, perhaps there are some hints in there what is the problem.

Comment 4 Alphakarem 2018-09-03 21:55:34 UTC
Created attachment 1480604 [details]
dmesg log

dmesg log for kernel version 4.17

Comment 5 Alphakarem 2018-09-03 22:01:58 UTC
I have uploaded the full dmesg log so I wouldn't clutter the thread.

This dmesg log is for version 4.17.19-200.fc28.x86_64 which is experincing the bug as well.

If version 4.18 is needed for troubleshooting, please guide me to where to install it from Fedora official repos.

Comment 6 Hans de Goede 2018-09-06 07:24:10 UTC
Your logs contain a NULL pointer exception which is weird

4.17.19 does not boot on my GPD win at all, which is weird.

So I install 4.18.6 from:

https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=1142233

And gave that a try and it works for me. Can you try that version? Installation instructions are here:

https://fedorapeople.org/~jwrdegoede/kernel-test-instructions.txt

Comment 7 Alphakarem 2018-09-06 12:09:58 UTC
Created attachment 1481275 [details]
dmesg log 4.18.6

ver. 4.18.6-300 still have the same bug.

Comment 8 Alphakarem 2018-09-15 12:32:34 UTC
Any updates on this please ?

Comment 9 Hans de Goede 2018-09-16 08:03:53 UTC
I've tried to reproduce this on a GPD pocket which I lend from a friend, but it works fine for me. So I've no idea what is going on here.

Comment 10 Hans de Goede 2018-09-16 08:05:04 UTC
Did you perhaps manually add the clm_blob file to /lib/firmware/brcm ?

Comment 11 Alphakarem 2018-09-16 13:07:50 UTC
Created attachment 1483687 [details]
brcm firmware list

This is everything I have in the brcm firmware directory.

Comment 12 Alphakarem 2018-09-16 13:17:42 UTC
Something to note ... I have downloaded the latest brcmfmac4356-pcie.txt file from https://fedorapeople.org/~jwrdegoede/brcmfmac4356-pcie.txt, this current file has a sha1sum of bd073e23cba9a2261b94a2bc21849dad4abc6e74, while the previous file i had, had sha1sum of 67e036e3881d8272eafcd223245e7bb2fa1ab2d2.
This is indicating of course a change but I am not able to "see" the diff, perhaps another set of eyes can help ? ... I am not sure if this even makes a difference in this case.

Comment 13 Alphakarem 2018-09-17 00:59:18 UTC
UPDATE :
========

I have installed kernel 4.16.16-300.fc28.x86_64 from koji which is the latest in the 4.16 family and I had no issues, in fact this kernel seems to be a bit faster in response.

Then I installed Kernel version 4.17.2.200.fc28.x86_64 which is the next build after the previously mentioned kernel version and I faced the same issue, which indicate something has changed between those 2 builds to break the brcmfmac driver.

I hope this helps in trying to identify the problem ... perhaps a diff between the 2 versions sources could help ? ... I am not an expert by any means, but I am trying to help as much as I can.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Comment 14 Hans de Goede 2018-09-17 08:23:44 UTC
(In reply to Alphakarem from comment #11)
> Created attachment 1483687 [details]
> brcm firmware list
> 
> This is everything I have in the brcm firmware directory.

Hmm, so no clm_blob file (which is fine). I'm afraid I've no idea why the driver stops working for you in 4.17.x and 4.18.x .

Comment 15 Alphakarem 2018-09-17 14:14:42 UTC
:) @Hans ... you are the GURU for the GPD line, all the materials online point to your name and your kernel build ! who else would know ! LOL

Well, do you think if I use one of your builds it might help in getting it working, or perhaps in limiting where the problem is ?

Or is there anything I can do to try to help in the troubleshooting ? 
I will be more than happy to try any patches if we can have a look on the changes that happened between the latest 4.16.x family and the 4.17.x.

And I can enable any debugging needed on the Kernel boot parameters if you can guide me.

Thanks in advance.

Comment 16 Hans de Goede 2018-09-17 15:35:39 UTC
Sorry, but I'm afraid I do not have time to look further into this atm.

Comment 17 Justin M. Forbes 2019-01-29 16:25:04 UTC
*********** MASS BUG UPDATE **************

We apologize for the inconvenience.  There are a large number of bugs to go through and several of them have gone stale.  Due to this, we are doing a mass bug update across all of the Fedora 28 kernel bugs.

Fedora 28 has now been rebased to 4.20.5-100.fc28.  Please test this kernel update (or newer) and let us know if you issue has been resolved or if it is still present with the newer kernel.

If you have moved on to Fedora 29, and are still experiencing this issue, please change the version to Fedora 29.

If you experience different issues, please open a new bug report for those.

Comment 18 Justin M. Forbes 2019-02-21 21:12:51 UTC
*********** MASS BUG UPDATE **************
This bug is being closed with INSUFFICIENT_DATA as there has not been a response in 3 weeks. If you are still experiencing this issue, please reopen and attach the relevant data from the latest kernel you are running and any data that might have been requested previously.


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