168c:002e [Sony VAIO VPCF11KFX] Error with wireless network activity

[Serge Hallyn]

So far trying to dput a kernel, and trying to post this bug report have both continuously brought up this error, after which i have to bring the network down and back up (using network manager). It was getting to the point where it only took a second or two of activity to bring it down.

Wired network seems fine so far.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: linux-image-3.5.0-19-generic 3.5.0-19.30
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-19.30-generic 3.5.7
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-19-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu6
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: serge 2989 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: serge 2989 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Wed Dec 12 10:27:06 2012
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=9fb60ad6-789f-4542-8831-462512f0425e
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-03-24 (262 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Alpha amd64 (20120323)
MachineType: Sony Corporation VPCF11KFX
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=rxvt
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 VESA VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-19-generic root=UUID=ab404185-0c14-4e92-9f61-666764289233 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.5.0-19-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.5.0-19-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.95
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to quantal on 2012-12-03 (8 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 12/07/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: R0250Y6
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: VAIO
dmi.board.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.board.version: N/A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrR0250Y6:bd12/07/2009:svnSonyCorporation:pnVPCF11KFX:pvrR5840006:rvnSonyCorporation:rnVAIO:rvrN/A:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: VPCF11KFX
dmi.product.version: R5840006
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

Serge, I've placed some debug -raring kernels in http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~cking/lp-1089470/ for you to try. This way you get to try out the latest raring kernel and I have added some debug to see what is happening to the embedded controller when it gets into a time out condition.

Let me know if the raring kernel helps, and if you see any "ACPI EC" debug messages appear in the kernel log.

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

The kernel doesn't help with wireless issues, but I did not see any ACPI EC messages.

I've since seen that another quantal laptop (thinkpad) has the same issue, and only with the same AP. However another (windows) laptop does not.

So there's likely something wrong in quantal but I can't actually pin the kernel to blame right now.

I will upgrade this laptop (the sony) to full raring to see if the userspace helps. Not sure if this bug should be marked invalid for now.

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

I suspect it is a kernel bug in Quantal, I'd like to put the debug into a Quantal kernel and see why the EC is timing out. The GPE that kicks the handler is not occurring which is strange.

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

I suspect it is a kernel bug in Quantal, I'd like to put the debug into a Quantal kernel and see why the EC is timing out. The GPE that kicks the handler is not occurring which is strange.

If you are willing to try, I've put some Quantal debug kernel packages here: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~cking/lp-1089470/quantal/

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

Quoting Colin King (<email address hidden>):
> I suspect it is a kernel bug in Quantal, I'd like to put the debug into
> a Quantal kernel and see why the EC is timing out. The GPE that kicks
> the handler is not occurring which is strange.
>
> If you are willing to try, I've put some Quantal debug kernel packages
> here: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~cking/lp-1089470/quantal/

(I've upgraded to raring, but the raring kernel video doesn't work so
I'm using quantal kernel with it)

I'll install your kernel and let it run for a few days. Shall I just
send the output of 'grep ACPI /var/log/kern.log' at the end?

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

Actually, it occurs to me that after installing those kernels I can again expect no working nvidia video drivers? (Still that's a step up from the raring kernel where the keyboard doesn't even work in console mode)

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

The output from /var/log/kern.log would be useful, or just dmesg > dmesg.log

I can't see why nvidia won't work. If it doesn't I'll see what we can do to make it work. Bah, Nvidia.

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

Wireless went down one more time, here is a kern.log output from that boot. (A reboot fixed it - but I did also reset the cable modem).

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

Serge, sorry to take so long to get back to you on this bug.

Can you try kernel parameter: acpi.ec_storm_threshold=20

and see if this helps in anyway

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

Quoting Colin King (<email address hidden>):
> Serge, sorry to take so long to get back to you on this bug.
>
> Can you try kernel parameter: acpi.ec_storm_threshold=20
>
> and see if this helps in anyway

This should be easier to test when I'm back home with my other AP, with
which this seemed to happen more often. I should therefore have results
next week.

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

Hi,

yesterday I had another of the repeated network outages (now using a raring kernel). No debug messages to report, and again I had to reset the access point to fix it. So while there may be something to the ec_storm messages from before, they appear to be unrelated to the network problems I was having.

So I think this bug should be marked invalid. Sorry about the wasted time! (I will leave it for you to mark invalid in case you disagree and think there is something worth following up in with the ec storm)

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Serge Hallyn as per your :
[ 0.328924] [Firmware Bug]: ACPI: BIOS _OSI(Linux) query ignored
...
[ 2.609004] [Firmware Bug]: ACPI(NGFX) defines _DOD but not _DOS

Hence, as per http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=VPCF11KFXB&template_id=1&region_id=1&tab=download#/downloadTab an update is available for your BIOS (R0280Y6). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BiosUpdate , does it change anything? If it doesn't, could you please both specify what happened, and just provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Thank you for your understanding.

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

Haven't seen this bug in a long time.