14e4:4727 Wireless driver fails with hardware watchdog - doesn't reset

[Robert Ancell]

Since a recent upgrade (kernel 3.11?) my wireless has gone unstable.

Fails every few hours, dmesg shows:

[ 1373.827739] brcmsmac bcma0:0: phyerr 0x1, rate 0x1414
[ 1373.827800] brcmsmac bcma0:0: brcms_c_ampdu_dotxstatus_complete: ampdu tx phy error (0x1)
[ 1373.832108] brcmsmac bcma0:0: phyerr 0x1, rate 0x1414
[ 1373.832122] brcmsmac bcma0:0: brcms_c_ampdu_dotxstatus_complete: ampdu tx phy error (0x1)
[ 1373.960962] brcmsmac bcma0:0: wl0: PSM microcode watchdog fired at 1325 (seconds). Resetting.
[ 1373.960979] brcmsmac bcma0:0: wl0: fatal error, reinitializing
[ 1373.962829] ieee80211 phy0: Hardware restart was requested

Fixed either by reboot or turning wireless hardware switch on and off.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: linux-image-3.11.0-3-generic 3.11.0-3.7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-3.7-generic 3.11.0-rc6
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-3-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.12.1-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: bob 2026 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: bob 2026 F.... pulseaudio
CheckboxSubmission: e440e09ef58a53bccc45087674ba6b8e
CheckboxSystem: d00f84de8a555815fa1c4660280da308
Date: Fri Aug 23 09:19:22 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=f814ef09-fc2f-475a-ab7c-52697870801d
InstallationDate: Installed on 2011-04-01 (874 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta amd64 (20110330)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Vostro 3500
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB:
 0 inteldrmfb
 1 nouveaufb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-3-generic root=UUID=6c20ea74-9ae6-400e-b5b2-6f148c4e3209 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.11.0-3-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.11.0-3-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.113
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to saucy on 2011-07-05 (778 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 10/25/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A10
dmi.board.name: 0NVXFV
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A10
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: A10
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA10:bd10/25/2010:svnDellInc.:pnVostro3500:pvrA10:rvnDellInc.:rn0NVXFV:rvrA10:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrA10:
dmi.product.name: Vostro 3500
dmi.product.version: A10
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

This has only been occuring for less than a week. In all other releases the wireless has been stable.

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

Robert: Sounds like you don't know what the last kernel version you ran which didn't have this issue? If you still have some old kernels installed, could you try booting to them to find the last one you had which worked?

Or even better, you could install some kernels from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ to confirm that the problem exists upstream and to see when it appeared. I'd suggest first installing the latest (3.11-rc6 right now) and confirm it exists there, then go back to 3.10 and confirm it doesn't exist there. Then try intermediate -rc kernels until you find the one which introduces the problem (odds are that it will be 3.11-rc1).

Thanks!

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

Robert: Also please attach a full dmesg from a boot exhibiting this behavior.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

Output of dmesg after this happened the first time today. Assuming it's overwritten the old information.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

For completeness - dmesg soon after boot showing what happens before the WiFi errors start

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Robert Ancell, could you please test https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/3.10.0-6.17 following installation instructions in https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/MainlineBuilds and advise if this is reproducible?

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

Robert: The saucy kernel now has a fix for the phy errors in your logs. I'm not sure whether or not these are related to the PSM watchdog timing out, so please test with Linux 3.11.0-6.12 or later and let me know if you still have issues. Thanks!

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

I'm not seeing this problem since at lease 3.11.0-5-generic. Thanks!