Wifi Driver crashes very ofter on kernel version 3.8.0-x, Dell XPS Laptop

[Sharath]

After upgrade to Ubuntu 13.04, I have observed random Wifi Driver Crashes. The frequency I have observed is about once or twice a day (10 hrs or usage per day). No particular steps to reprroduce, but the just random crashes. The issue is seen in both patch 30 and 31 of the kernel version 3.8.0. Full dmesg logs are attached with the bug.

The below is the stack trace from dmesg

[ 972.637382] [<ffffffff810589bf>] warn_slowpath_common+0x7f/0xc0
[ 972.637389] [<ffffffff81058abc>] warn_slowpath_fmt+0x4c/0x50
[ 972.637408] [<ffffffffa01ea361>] ? iwl_grab_nic_access_silent+0xe1/0x120 [iwlwifi]
[ 972.637424] [<ffffffffa01ea41e>] iwl_grab_nic_access+0x7e/0x90 [iwlwifi]
[ 972.637439] [<ffffffffa01ea8d6>] iwl_write_prph+0x46/0xc0 [iwlwifi]
[ 972.637458] [<ffffffffa01f300a>] iwl_pcie_tx_stop+0x4a/0x140 [iwlwifi]
[ 972.637476] [<ffffffffa01f63cf>] iwl_trans_pcie_stop_device+0xcf/0x460 [iwlwifi]
[ 972.637492] [<ffffffffa039f34d>] iwl_down+0x21d/0x320 [iwldvm]
[ 972.637508] [<ffffffffa03a4775>] iwlagn_mac_stop+0x65/0xd0 [iwldvm]
[ 972.637546] [<ffffffffa02ef561>] ieee80211_stop_device+0x51/0xf0 [mac80211]
[ 972.637575] [<ffffffffa02d9db1>] ieee80211_do_stop+0x2a1/0x650 [mac80211]
[ 972.637585] [<ffffffff815e9391>] ? dev_deactivate_many+0x201/0x250
[ 972.637611] [<ffffffffa02da17a>] ieee80211_stop+0x1a/0x20 [mac80211]
[ 972.637619] [<ffffffff815c63cd>] __dev_close_many+0x7d/0xc0
[ 972.637626] [<ffffffff815c643d>] __dev_close+0x2d/0x40
[ 972.637634] [<ffffffff815cc871>] __dev_change_flags+0xa1/0x180
[ 972.637642] [<ffffffff815cca08>] dev_change_flags+0x28/0x70
[ 972.637650] [<ffffffff815d9320>] do_setlink+0x3a0/0xa40

--- CUT ---

The last kernel version with the issue was not reproduced was 3.5.40.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: linux-image-3.8.0-31-generic 3.8.0-31.46
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-31.46-generic 3.8.13.8
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-31-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.4
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: sharath 2433 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Tue Sep 17 13:09:22 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=a65c7147-fc92-4b66-856c-4cd6489c8e02
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-01-21 (238 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
MachineType: Dell Inc. XPS L421X
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-31-generic root=UUID=ccb29335-a20e-4b37-80e4-a4dcd91dec31 ro
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-31-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-31-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.106
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to raring on 2013-08-27 (20 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 08/27/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A09
dmi.board.name: 09JP1V
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: A09
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA09:bd08/27/2012:svnDellInc.:pnXPSL421X:pvrA09:rvnDellInc.:rn09JP1V:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrA09:
dmi.product.name: XPS L421X
dmi.product.version: A09
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.12 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.12-rc1-saucy/

[Sharath (sharathcshekhar)]

I have installed the 3.12 kernel and I am able to boot and connect to wifi. I will run in the current configuration for a couple of days and report the status. Thanks.

[Sharath (sharathcshekhar)]

The problem was reproduced even in the mainline kernel. Attached is the dmesg output.
I faced another issue with running in the RC kernel. After the wifi crash and reboot cycle, I could never connect to wifi and my wireless card was not detected even after manually loading the drivers. The only way I could resolve this issue was to boot into windows and then boot into linux again (but I am not sure if it's the driver issue or my hardware). Is it possible that the faulty drivers modify some persistent state variables in the hardware which was causing this issue?

Thanks and regards,
Sharath

[Sharath (sharathcshekhar)]

Update: I observed this bug on Kernel 3.5.0-40 also. I tried disabling 802.11n, enabling sw_enc and all possible combinations on for the iwlwifi driver. Nothing seems to work.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Sharath, as per http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/19/Product/xps-14-l421x an update is available for your BIOS (A14). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BiosUpdate , does it change anything?

If not, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful.

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

Thank you for your understanding.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]