iwlwifi contiually crashes

[Wren Turkal]

I am getting "Microcode SW error detected" constantly in my dmesg output. As a result, I am getting a lot of apport popups. However, the apport popups are not launching a browser when I say to report the bug. I am filing this bug with "ubuntu-bug linux". Hopefully, all the needed info is included. Please let me know if there is anything else I can provide.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10
Package: linux-image-3.16.0-24-generic 3.16.0-24.32
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-24.32-generic 3.16.4
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-24-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: wt 6271 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: wt 6271 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sun Nov 23 16:19:24 2014
DistributionChannelDescriptor:
 # This is a distribution channel descriptor
 # For more information see http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DistributionChannelDescriptor
 canonical-oem-somerville-precise-amd64-20130203-1
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=2d601529-cabe-4369-8375-9121b4730668
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-12-12 (346 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 "Precise" - Build amd64 LIVE Binary 20130203-13:50
MachineType: Dell Inc. XPS13 9333
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-24-generic root=UUID=0f655552-ae00-4a7a-be41-3a49e257f466 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.16.0-24-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.16.0-24-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.116.2
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to utopic on 2014-10-02 (52 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 03/19/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A04
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 0.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA04:bd03/19/2014:svnDellInc.:pnXPS139333:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr0.1:
dmi.product.name: XPS13 9333
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Warren Turkal, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better.

Are you having any performance impact on using WiFi?

Did this problem not occur in a release prior to 14.10?

Also, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available from the very top line at the top of the page (the release names are irrelevant for testing, and please do not test the daily folder) following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue.

If the test did not allow you to test to the issue (ex. you couldn't boot into the OS) please make a comment in your report about this, and continue to test the next most recent kernel version until you can test to the issue. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested exactly shown as:
kernel-fixed-upstream-3.18-rc5

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

[Wren Turkal (wt-penguintechs-org)]

There is a performance impact in that my WIFI sometimes drops out with no seeming cause. I usually have to stop networking and restart it in the network manager menu. I don't know if this is related to the microcode software.

I know that I was having some issues in 14.04. However, I don't know if they are the same problems. They certainly did not seem as bad. FTR, I did upgrade this machine to 14.10 shortly before the release and the upgrade failed. I actually had to uninstall linux-image-generic and reinstall it to get it to pull the latest version. I guess it's possible that other packages are also messed up. However, I don't know how to easily check.

I will have to try the mainline build.

[Wren Turkal (wt-penguintechs-org)]

I installed the 3.17 from the mainline kernels from that wiki page. Here's the uname -a:
Linux braindead 3.17.4-031704-generic #201411211317 SMP Fri Nov 21 18:18:15 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

It fails in a similar way:
[ 167.366951] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: Microcode SW error detected. Restarting 0x2000000.
[ 167.366957] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR values:
[ 167.366959] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: (2nd byte of CSR_INT_COALESCING is CSR_INT_PERIODIC_REG)
[ 167.366975] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_HW_IF_CONFIG_REG: 0X40489204
[ 167.366988] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_INT_COALESCING: 0X8000ff40
[ 167.366999] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_INT: 0X00000000
[ 167.367010] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_INT_MASK: 0X00000000
[ 167.367021] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_FH_INT_STATUS: 0X00000000
[ 167.367032] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_GPIO_IN: 0X00000000
[ 167.367042] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_RESET: 0X00000000
[ 167.367053] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_GP_CNTRL: 0X080403cd
[ 167.367091] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_HW_REV: 0X00000144
[ 167.367111] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_EEPROM_REG: 0X00000000
[ 167.367122] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_EEPROM_GP: 0X80000000
[ 167.367133] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_OTP_GP_REG: 0X803a0000
[ 167.367148] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_GIO_REG: 0X00080042
[ 167.367161] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_GP_UCODE_REG: 0X00000000
[ 167.367175] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_GP_DRIVER_REG: 0X00000000
[ 167.367189] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_UCODE_DRV_GP1: 0X00000000
[ 167.367203] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_UCODE_DRV_GP2: 0X00000000
[ 167.367217] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_LED_REG: 0X00000060
[ 167.367231] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_DRAM_INT_TBL_REG: 0X88210c9d
[ 167.367244] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_GIO_CHICKEN_BITS: 0X27800200
[ 167.367258] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_ANA_PLL_CFG: 0Xd55555d5
[ 167.367272] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_MONITOR_STATUS_REG: 0X3c08019d
[ 167.367286] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_HW_REV_WA_REG: 0X0001001a
[ 167.367300] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: CSR_DBG_HPET_MEM_REG: 0Xffff0010
[ 167.367302] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH register values:
[ 167.367317] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_RSCSR_CHNL0_STTS_WPTR_REG: 0X211c3f00
[ 167.367331] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_RSCSR_CHNL0_RBDCB_BASE_REG: 0X0211ca00
[ 167.367345] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_RSCSR_CHNL0_WPTR: 0X00000070
[ 167.367359] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_MEM_RCSR_CHNL0_CONFIG_REG: 0X80801114
[ 167.367373] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_MEM_RSSR_SHARED_CTRL_REG: 0X000000fc
[ 167.367386] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_MEM_RSSR_RX_STATUS_REG: 0X07030000
[ 167.367400] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_MEM_RSSR_RX_ENABLE_ERR_IRQ2DRV: 0X00000000
[ 167.367414] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_TSSR_TX_STATUS_REG: 0X07ff0001
[ 167.367427] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: FH_TSSR_TX_ERROR_REG: 0X00000000
[ 167.367533] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: Start IWL Error Log...

[Wren Turkal (wt-penguintechs-org)]

It seems to work much better with firmware version 9 on the mainline 3.17.4. I don't see any of the firmware SW error messages. I will reboot now and try the normal utopic kernel.

[Wren Turkal (wt-penguintechs-org)]

Oh yeah, this works a million times better with firmware v9 on the utopic kernel. The V8 firmware appears to be broken with my setup. Is there any chance that the v9 firmware for the 7620 at http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/iwlwifi/ can be added to linux-firmware?

Also, why isn't apport opening a browser to me report a bug when I click the dialog box to do so? Should I file a bug with apport for that?

[Wren Turkal (wt-penguintechs-org)]

I do get this message with the utopic kernel with the v9 firmware:
[ 394.569319] ------------[ cut here ]------------
[ 394.569358] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 1290 at /build/buildd/linux-3.16.0/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/mvm/tx.c:191 iwl_mvm_set_tx_params+0x5da/0x6d0 [iwlmvm]()
[ 394.569361] Got an HT rate for a non data frame 0x8
[ 394.569363] Modules linked in: ipt_REJECT xt_CHECKSUM nfnetlink_log iptable_mangle nfnetlink xt_tcpudp xt_addrtype xt_conntrack ipt_MASQUERADE iptable_nat nf_conntrack_ipv4 nf_defrag_ipv4 nf_nat_ipv4 nf_nat nf_conntrack bridge stp llc aufs iptable_filter ip_tables x_tables ctr ccm dm_crypt uvcvideo videobuf2_vmalloc videobuf2_memops videobuf2_core v4l2_common joydev videodev media hid_rmi dell_wmi sparse_keymap intel_rapl x86_pkg_temp_thermal btusb intel_powerclamp coretemp kvm_intel arc4 hid_multitouch kvm dell_laptop dcdbas crct10dif_pclmul snd_soc_rt5640 crc32_pclmul snd_soc_rl6231 snd_soc_core ghash_clmulni_intel snd_compress dm_multipath snd_pcm_dmaengine snd_hda_codec_realtek snd_seq_midi scsi_dh snd_hda_codec_hdmi snd_hda_codec_generic snd_seq_midi_event aesni_intel snd_hda_intel snd_hda_controller
[ 394.569429] snd_hda_codec snd_hwdep snd_rawmidi aes_x86_64 iwlmvm lrw gf128mul glue_helper mac80211 ablk_helper cryptd snd_pcm iwlwifi serio_raw cfg80211 mei_me lpc_ich mei shpchp snd_seq snd_seq_device snd_timer snd i2c_hid soundcore snd_soc_sst_acpi i2c_designware_platform dw_dmac dw_dmac_core 8250_dw i2c_designware_core spi_pxa2xx_platform rfcomm bnep bluetooth 6lowpan_iphc intel_smartconnect mac_hid binfmt_misc parport_pc ppdev lp parport btrfs xor raid6_pq hid_logitech_dj usbhid hid i915 i2c_algo_bit drm_kms_helper ahci drm libahci psmouse wmi sdhci_acpi sdhci video
[ 394.569494] CPU: 0 PID: 1290 Comm: wpa_supplicant Not tainted 3.16.0-24-generic #32-Ubuntu
[ 394.569497] Hardware name: Dell Inc. XPS13 9333/ , BIOS A04 03/19/2014
[ 394.569500] 0000000000000009 ffff8802129e7808 ffffffff8177fcbc ffff8802129e7850
[ 394.569506] ffff8802129e7840 ffffffff8106fd8d ffff8801edc06f00 ffff880212bdc678
[ 394.569510] ffff8801ee335826 ffff880211ed9848 ffff880036186900 ffff8802129e78a0
[ 394.569516] Call Trace:
[ 394.569530] [<ffffffff8177fcbc>] dump_stack+0x45/0x56
[ 394.569540] [<ffffffff8106fd8d>] warn_slowpath_common+0x7d/0xa0
[ 394.569546] [<ffffffff8106fdfc>] warn_slowpath_fmt+0x4c/0x50
[ 394.569565] [<ffffffffc066f093>] ? iwl_mvm_set_tx_params+0x43/0x6d0 [iwlmvm]
[ 394.569579] [<ffffffffc066f62a>] iwl_mvm_set_tx_params+0x5da/0x6d0 [iwlmvm]
[ 394.569593] [<ffffffffc066f974>] iwl_mvm_tx_skb+0x54/0x400 [iwlmvm]
[ 394.569605] [<ffffffffc0668a92>] iwl_mvm_mac_tx+0xb2/0x1c0 [iwlmvm]
[ 394.569641] [<ffffffffc05e8190>] __ieee80211_tx+0x2b0/0x3b0 [mac80211]
[ 394.569668] [<ffffffffc05ea816>] ieee80211_tx+0xc6/0x110 [mac80211]
[ 394.569693] [<ffffffffc05eaa4a>] ieee80211_xmit+0x9a/0xf0 [mac80211]
[ 394.569717] [<ffffffffc05eb205>] ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x505/0xd70 [mac80211]
[ 394.569727] [<ffffffff81680845>] dev_hard_start_xmit+0x335/0x5d0
[ 394.569738] [<ffffffff8166e1ce>] ? __alloc_skb+0x8e/0x1f0
[ 394.569745] [<ffffffff816a2546>] sch_direct_xmit+0xa6/0x210
[ 394.569750] ...

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Warren Turkal, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better. However, your crash report is missing. Please follow these instructions to have apport report a new bug about your crash that can be dealt with by the automatic retracer. First, execute at a terminal:
cd /var/crash && sudo rm * ; sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -y upgrade && sudo service apport start force_start=1

If you are running the Ubuntu Stable Release you might need to enable apport in /etc/default/apport and restart.

Now reproduce the crash, then open your file manager, navigate to your /var/crash directory and open the crash report you wish to submit.
If this fails you will have to open a terminal and file your report with 'ubuntu-bug /var/crash/_my_crash_report.crash' where _my_crash_report.crash is the crash you would like to report. If you get an error that you aren't allowed to access this report you will have to file it with 'sudo ubuntu-bug /var/crash/_my_crash_report.crash'. If you run the command against the crash report and a window pops up asking you to report this, but then never opens a new report, you would be affected by https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apport/+bug/994921 . In order to WORKAROUND this, one would need to open the following file via a command line:
sudo nano /etc/apport/crashdb.conf

and comment out the line:
'problem_types': ['Bug', 'Package'],

by changing it to:
# 'problem_types': ['Bug', 'Package'],

Save, close, and try to file the crash report again via:
ubuntu-bug /var/crash/_my_crash_report.crash

I'm closing this bug report since the process outlined above will automatically open a new bug report which can then dealt with more efficiently.

Please do not attach your crash report manually to this report and reopen it.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs

[Wren Turkal (wt-penguintechs-org)]

Okay, so I did some further research. I found that my linux-firmware package was not upgrading. It was stuck at some ancient version. That is why I didn't have the updated firmware. The weird thing was that "apt-get dist-upgrade" was not showing is as a package that needed upgrading. However, "apt-cache show linux-firmware" was showing both the installed version and the version in the archive.I had a similar problem with the kernel package after upgrading to 14.10. I found a stray pin config of the following in my /etc/apt/preferences.d/ dir. I think that I was asked to installed a proposed kernel at one point and I added the ping config at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed. However, this config seems to not prefer updates from the non-proposed package repos. As soon as I removed the pin, my kernel was upgraded. I don't know about the linux-firmware since I'd already purged and reinstalled it.

As a result, I think this bug can be closed.

[Wren Turkal (wt-penguintechs-org)]

FWIW, I can't figure out how to close this issue.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Warren Turkal, good catch on the pinned firmware package! BTW, this was already closed https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1395553/comments/9 . For more on Status, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status .