presence of '/lib/firmware/iwlwifi-ty-a0-gf-a0.pnvm' in the 'linux-firmware' package causes Intel AX210 wifi to cease functioning

[Josh McKevitz]

When '/lib/firmware/iwlwifi-ty-a0-gf-a0.pnvm' exists (after a fresh OS installation & after updates to the 'linux-firmware' package)--wifi fails to function:

$ lspci -knn | grep Net -A3
93:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:2725] (rev 1a)
 Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:4020]
 Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
 Kernel modules: iwlwifi

$ dmesg | grep iwlwifi
[ 2.390962] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 2.412571] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: api flags index 2 larger than supported by driver
[ 2.412585] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ Version: 93.8.63.28
[ 2.412827] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: loaded firmware version 59.601f3a66.0 ty-a0-gf-a0-59.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 2.433308] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX210 160MHz, REV=0x420
[ 2.582482] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: loaded PNVM version 0x324cd670
[ 2.830634] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: Timeout waiting for PNVM load!
[ 2.830639] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: Failed to start RT ucode: -110
[ 2.830643] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: iwl_trans_send_cmd bad state = 1
[ 3.034634] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: firmware didn't ACK the reset - continue anyway
[ 3.046824] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: Failed to run INIT ucode: -110

When '/lib/firmware/iwlwifi-ty-a0-gf-a0.pnvm' is deleted, or renamed--wifi works:

$ lspci -knn | grep Net -A3
93:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:2725] (rev 1a)
 Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:4020]
 Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
 Kernel modules: iwlwifi

$ dmesg | grep iwlwifi
[ 3.425668] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 3.436377] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: api flags index 2 larger than supported by driver
[ 3.436392] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ Version: 93.8.63.28
[ 3.436634] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: loaded firmware version 59.601f3a66.0 ty-a0-gf-a0-59.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 3.459053] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX210 160MHz, REV=0x420
[ 3.698849] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0: base HW address: a0:e7:0b:5a:ec:77
[ 3.716331] iwlwifi 0000:93:00.0 wlp147s0: renamed from wlan0

--1--
$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS
Release: 20.04

--2--
$ apt-cache policy linux-firmware
linux-firmware:
  Installed: 1.187.17
  Candidate: 1.187.17
  Version table:
 *** 1.187.17 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1.187 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main i386 Packages

--3--
Expectation: Intel AX210 wifi works without having to perform extra steps to rename/delete files after linux-firmware package updates

--4--
Reality: Intel AX210 wifi does not work without performing extra steps to rename/delete files after linux-firmware package updates

I have no idea where the .pnvm file is coming from as it is not present in the files provided by Intel at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005511/wireless.html

Please consider removing the .pnvm files from all versions of the 'linux-firmware' package... currently found in these versions:

1 pnvm file - https://packages.ubuntu.com/focal-updates/all/linux-firmware/filelist

2 pnvm files - https://packages.ubuntu.com/impish/all/linux-firmware/filelist

The pnvm file is not present in the Ubuntu 2104 (Hirsute) linux-firmware package and the AX210 wifi works perfectly well on that platform but it fails to function on 20.04 (Focal), where the pnvm is present, and will likely also fail in 21.10 (Impish).