Samsung Laptop support module refuse to load for Samsung 900X3C

[Jerker Nordh]

The samsung_latop.ko module won't load for the Series 9 900X3C laptop:

FATAL: Error inserting samsung_laptop
(/lib/modules/3.2.0-24-generic/kernel/drivers/platform/x86/samsung-laptop.ko):
No such device

The consequence is that samsung specific functionality can't be accessed, ie. rfkill, leds and so on

The would normally be found under
/sys/devices/platform/samsung/

Release:
Description: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Release: 12.04

linux-image:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.2.0.24.26
  Version table:
     3.2.0.24.26 0
        500 http://se.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-security/main amd64 Packages
     3.2.0.23.25 0
        500 http://se.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main amd64 Packages

Select output from dmesg:
dmesg | grep -B 2 -A 2 -i samsung
[ 0.000000] NX (Execute Disable) protection: active
[ 0.000000] DMI 2.7 present.
[ 0.000000] DMI: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
900X3C/900X4C/900X4D/SAMSUNG_NP1234567890, BIOS P00AAC 04/03/2012
[ 0.000000] e820 update range: 0000000000000000 - 0000000000010000
(usable) ==> (reserved)
[ 0.000000] e820 remove range: 00000000000a0000 - 0000000000100000 (usable)

[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 v3.5kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag(Only that one tag, please leave the other tags). This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

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/v3.5-rc2-quantal/

[Jerker Nordh (ajn)]

Tested on mainline kernel, seems ok:

$ uname -r
3.5.0-030500rc2-generic
$ ls /sys/devices/platform/samsung/
battery_life_extender modalias power subsystem usb_charge
leds performance_level rfkill uevent

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

@Jerker,

It would be good to find out what upstream kernel version fixed this bug. Would it be possible for you to test some additional upstream kernels to find the one that fixes this issue? We can then perform a reverse bisect to identify the exact commit that solves this bug.

It would be great if you could test the following kernels:
v3.4 final: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.4-quantal/
v3.3 final: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.3-precise/

Thanks in advance

[Jerker Nordh (ajn)]

@Joseph

I haven't had time to test your suggested kernels yet, but if it helps I expect that the fix that is needed is from the following commit:

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git;a=commit;h=3be324a94df0c3f032178d04549dbfbf6cccb09a

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

@Jerker,

Do you happen to know if that commit will be submitted to upstream to the linux-stable tree?

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

@Jerker,

I'll backport that commit to Precise and post a test kernel shortly.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

@Jerker,

I created a Precise test kernel with the a section of commit 3be324a94df0c3f032178d04549dbfbf6cccb09a backported. I only backported the section of that patch that check for a DMI_MATCH of various chassis types versus checking for specific product and board names.

It would be great if you could test this kernel and report back if it resolves this bug.

The test kernel can be downloaded from:
http://people.canonical.com/~jsalisbury/lp1012284/

Thanks in advance!

[Jerker Nordh (ajn)]

@Joseph

I've tested your test kernel and it seems to work, the module loaded and /sys/devices/platform/samsung/ populated with entries.

I've only tested the rfkill functionality so far but that was ok.

Thanks for your efforts!

[Luis Henriques (henrix)]

This bug is awaiting verification that the kernel for Precise in -proposed solves the problem (3.2.0-27.43). Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-precise' to 'verification-done-precise'.

If verification is not done by one week from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!

[Luis Henriques (henrix)]

Jerker, any chances of taking a look at this bug? We need to have this bug verified with the current -proposed kernel, as described in comment #9. Thanks.

[Jerker Nordh (ajn)]

Module loads correctly, tested on:

uname -a
Linux s900x3c 3.2.0-27-generic #43-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jul 6 14:25:57 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package linux - 3.2.0-27.43

---------------
linux (3.2.0-27.43) precise-proposed; urgency=low

  [ Andy Whitcroft ]

  * No change upload to fix .ddeb generation in the PPA.

  [ Luis Henriques ]

  * Release Tracking Bug
    - LP: #1020016

linux (3.2.0-27.42) precise-proposed; urgency=low

  [Luis Henriques]

  * Release Tracking Bug
    - LP: #1020016

  [ Chris J Arges ]

  * PACKAGING: add .gnu_debuglink sections to .ko files
    - LP: #669641

  [ Ike Panhc ]

  * [Config] Updateconfigs
    - LP: #1008345

  [ Luis Henriques ]

  * SAUCE: (upstreamed) [media] ene_ir: Fix driver initialisation
    - LP: #1014800
  * SAUCE: ocfs2: Fix NULL pointer dereferrence in
    __ocfs2_change_file_space
    - LP: #1006012

  [ Rob Herring ]

  * SAUCE: net: calxedaxgmac: enable rx cut-thru mode
    - LP: #1008345
  * SAUCE: EDAC: Add support for the highbank platform memory
    - LP: #1008345
  * SAUCE: EDAC: add support for highbank platform L2 cache ecc
    - LP: #1008345

  [ Seth Forshee ]

  * (pre-stable): bcma: add ext PA workaround for BCM4331 and BCM43431
    - LP: #925577

  [ Takashi Iwai ]

  * SAUCE: ALSA: hda - Fix power-map regression for HP dv6 & co
    - LP: #1013183

  [ Tim Gardner ]

  * [Config] Enable CONFIG_CGROUPS for highbank
    - LP: #1014692

  [ Upstream Kernel Changes ]

  * Revert "net: maintain namespace isolation between vlan and real device"
    - LP: #1013723
  * x86/amd: Re-enable CPU topology extensions in case BIOS has disabled it
    - LP: #1009087
  * hwmon: (k10temp) Add support for AMD Trinity CPUs
    - LP: #1009086
  * hwmon: (fam15h_power) Increase output resolution
    - LP: #1009086
  * Input: wacom - use BTN_TOOL_FINGER to indicate touch device type
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - use switch statement for wacom_tpc_irq()
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - isolate input registration
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - wireless monitor framework
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - create inputs when wireless connect
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - wireless battery status
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - check for allocation failure in probe()
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - add basic Intuos5 support
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - add Intuos5 Touch Ring/ExpressKey support
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - add Intuos5 Touch Ring LED support
    - LP: #1009435
  * Input: wacom - add Intuos5 multitouch sensor support
    - LP: #1009435
  * iommu/amd: Add workaround for event log erratum
    - LP: #1013723
  * MIPS: BCM63XX: Add missing include for bcm63xx_gpio.h
    - LP: #1013723
  * cifs: Include backup intent search flags during searches {try #2)
    - LP: #1013723
  * sunrpc: fix loss of task->tk_status after rpc_delay call in
    xprt_alloc_slot
    - LP: #1013723
  * exofs: Fix CRASH on very early IO errors.
    - LP: #1013723
  * cifs: fix oops while traversing open file list (try #4)
    - LP: #1013723
  * Fix dm-multipath starvation when scsi host is busy
    - LP: #1013723
  * ixp4xx: fix compilation by adding gpiolib support
    - LP: #1013723
  * drm/i915: properly handle interlaced bit for sdvo dtd conversion
    - LP: #1013723
...

[Adam Conrad (adconrad)]

The verification of this Stable Release Update has completed successfully and the package has now been released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regresssions.