The ath10k_pci driver crashes all the time now

[Dave Taylor]

The ath10k_pci driver is crashing constantly now. It started happening a few months ago, but with the most recent Ubuntu update to the 5.4.0-58 kernel, it's so bad that I can't use it reliably for very long at all. It doesn't seem to fail from any particular kind of load on the network stack. Just seems to be random.

I've attached the syslog with some context around the errors, separated by "sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager" attempts as well as a reboot or two.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-58-generic 5.4.0-58.64
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-58.64-generic 5.4.73
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-58-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.13
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: ddt 1553 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ddt 1553 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: ddt 1553 F...m pulseaudio
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Dec 14 09:01:54 2020
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-03-23 (266 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 19.10 "Eoan Ermine" - Release amd64 (20191017)
Lsusb:
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0c45:6708 Microdia Integrated_Webcam_FHD
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 187c:0550 Alienware Corporation AW-ELC
 Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0cf3:e301 Qualcomm Atheros Communications
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: Alienware Alienware 15 R4
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=screen-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 EFI VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-58-generic root=UUID=875cff72-a3db-4709-ac4d-ce80b29b9970 ro i915.alpha_support=1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-5.4.0-58-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-5.4.0-58-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.187.6
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2020-05-12 (216 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 04/18/2019
dmi.bios.vendor: Alienware
dmi.bios.version: 1.7.0
dmi.board.name: Alienware 15 R4
dmi.board.vendor: Alienware
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Alienware
dmi.chassis.version: Not Specified
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAlienware:bvr1.7.0:bd04/18/2019:svnAlienware:pnAlienware15R4:pvr1.7.0:rvnAlienware:rnAlienware15R4:rvrA00:cvnAlienware:ct10:cvrNotSpecified:
dmi.product.family: Alienware
dmi.product.name: Alienware 15 R4
dmi.product.sku: 0876
dmi.product.version: 1.7.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Alienware

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Martin Ndegwa (ndegz)]

please fix this issue.

[Dave Taylor (tslug)]

I have since switched to NixOS, and I have tested every major version from 19.03 to 21.03pre260232.733e537a8ad (Okapi), the latter of which uses kernel 5.4.85, and I see this same wifi firmware crashing issue on all of those versions, so this is not an issue specific to Ubuntu.