Random hard locks with wireless enabled (iwl3945)

Hi Joe,

Care to first test the newer 2.6.27-7.12 kernel which resolved bug 263059 . If the issue still exists, then care to then try installing the linux-backports-modules package? It most recently pulled in an updated wireless stack from upstream:

linux-backports-modules-2.6.27 (2.6.27-7.3) intrepid; urgency=low

  [Tim Gardner]

  * Added iwlwifi firmware
  * Added the upstream compat-wireless-2.6 tree.
  * Updated compat-wireless to wireless-testing tag master-2008-10-14
  * Set CONFIG_WIRELESS_OLD_REGULATORY=y by default.

Please let us know your results. Thanks.

Still seeing the freeze with 2.6.27-7.12. installing linux-backports-modules-intrepid and going to test that now. Thanks for the response.

I had a similar lockup with my lenovo t61 that may or may not be related. Some particulars about my specific usage and configuration:

  * Running kernel 2.6.27-7.12 (generic/amd64)
  * It occurred several hours after I had upgraded from hardy to intrepid and booted the intrepid kernel; this was the first intrepid kernel I've run on this laptop
  * No relevant output at all in /var/log/{messages,syslog,kern.log}
  * Wireless interface had been up for several hours, wired interface was also up, but is secondary interface
  * Network Manager should not be involved; interfaces are managed by /etc/network/interfaces
  * didn't touch kill switch; I was away from the laptop at the time it locked up
  * vesafb console is used when booting; grub boot line contains "quiet vga=0x031b"

lspci output:

  [kryten ~ ]$ lspci -nn
  00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub [8086:2a00] (rev 0c)
  00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a02] (rev 0c)
  00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a03] (rev 0c)
  00:19.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Intel Corporation 82566MM Gigabit Network Connection [8086:1049] (rev 03)
  00:1a.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 [8086:2834] (rev 03)
  00:1a.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 [8086:2835] (rev 03)
  00:1a.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 [8086:283a] (rev 03)
  00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller [8086:284b] (rev 03)
  00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 [8086:283f] (rev 03)
  00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 [8086:2841] (rev 03)
  00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 3 [8086:2843] (rev 03)
  00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 4 [8086:2845] (rev 03)
  00:1c.4 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 5 [8086:2847] (rev 03)
  00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 [8086:2830] (rev 03)
  00:1d.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 [8086:2831] (rev 03)
  00:1d.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 [8086:2832] (rev 03)
  00:1d.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 [8086:2836] (rev 03)
  00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev f3)
  00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM (ICH8M-E) LPC Interface Controller [8086:2811] (rev 03)
  00:1f.1 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller [8086:2850] (rev 03)
  00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller...

It appears to not freeze with linux-backports-modules-intrepid, after 1 day of testing. Should that be considered as the default iwl3945 module and wireless stack for intrepid release then?

Hi Joe,

linux-backports-modules recently pulled in an updated wireless stack. I'd encourage you to continue using linux-backports-modules if that resolves this issue for you. It's basically an alternative for users who have issues with the wireless stack provided in the linux kernel package. I'll mark this fixed via linux-backports-modules. Thanks.

I was having random hard locks too and linux-backports-modules-2.6.27-7-generic version 2.6.27-7.4 fixed it for me and made my wireless connection a lot more reliable.

But after I upgraded to version 2.6.27-7.6 from intrepid proposed the wireless was completely disabled and I had to revert back to 7.4.

Since the latest update is broken I'm reverting this to new.

I think I'm suffering from the same bug. Same 5-minute delay, same driver, nothing relevant in the logs, etc.

I would like to add one important piece of information: the freeze happens when I use the wireless connection at work (no wireless security, authentication granted via initial browser redirection), but not when I connect to mine (WPA2 personal) or a friend's (no wireless security). I don't know what makes the connection at work different, but if you have any ideas I would be happy to try them out.

For the time being I'll try the backported modules at work, but I think this should ideally be fixed in the new wireless stack.

I also have hard locks at work (WPA & WPA2 Enterprise with PEAP) but not at home (WPA2 Personal).

> I also have hard locks at work (WPA & WPA2 Enterprise with PEAP) but not at home (WPA2 Personal).

Just to be clear, I meant without the backports package. Since I installed it works fine with backports-7.4, not at all with backports-7.6

Hi Joe, since you are the original bug reporter, has this regressed for you as well?

@jpv and @pablomme, can you both attach the output of 'sudo lspci -vvnn' so we can confirm you have the same wireless card as Joe. Thanks.

Attached output of 'sudo lspci -vvnn'.

I've tried the backports, but then I'm affected by bug #294667 (iwl3945 fails to load with "Unkown symbol lbm_cw_print_ssid while loading iwl3945"). So the fix doesn't work for me. Annoying.

Leann,

I think this is fixed, I should have opened a different bug against backports-7.6, apologies.

@jpv
What fix are you referring to? This problem still happens as far as I know...

linux-backports-modules-2.6.27-7-generic version 2.6.27-7.4 fixes the random hard locks and disconnects for me.

linux-backports-modules-2.6.27-7-generic version 2.6.27-7.6 is broken with a different bug, as you pointed out.

I hadn't realized this bug is against linux-backport-modules. How so? The original report refers to the default kernel modules.

In my opinion this bug should be against linux-image, and be kept open until it's fixed there. I mean, it's nice to have the backported modules to work around the bug, but that's just that, a workaround.

With the backports busted, this, coupled with the bugs in network manager (it has NO concept of having a single disabled device and one wanting to use other devices....either blacklist or grab the backports to break the driver support so I can at least use a Zydas USB thumb...) this is a serious show stopper. I'm within about 24-78 hours from doing a backup, nuke, and pave back to 8.04 with all it's issues (because I'm not DEAD IN THE WATER like I am for all intents and purposes on this...).

C'mon guys, get this fixed, k?