Comment 5 for bug 659143

More testing, this time on lucid with a backported natty kernel:
on lucid (installed) 64bit:
Linux w 2.6.36-1-generic #7~lucid1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Oct 22 00:21:17 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux (natty for lucid from kernel team ppa)
can not connect to ad hoc wlan with stock:
03:00.0 Network controller: RaLink RT2860
 Kernel driver in use: rt2860
 Kernel modules: rt2860sta, rt2800pci

blacklist 2860 (with install rt2860sta /bin/false); cold boot; with above kernel; with it's stock rt2800pci:
wolfgang@w:~$ grep -i firmware /var/log/syslog
Oct 29 10:15:22 w kernel: [ 27.070044] phy0 -> rt2800_load_firmware: Error - PBF system register not ready.
Oct 29 10:15:23 w kernel: [ 27.190043] phy0 -> rt2800_load_firmware: Error - PBF system register not ready.

same kernel still:
wolfgang@w:~$ sha256sum /lib/firmware/rt2860.bin
434655ba718eb302720ee1b4b9b9dbf0a16171888ace31ead9f3df2629b9bebb /lib/firmware/rt2860.bin
same as maverick 32 bit, which works

now with compat-wireless-2010-10-25-pc. still on 2.6.36-1-generic #7~lucid1-Ubuntu:
03:00.0 Network controller: RaLink RT2860
 Kernel driver in use: rt2800pci
 Kernel modules: rt2800pci, rt2860sta
Oct 29 12:30:33 w kernel: [ 25.990871] phy0 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file 'rt2860.bin'.
Oct 29 12:30:33 w kernel: [ 26.094709] phy0 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Info - Firmware detected - version: 0.11.
Oct 29 12:30:34 w kernel: [ 26.190084] phy0 -> rt2800_load_firmware: Error - PBF system register not ready.
Oct 29 12:30:34 w kernel: [ 26.320055] phy0 -> rt2800_load_firmware: Error - PBF system register not ready.
(both after putting in the wireless compat modules and after cold boot)
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.36-1-generic/updates/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2800pci.ko
license: GPL
firmware: rt2860.bin
description: Ralink RT2800 PCI & PCMCIA Wireless LAN driver.
version: 2.3.0
author: http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com
srcversion: 9F64E7029DA63951A0E1346