[Solved] Had to put kernel patch 6.1.85-1 on hold, messing up wifi

[sinterva]

So I installed the new kernel patch the other day and got a bucket full of errors about firmware drivers.
I installed the non-free-linux firmware packages, but the firmware errors stayed.
I rebooted and now my wifi was dead.
So I timeshifted back and put that kernel patch and it's related packages on hold.

Is this a widespread issue or just affecting me?

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>>>nala list --upgradable
linux-compiler-gcc-12-x86 6.1.76-1 [Debian/bookworm main]
├── is installed and upgradable to 6.1.85-1
└── Compiler for Linux on x86 (meta-package)

linux-image-amd64 6.1.76-1 [Debian/bookworm main]
├── is installed and upgradable to 6.1.85-1
└── Linux for 64-bit PCs (meta-package)

linux-kbuild-6.1 6.1.76-1 [Debian/bookworm main]
├── is installed and upgradable to 6.1.85-1
└── Kbuild infrastructure for Linux 6.1

linux-libc-dev 6.1.76-1 [Debian/bookworm main]
├── is installed and upgradable to 6.1.85-1
└── Linux support headers for userspace development

[sinterva]

It seems this issue was already existing on my system, but the new kernel patch triggered it to bloom.

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[    6.189644] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: firmware: failed to load rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-1.bin (-2)
[    6.189655] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: Direct firmware load for rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-1.bin failed with error -2
[    6.191708] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: firmware: direct-loading firmware rtw89/rtw8852b_fw.bin
[    6.191709] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: loaded firmware rtw89/rtw8852b_fw.bin
[    7.409541] r8169 0000:0a:00.0: firmware: direct-loading firmware rtl_nic/rtl8125b-2.fw

Seems I lack the file rtw8852b_fw-1.bin

Further probing gave me a bunch of firmware errors for my gpu.

Nala gave me these when I was installing the non-free firmware packages to see if it fixed anything.
But I guess that is somthing else entirely, just mentioning it, if it is not.

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W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_4_me.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                            │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_4_pfp.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                           │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_rlc.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                           │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_mec.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                           │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_me.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                            │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_pfp.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                           │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_0_toc.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                           │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sdma_6_0_3.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                              │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes1.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                     │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                      │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi10_mes.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                              │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_4_mes1.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                          │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_4_mes_2.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                         │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_4_mes.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                           │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_mes1.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                          │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_mes_2.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                         │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_mes.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                           │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_2_mes_2.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                         │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_1_mes_2.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                         │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_0_mes_2.bin for module amdgpu                                                                                         │
│W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/smu_13_0_10.bin for module amdgpu

[sinterva]

I found the missing firmware file online, but it just killed my wifi, got this message.

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[    6.378697] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: firmware: direct-loading firmware rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-1.bin
[    6.378699] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: loaded firmware rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-1.bin
[    6.379362] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: Unknown firmware header version 10
[    6.379375] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: failed to recognize firmware
[    7.612914] r8169 0000:0a:00.0: firmware: direct-loading firmware rtl_nic/rtl8125b-2.fw

Seems like the firmware file and the driver don't like each other.

[sinterva]

Basically I've found 3 ways to kill my wifi now.

1. Download the new kernel patch.
2. Download the non-free firmware.
3. Manually copy the firmware file it complains about rtw8852b_fw-1.bin into /lib/firmware/rwt89

Chatgpt suggestion:

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2. Driver Update
If the firmware is newer and offers important fixes or improvements, you might need to update your 
network driver to a version compatible with the new firmware:

Update the Kernel: Since network drivers are often part of the Linux kernel, 
updating to a newer kernel might include updated drivers compatible with the newer firmware.

Compile the Driver: If a pre-built updated driver is not available through your distribution's 
repositories, you might need to compile the driver from source provided by the chipset 
manufacturer or a trusted repository.

[sinterva]

The story is evolving a bit.
I tried to apply the patch again, and when I go into dmesg I find no errors to the wifi.
In fact a little further digging turns out there is no wifi module loaded on the kernel at all.
This patch seems to have decided that I don't need wifi and have no option for me to even add it myself.

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>>>lspci | grep -i network
0b:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8852BE PCIe 802.11ax Wireless Network Controller
>>>lsmod | grep rtw
>>>sudo modprobe rtw89pci
modprobe: FATAL: Module rtw89pci not found in directory /lib/modules/6.1.0-20-amd64

That is a bit of a sad state of affairs.
I will try to apply a full reinstall of the kernel and headers after applying the patch again, since chatgpt suggested it.
I have no idea if it will work, but lets see.

[sinterva]

I compiled the driver myself, but it didn't make any difference, it worked a little better, but still didn't connect to wifi,
it complained about the missing file and still some weird version issue with that firmware file.

I'm throwing in the towel on this one now and taking a walk, whoever is making sure these things work need to have a look.
This is way above my level of competence, even with chatgpt assistance.

What I did when I compiled the driver.

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git clone https://github.com/lwfinger/rtw89.git 
cd rtw89

make
sudo make install

sudo modprobe rtw89pci

echo "rtw89pci" | sudo tee /etc/modules-load.d/rtw89pci.conf

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>>>sudo dmesg  | grep rtw
[sudo] passord for sinterva: 
[    6.280083] rtw89core: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
[    6.280218] rtw89core: module verification failed: signature and/or required key missing - tainting kernel
[    6.446003] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: firmware: direct-loading firmware rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-1.bin
[    6.446006] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: loaded firmware rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-1.bin
[    6.446049] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0003)
[    6.446806] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: Unknown firmware header version 10
[    6.446807] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: failed to recognize firmware
[    6.446808] rtw89_8852be 0000:0b:00.0: failed to setup chip information
[    6.447174] rtw89_8852be: probe of 0000:0b:00.0 failed with error -2

[sunrat]

Have you tried a newer kernel? I saw one post stating the driver for this device was added in kernel 6.2 . Try a kernel from backports.

[sinterva]

Have you tried a newer kernel? I saw one post stating the driver for this device was added in kernel 6.2 . Try a kernel from backports.

Yeah that worked, used Linux 6.6.13+bpo-amd64.
Thanks man, I hadn't considered using backports at all.

Now to address the new gpu stuff, but if I struggle I'll make a new thread on that.