r8169 driver not loading correctly on gentoo amd64 installat

aviobivon · n00b Joined: 07 Nov 2011 Posts: 14

I have the following 1GE ethernet controller:
2:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 06)

For the above controller I realized that I needed the r8169 driver. I complied the driver with the 3.0.6 kernel, for an x86_64 architecture. I figured out that the above controller uses the r8169 driver by doing a lspci -k on a gentoo boot using the liveCD.

However, on booting gentoo amd64 with the new 3.0.6, although the r8169 module is loaded, it throws a bunch of errors at bootup, and the eth0 never comes up. I am unable to print the error over here, since after booting into 3.0.6 I am not able to bring the eth0 up, due to the above mentioned issues.

On the same box, I installed ubuntu 10.4 for the x86_64 architecture and the eth0 came up perfectly with the r8169 driver. On doing a depmod -a, I saw that the r8169 driver depends on mii.ko . I can see that on the 3.0.6 gentoo installation above this driver is definitely missing. Could this be the reason why the r8169 driver is failing?

aviobivon · n00b Joined: 07 Nov 2011 Posts: 14

Just wanted to add to the above post. How do you I figure out the menuconfig options that I need to enable to compile the mii.ko driver. I looked all over google, and most posts describe downloading the driver from the net.

aviobivon · n00b Joined: 07 Nov 2011 Posts: 14

I was able to get the dmesg output for r8169. Seems like the module r8169 is actually crashing. Here is the relevant output:

3.546321] r8169 Gigabit Ethernet driver 2.3LK-NAPI loaded
[ 3.546336] r8169 0000:02:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 18 (level, low) -> IRQ 18
[ 3.546383] r8169 0000:02:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
[ 3.546390] r8169 0000:02:00.0: (unregistered net_device): unknown MAC, using family default
[ 3.546473] r8169 0000:02:00.0: irq 42 for MSI/MSI-X
[ 3.546491] BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at (null)
[ 3.547652] IP: [<ffffffffa0006abe>] rtl8169_init_one+0x652/0x8b0 [r8169]
[ 3.548807] PGD 2142e9067 PUD 214316067 PMD 0
[ 3.549960] Oops: 0002 [#1] SMP
[ 3.551103] CPU 0
[ 3.551111] Modules linked in: r8169(+)
[ 3.553364]
[ 3.554480] Pid: 1263, comm: modprobe Not tainted 3.0.6-gentoo #1 Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. H67M-D2-B3/H67M-D2-B3
[ 3.555644] RIP: 0010:[<ffffffffa0006abe>] [<ffffffffa0006abe>] rtl8169_init_one+0x652/0x8b0 [r8169]
[ 3.556821] RSP: 0018:ffff880216d4fcd8 EFLAGS: 00010282
[ 3.557990] RAX: ffffc90005d76001 RBX: ffff880214d36640 RCX: ffffc90005d76006
[ 3.559170] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000250 RDI: ffffffff81e23d00
[ 3.560350] RBP: ffff880216d4fd38 R08: ffffc90005d76000 R09: 0000000000000081
[ 3.561530] R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000003 R12: ffff880214d36000
[ 3.562716] R13: ffff8802168e9000 R14: 000000000000003c R15: 0000000000000001
[ 3.563911] FS: 00007f87f6015700(0000) GS:ffff88021fa00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
[ 3.565109] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
[ 3.566303] CR2: 0000000000000000 CR3: 0000000214326000 CR4: 00000000000406f0
[ 3.567506] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000
[ 3.568714] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000ffff0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400
[ 3.569920] Process modprobe (pid: 1263, threadinfo ffff880216d4e000, task ffff880216f18ec0)
[ 3.571145] Stack:
[ 3.572348] ffff880216d4fd28 ffff8802168e90a0 ffffc90005d76000 000000018135318a
[ 3.573574] 0000000a00000002 ffff8802168e9090 ffff880216d4fd18 ffff8802168e9090
[ 3.574802] ffff8802168e9000 ffffffffa0008bc0 ffffffffa0008c20 00000000ffffffff
[ 3.576028] Call Trace:
[ 3.577235] [<ffffffff81372b6a>] pci_device_probe+0x10a/0x130
[ 3.578447] [<ffffffff811853fe>] ? sysfs_create_link+0xe/0x10
[ 3.579658] [<ffffffff8147f449>] driver_probe_device+0x89/0x1a0
[ 3.580871] [<ffffffff8147f5fb>] __driver_attach+0x9b/0xa0
[ 3.582077] [<ffffffff8147f560>] ? driver_probe_device+0x1a0/0x1a0
[ 3.583280] [<ffffffff8147e4be>] bus_for_each_dev+0x5e/0x90
[ 3.584482] [<ffffffff8147f109>] driver_attach+0x19/0x20
[ 3.585679] [<ffffffff8147ecb0>] bus_add_driver+0xc0/0x280
[ 3.586873] [<ffffffffa000c000>] ? 0xffffffffa000bfff
[ 3.588065] [<ffffffff8147fb91>] driver_register+0x71/0x140
[ 3.589234] [<ffffffff817bb5bd>] ? notifier_call_chain+0x4d/0x70
[ 3.590379] [<ffffffffa000c000>] ? 0xffffffffa000bfff
[ 3.591499] [<ffffffff81372df1>] __pci_register_driver+0x51/0xd0
[ 3.592599] [<ffffffff8106e83e>] ? __blocking_notifier_call_chain+0x5e/0x80
[ 3.593679] [<ffffffffa000c01e>] rtl8169_init_module+0x1e/0x20 [r8169]
[ 3.594731] [<ffffffff810002bf>] do_one_initcall+0x3f/0x170
[ 3.595762] [<ffffffff81084d82>] sys_init_module+0x92/0x1e0
[ 3.596789] [<ffffffff817bf57b>] system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b
[ 3.597815] Code: 83 60 0d 00 00 f0 05 00 a0 49 8d 48 06 c7 43 78 00 00 00 00 4c 89 c0 48 89 c2 4c 29 c2 49 03 94 24 70 02 00 00 40 8a 30 48 ff c0
[ 3.597960] 88 32 48 39 c8 75 e4 49 8d 84 24 bc 01 00 00 41 0f b6 8c 24
[ 3.600148] RIP [<ffffffffa0006abe>] rtl8169_init_one+0x652/0x8b0 [r8169]
[ 3.601240] RSP <ffff880216d4fcd8>
[ 3.602302] CR2: 0000000000000000
[ 3.603348] ---[ end trace d3f21769396391b4 ]---

It looks like a bug in the realtek driver for 3.0. The module seem to be crashing dur to NULL pointer exception.

aviobivon · n00b Joined: 07 Nov 2011 Posts: 14

I have a gentoo amd64 build. I compiled the 3.0.6 kernel . When I booted gentoo with the minimal install (using a USB key), the driver loaded up perfectly, and I was able to access the internet. However, after installing the amd64 build, and compiling the 3.0.6 kernel and modules, on booting up, the kernel showed a crash on the module r8169 while loading it. The relevant dmesg output/trace is given below:

3.546321] r8169 Gigabit Ethernet driver 2.3LK-NAPI loaded
[ 3.546336] r8169 0000:02:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 18 (level, low) -> IRQ 18
[ 3.546383] r8169 0000:02:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
[ 3.546390] r8169 0000:02:00.0: (unregistered net_device): unknown MAC, using family default
[ 3.546473] r8169 0000:02:00.0: irq 42 for MSI/MSI-X
[ 3.546491] BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at (null)
[ 3.547652] IP: [<ffffffffa0006abe>] rtl8169_init_one+0x652/0x8b0 [r8169]
[ 3.548807] PGD 2142e9067 PUD 214316067 PMD 0
[ 3.549960] Oops: 0002 [#1] SMP
[ 3.551103] CPU 0
[ 3.551111] Modules linked in: r8169(+)
[ 3.553364]
[ 3.554480] Pid: 1263, comm: modprobe Not tainted 3.0.6-gentoo #1 Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. H67M-D2-B3/H67M-D2-B3
[ 3.555644] RIP: 0010:[<ffffffffa0006abe>] [<ffffffffa0006abe>] rtl8169_init_one+0x652/0x8b0 [r8169]
[ 3.556821] RSP: 0018:ffff880216d4fcd8 EFLAGS: 00010282
[ 3.557990] RAX: ffffc90005d76001 RBX: ffff880214d36640 RCX: ffffc90005d76006
[ 3.559170] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000250 RDI: ffffffff81e23d00
[ 3.560350] RBP: ffff880216d4fd38 R08: ffffc90005d76000 R09: 0000000000000081
[ 3.561530] R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000003 R12: ffff880214d36000
[ 3.562716] R13: ffff8802168e9000 R14: 000000000000003c R15: 0000000000000001
[ 3.563911] FS: 00007f87f6015700(0000) GS:ffff88021fa00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
[ 3.565109] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
[ 3.566303] CR2: 0000000000000000 CR3: 0000000214326000 CR4: 00000000000406f0
[ 3.567506] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000
[ 3.568714] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000ffff0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400
[ 3.569920] Process modprobe (pid: 1263, threadinfo ffff880216d4e000, task ffff880216f18ec0)
[ 3.571145] Stack:
[ 3.572348] ffff880216d4fd28 ffff8802168e90a0 ffffc90005d76000 000000018135318a
[ 3.573574] 0000000a00000002 ffff8802168e9090 ffff880216d4fd18 ffff8802168e9090
[ 3.574802] ffff8802168e9000 ffffffffa0008bc0 ffffffffa0008c20 00000000ffffffff
[ 3.576028] Call Trace:
[ 3.577235] [<ffffffff81372b6a>] pci_device_probe+0x10a/0x130
[ 3.578447] [<ffffffff811853fe>] ? sysfs_create_link+0xe/0x10
[ 3.579658] [<ffffffff8147f449>] driver_probe_device+0x89/0x1a0
[ 3.580871] [<ffffffff8147f5fb>] __driver_attach+0x9b/0xa0
[ 3.582077] [<ffffffff8147f560>] ? driver_probe_device+0x1a0/0x1a0
[ 3.583280] [<ffffffff8147e4be>] bus_for_each_dev+0x5e/0x90
[ 3.584482] [<ffffffff8147f109>] driver_attach+0x19/0x20
[ 3.585679] [<ffffffff8147ecb0>] bus_add_driver+0xc0/0x280
[ 3.586873] [<ffffffffa000c000>] ? 0xffffffffa000bfff
[ 3.588065] [<ffffffff8147fb91>] driver_register+0x71/0x140
[ 3.589234] [<ffffffff817bb5bd>] ? notifier_call_chain+0x4d/0x70
[ 3.590379] [<ffffffffa000c000>] ? 0xffffffffa000bfff
[ 3.591499] [<ffffffff81372df1>] __pci_register_driver+0x51/0xd0
[ 3.592599] [<ffffffff8106e83e>] ? __blocking_notifier_call_chain+0x5e/0x80
[ 3.593679] [<ffffffffa000c01e>] rtl8169_init_module+0x1e/0x20 [r8169]
[ 3.594731] [<ffffffff810002bf>] do_one_initcall+0x3f/0x170
[ 3.595762] [<ffffffff81084d82>] sys_init_module+0x92/0x1e0
[ 3.596789] [<ffffffff817bf57b>] system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b
[ 3.597815] Code: 83 60 0d 00 00 f0 05 00 a0 49 8d 48 06 c7 43 78 00 00 00 00 4c 89 c0 48 89 c2 4c 29 c2 49 03 94 24 70 02 00 00 40 8a 30 48 ff c0
[ 3.597960] 88 32 48 39 c8 75 e4 49 8d 84 24 bc 01 00 00 41 0f b6 8c 24
[ 3.600148] RIP [<ffffffffa0006abe>] rtl8169_init_one+0x652/0x8b0 [r8169]
[ 3.601240] RSP <ffff880216d4fcd8>
[ 3.602302] CR2: 0000000000000000
[ 3.603348] ---[ end trace d3f21769396391b4 ]---

I need this driver for brining my eth0, which is a realtek ethernet controller.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 6:42 pm Post subject:

aviobivon,

Try making the r8169 driver as a module.
Some cards that use this module also need firmware patches. If you are affected by this, you will get a 60 sec pause in the boot sequence, while the module tries to load the patch.
dmesg will tell the name of the file you need.

Its also worth trying the 3.1.0 kernel.

Lastly, you may need a module from

aviobivon · n00b Joined: 07 Nov 2011 Posts: 14

Hi NeddySeagoon,
The r8169 is compiled as a module. Thought I will double check on that. Will try the 3.1.0 kernel as well.

Is there any specific module in < > PHY Device support and infrastructure ---> that you would suggest?

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:23 pm Post subject:

aviobivon,

The realtek one might bea good start but there is no reason why it needs to be that one.

You could try booting the liveCD and running

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:32 pm Post subject:

aviobivon,

mii.ko is the Media Independant Interface, most network cards need that.
Its normall forced on as in

aviobivon · n00b Joined: 07 Nov 2011 Posts: 14

Thanks Neddy,
Newbie on the gentoo forums, so wasn't sure which topic to post this problem under. Please go ahead and merge the two threads.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:48 pm Post subject:

Merged two threads by the OP
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

Tony0945 · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 9:32 pm Post subject:

What is your motherboard? I have a Gigabyte GA-880GA-UD3H. The r8169 driver is flaky for my board. I had to download the r8168 driver from Realtek. It works fine but I have to rebuild it every time I rebuild the kernel. It seems the PCI ID is the same except for the revision, but the hardware is different. Google around and you will find some discussion.

Download the driver from here: http://www.realtek.com/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=13&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false#2 Then expand out the tarball and follow the installation instructions in the top directory.

I also installed the gentoo package sys-kernel/modules-rebuild and put it in a little bash script for rebuilding the kernel.

See more details here: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/kernel-upgrade.xml

aviobivon · n00b Joined: 07 Nov 2011 Posts: 14

Thanks Tony,
My motherboard is actually a Gigabyte H-67. I am going to try and upgrade the kernel to 3.1 to see if the crash goes away. But after that will definitely follow your advice. I did see the discussion thread you are referring too, and seems like the Realtek ethernet controlle is quite flaky.

Tony0945 · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 11:52 pm Post subject:

Here's my bash script that I put in /usr/local/sbin/remakekernel

chithanh · Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:10 am Post subject:

Try booting with the pci=nomsi kernel parameter.

aviobivon · n00b Joined: 07 Nov 2011 Posts: 14

My problem got solved once I compiled a new kernel with 3.1.0 . After booting with 3.1.0, things seems to be fine. If the driver(r8169) starts acting up, as I have seen in some other discussion I will go ahead and take the advice on this thread of using the alternate driver (r8168).

Tony0945 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 1:58 am Post subject:

When 3.1.0 goes stable, I'll try the built-in driver again.

Joseph_sys · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 7:23 am Post subject:

Tony0945 · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:55 am Post subject:

Didn't see your post until now, Joseph. You pose an interesting question.

One method would be to move your hard drive to a different box, install gentoo including the driver I mentioned, then put it back into the new system and rebuild everything.

If that is not practical or too time consuming, I would proceed as follows:

1. Prepare a USB stick with a stage3 build and your desired kernel source code and the Realtek driver I mentioned above. Download these using another computer, perhaps one at your local public library or a friend's if you don't have anything else available.

2. Install using a livedvd or the system rescue disk to format et cetera. Follow the gentoo guide through step 5 (omitting step 3) but use the USB stick instead of downloading (which you can't do yet). If your USB isn't big enough to hold everything, you may have to do this in stages over the course of a few days, but anything 4G or larger is surely enough.

3. Boot into the new minimal system. Mount the USB stick and untar the kernel source into /usr/src and create the /usr/src/linux symlink.

4. Build your kernel using my script above as a guide to commands (i.e. zcat). Don't customize yet. Untar the Realtek driver and follow the instructions therein to build your r8168 kernel module.

4. Reboot again and your ethernet should work. Resume the installation at paragraph 3 "Configuring Your Network".

Joseph_sys · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 2:29 am Post subject:

Thanks for helping hand.
I did solve this problem. I took an older ISO image from last year; it make no difference how old the installation ISO is as long as you eth0 port "network card" works correctly. As everything is loaded from internet.
Instead of current stable kernel 3.06 (whatever) I downloaded 3.1.5 and that solved the problem.

Joseph_sys

Cr0t · l33t Joined: 27 Apr 2002 Posts: 944 Location: USA

Tony0945 · Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:47 am Post subject:

fred0 · Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 10:21 pm Post subject:

Problem resolved by enabling CONFIG_DEVTMPFS_MOUNT :

don quixada · l33t Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 810

I'm having difficulty with this driver too from a LiveDVD. I posted about it here:

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-952398-highlight-.html

I'm just not sure whether the idea of taking an older LiveDVD (from two years ago) and booting would work in my case since my hardware didn't exist back then... Any other ideas? or should I just scrap this mobo and get another better-supported one?

dq

fred0 · Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:16 am Post subject:

If nothing works, it may be a hardware pb. And then, changing mobo is a the only choice.

Before, thry an BIOS update (normaly you have Q-FLASH on your mb, no need of windows).