From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: =?ISO-8859-2?Q?Fejes_J=F3zsef?= Subject: r8169 misleading firmware error messages Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2011 10:27:01 +0200 Message-ID: <4DA952D5.7030805@joco.name> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-2; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE To: netdev@vger.kernel.org Return-path: Received: from mail00a.mail.t-online.hu ([84.2.40.5]:26017 "EHLO mail00a.mail.t-online.hu" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1751854Ab1DPIg0 (ORCPT ); Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:36:26 -0400 Received: from [192.168.55.109] (54032ADF.catv.pool.telekom.hu [84.3.42.223]) (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-CAMELLIA256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by mail00a.mail.t-online.hu (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id 8642125637A for ; Sat, 16 Apr 2011 10:26:41 +0200 (CEST) Sender: netdev-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: Hi, I'm using Linux 2.6.38.3 with a Realtek 8169 card, ID: 10ec:8168=20 (integrated into an Intel D945GSEJT mobo). It never needed any firmware= =20 files, and when I was using 2.6.37, it never complained about it either= =2E=20 Now it does complain (but it still works perfectly): r8169 0000:01:00.0: eth0: unable to apply firmware patch Also when I do initramfs stuff: W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168d-2.fw for=20 module r8169 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168d-1.fw for=20 module r8169 So then I installed the rtl_nic firmware files, and the error messages=20 were gone. How do I know if it actually tries to load the firmware at all? I see=20 there's a condition, if an rtl_readphy returns a wrong value, it doesn'= t=20 even try to load the firmware and just prints the message. Although thi= s=20 wouldn't explain why the error message disappeared when the files were=20 there. Clearly, my device works without these firmware files. If my device=20 works better with them, or if there are other similar devices which=20 require it, I think there should be a configuration option to disable=20 this firmware stuff and its benefits altogether so that it doesn't even= =20 report that it needs it. Best regards, --=20 =46ejes J=F3zsef http://joco.name