Bug 209049

Summary: the Fn keys stops working after upgrading BIOS from 1.5.2 to 1.12 or 1.13 - Dell precision 7530
Product: ACPI Reporter: zhonb
Component: BIOSAssignee: Zhang Rui (rui.zhang)
Status: CLOSED DOCUMENTED    
Severity: high CC: me, rui.zhang
Priority: P1    
Hardware: Intel   
OS: Linux   
Kernel Version: 5.10.16 Subsystem:
Regression: No Bisected commit-id:

Description zhonb 2020-08-26 16:29:01 UTC
All keyboard keys worked on Dell bios version 1.5.2 on a precision 7530.  After upgrading to bios version 1.12.1 or 1.13.1, the Fn keys for microphone mute, screen brightness, wlan, Fn lock and possibly others no longer work.  Running evtest results in no output whatsoever for the above listed keys, with the exception of wlan.  However changing the hwdb files does not enable the wlan key.  I'm currently running the openSUSE kernel 5.3.18, but also tested with their latest 5.8.x kernel which made no difference.  Moving upstream.
Comment 1 zhonb 2020-12-07 05:19:52 UTC
Updating to bios version 1.14, issue persists.
Comment 2 zhonb 2021-02-17 04:50:11 UTC
This bug is similar to bug 204251.  

I receive the following (or similar) ACPI errors when pressing any of the following Fn keys: function lock, microphone mute, scroll lock, wifi toggle, sleep, or brightness controls.  

 kernel: ACPI BIOS Error (bug): Could not resolve symbol [\_SB.PCI0.PEG0.NHDA], AE_NOT_FOUND (20200925/psargs-330)
 kernel: ACPI Error: Aborting method \NEVT due to previous error (AE_NOT_FOUND) (20200925/psparse-529)

This issue is present in dell bios version:
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 3.1.1 present.

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 26 bytes
BIOS Information
        Vendor: Dell Inc.
        Version: 1.14.4
        Release Date: 10/21/2020
        Address: 0xF0000
        Runtime Size: 64 kB
        ROM Size: 32 MB
        Characteristics:
                PCI is supported
                PNP is supported
                BIOS is upgradeable
                BIOS shadowing is allowed
                Boot from CD is supported
                Selectable boot is supported
                EDD is supported
                Japanese floppy for NEC 9800 1.2 MB is supported (int 13h)
                5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/720 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
                8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
                Serial services are supported (int 14h)
                Printer services are supported (int 17h)
                ACPI is supported
                USB legacy is supported
                Smart battery is supported
                BIOS boot specification is supported
                Function key-initiated network boot is supported
                Targeted content distribution is supported
                UEFI is supported
        BIOS Revision: 1.14

Handle 0xF04F, DMI type 13, 22 bytes
BIOS Language Information
        Language Description Format: Long
        Installable Languages: 2
                en|US|iso8859-1
                <BAD INDEX>
        Currently Installed Language: en|US|iso8859-1
Comment 3 Zhang Rui 2021-03-21 14:51:02 UTC
 kernel: ACPI BIOS Error (bug): Could not resolve symbol [\_SB.PCI0.PEG0.NHDA], AE_NOT_FOUND (20200925/psargs-330)
 kernel: ACPI Error: Aborting method \NEVT due to previous error (AE_NOT_FOUND) (20200925/psparse-529)

This may or may not cause the problem you run into. is it possible to downgrade your BIOS?
If yes, does the same problem still exist in BIOS 1.5.2?
Comment 4 Zhang Rui 2021-03-21 14:51:40 UTC
Plug, why is this not a BIOS regression?
Comment 5 zhonb 2021-03-21 16:33:07 UTC
It is possible to downgrade the bios, however, I do not trust the downgrade process not to turn my laptop into a paperweight, so I'd rather not attempt that.  I'm 100% positive the bios upgrade is the culprit.  The Fn keys all worked before the upgrade, and immediately afterward, they stopped working.  The bios version was the only thing that changed.  I also checked with evtest, and the above listed keys produce no output whatsoever when pushed, with the exception of the wifi toggle key, which does produce an event, but it doesn't actually disable the wifi card.  All the function keys work fine in windows.
Comment 6 Zhang Rui 2021-03-22 13:01:12 UTC
the function keys work fine in Windows even with latest BIOS?
so it is Linux that works with old BIOS only?
Comment 7 zhonb 2021-04-02 14:55:20 UTC
That is correct.  Windows function keys work with latest BIOS.  In Linux they only work with version 1.5.2.  Sorry for the delay, reply went to my spam folder.
Comment 8 zhonb 2021-05-14 01:07:20 UTC
Any updates on this?
Comment 9 Zhang Rui 2021-05-14 02:40:55 UTC
Well, no.
I will try to raise this to Dell BIOS people.
Before that, I don't think we can do anything in kernel before we know what is changed in BIOS.
Comment 10 Zhang Rui 2021-07-01 08:49:31 UTC
Sorry that I can not get contact with Dell BIOS people. Thus we have no idea what  firmware change brings this difference.

I'd like to get this closed as there is nothing we can do from kernel' perspective of view. what do you think?
Comment 11 zhonb 2021-07-01 16:32:56 UTC
I will try reaching out to Dell to see if I can get the information.

On 7/1/21 4:49 AM, bugzilla-daemon@bugzilla.kernel.org wrote:
> https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=209049
>
> --- Comment #10 from Zhang Rui (rui.zhang@intel.com) ---
> Sorry that I can not get contact with Dell BIOS people. Thus we have no idea
> what  firmware change brings this difference.
>
> I'd like to get this closed as there is nothing we can do from kernel'
> perspective of view. what do you think?
>
Comment 12 zhonb 2021-07-17 01:49:26 UTC
You can go ahead and close this.  Dell's support is worse than useless.
Comment 13 cubislo 2021-08-03 17:13:23 UTC
Can anyone who has reproduced this comment on whether this happened to be a single or dual boot system?
Comment 14 zhonb 2022-02-19 01:35:39 UTC
It's dual boot.
Comment 15 Zhang Rui 2022-06-21 06:54:54 UTC
Bug closed as this seems to be a firmware regression.