The e1000e driver in 2.6.34-rc5 fails to probe an interface, dmesg: e1000e: Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Driver - 1.0.2-k2 e1000e: Copyright (c) 1999 - 2009 Intel Corporation. e1000e 0000:00:19.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 20 (level, low) -> IRQ 20 e1000e 0000:00:19.0: setting latency timer to 64 e1000e 0000:00:19.0: irq 34 for MSI/MSI-X 0000:00:19.0: 0000:00:19.0: MDI Error e1000e 0000:00:19.0: PCI INT A disabled e1000e: probe of 0000:00:19.0 failed with error -2 "MDI Error" means that an error bit is set in PHY, so I thought the motherboard was dead. But then I found that RHEL 5 has a driver that works (does both probe and subsequent traffic). So while the hardware may be broken, a workaround is possible.
Created attachment 26289 [details] full dmesg of fail in 2.6.34-rc5
Created attachment 26293 [details] patch that fixes the issue (diffstat 403+,371-) I diffed 2.6.34-rc5 with RHEL 5 and this is the first cut. Since I have no clue what is actually going on, the patch has a lot of unrelated noise.
It all starts with e1000e_get_phy_id failing (tried in both modes). Then, a complex chain of defaults and workarounds brings up the link with some possibly unrelated parameters.
Pete, the netdev guys tend to avoid bugzilla. Please email this as a regular old patch to the e1000 developers and cc netdev@vger.kernel.org. IIRC there have been regular bunfights over the e1000 guys' liking to disable perfectly workable NICs. They like it, but David (and I) don't. I suggest you cc davem too ;)
This should do it, hopefuly: http://marc.info/?t=127353902700007&r=1&w=3 Forgot to cc: DaveM though.
you didn't cc the e1000e developers either ;( Might need a resend later on if nothing happens.
Created attachment 26328 [details] upcoming patch that works
Debian Squeeze uses the 2.6.32 kernel. This issue stops network installs on a CF-19 mk4 hardware (8086:10ea Intel Corp 82577LM). When is this fix going in? Or has it already gone in, but the bug is still open?
Nevermind, I answered my own question by looking in the source. This is not my issue.
Crap, I was on the wrong box... yes this is an issue for older kernels like the Debian install kernel.