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Arch Linux live-USB - WiFi Issues? Please Read (Fixed)

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sakaki
Posts: 172
Joined: 15 Aug 2014, 11:20

Arch Linux live-USB - WiFi Issues? Please Read (Fixed)

Post by sakaki »

Hello,

Update 1 May 2015: The archlinuxarm.org release kernel has now been patched, so PCIe / WiFi is working again (thanks to llsth for testing).

Accordingly, I have released a version 1.1.5 of the Arch Linux live-USB (here); users of earlier releases, who 'pinned' their 3.19.3-2 kernel in place by editing IgnorePkg in /etc/pacman.conf, can safely undo that edit now, and pull in an updated kernel with a "pacman -Syu". For full instructions, please see the release notes to version 1.1.5 (here).

The rest of the message is retained for historical interest; however, the issue is now closed. best, sakaki


users of my v1.1.3 Arch Linux live USB, who have upgraded their system recently using "pacman -Syu", will have received the 4.0-1 linux-kirkwood-dt kernel automatically from archlinuxarm.org. Unfortunately, due to an upstream regression (not archlinuxarm's fault), this version of the kernel contains a PCIe bug, which prevents the B3's WiFi adaptor from starting up correctly. Those interested should see this thread for a discussion of the issue. A fix is working its way through the system, but has not yet made it into the released kernel.

Because of this, for the time being I recommend Arch Linux users retain the 3.19.3-2 kernel which originally shipped with the image. I have just released a version 1.1.4 of the live-USB (here), which contains the (small, easily reversible) configuration file change that is required to do this.

Users of the v1.1.3 live-USB (or who have installed the 1.1.3 image to the B3's HDD), can easily fix things up manually as follows (those using 1.1.4 should disregard the following notes).

Manually Fixing v1.1.3

What you need to do depends on whether or not your kernel has already upgraded (to 4.0-1), or is still at 3.19.3-2. Find out first with:

Code: Select all

[root@archb3 ~]# uname -r
If Still on 3.19.3-2

Users who have not yet upgraded their kernel to 4.0, can simply 'pin' the 3.19.3-2 kernel by issuing:

Code: Select all

[root@archb3 ~]# nano -w /etc/pacman.conf
and uncommenting the IgnorePkg line, then modifying it so it reads:

Code: Select all

IgnorePkg = linux-kirkwood-dt linux-api-headers
save, and exit nano. Done.

If Already on 4.0-1

Those who have already upgraded to 4.0-1, can downgrade linux-kirkwood-dt to 3.19.3-2 via the appropriate rollback package. Issue:

Code: Select all

[root@archb3 ~]# curl -O http://rollback.archlinuxarm.org/packages/l/linux-kirkwood-dt/linux-kirkwood-dt-3.19.3-2-arm.pkg.tar.xz
[root@archb3 ~]# curl -O http://rollback.archlinuxarm.org/packages/l/linux-api-headers/linux-api-headers-3.18.5-1-arm.pkg.tar.xz
[root@archb3 ~]# pacman -U linux-kirkwood-dt-3.19.3-2-arm.pkg.tar.xz linux-api-headers-3.18.5-1-arm.pkg.tar.xz
  (confirm when prompted)
Reboot; then follow the instructions for "If Still on 3.19.3-2" above, to pin these in place. Your WiFi should now be working again!

(More information on downgrading may be found here.)

I will post again to this forum once the fix has made its way though into a released archlinuxarm kernel, and it is therefore safe to remove the IgnorePkg line again.

Best,

sakaki
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