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ACPI BIOS Error (bug): AE_AML_PACKAGE_LIMIT, Index (0x0000000FF) is beyond end o
Hello,
I've got a Dell G3 (3579) bought new with an Ubuntu 16.04LTS version installed.
It worked flawlessly, but I've to upgrade it to 19.10 version and next to 20.04LTS. As you may know, Dell inhibited distributions upgrades, but this is easy to bypass. So I upgraded to 18.04 LTS and then to 19.10.
Since then, I've got this acpi error :
ACPI BIOS Error (bug): AE_AML_PACKAGE_LIMIT, Index (0x0000000FF) is beyond end of object (length 0x11) (20190703/exoparg2-393)
When I do some disk activity (like during a backup) the machine freeze, mouse cursor stopping and machine becoming unresponsive for many seconds. This happens when iowait is above 25% ... So very annoying.
I tried, first, to upgrade the BIOS to the latest version, but to no avail.
I searched all that I could without luck.
So all the help I could get will be appreciated and thanked !
Thanks a lot in advance for your help.
Stay safe.
Gilbou92
77 Posts
0
May 7th, 2020 02:00
Seems bios has a bug related to ACPI
Until Dell fixes this with a BIOS update (they may not if machine is old) my first move would be to ask for help on Ubuntu's forums. Perhaps some parameter at boot to the kernel can fix this. Or some config in kernel modules related to ACPI.
GeorgesGiralt
30 Posts
0
May 7th, 2020 07:00
Thank you for answering me.
I've tried to ask the question on Ubuntu French forums but got no answer. So if you know a place where I could get some answer, I would be very glad to hear it from you !
As per Dell, I doubt it will be fixed one day, given the poor support they offer for the operating system they deliver the machine with.
Thank you very much for your answer !
Best regards.
Gilbou92
77 Posts
0
May 8th, 2020 11:00
I got the same error in my kernel dmesg.
Doesnt seem to have any bad effect on the machine or Ubuntu but it's something that can either be fixed in the machine's firmware or at the kernel sources. It might be a problem in how the kernel parses the ACPI content and not the firmware itself.
Gilbou92
77 Posts
0
May 8th, 2020 12:00
Been checking in more detail on my machine and it seems quite harmless.
When the ACPI data is parsed, each entry in the tree reports its size and then the parser will report to the log that it has found less items than reported. It is not an error, more of a warning. It means that the problem is inside the Dell bios/firmware, and harmless.
If it was something like AE_NOT_FOUND that would be more problematic.
Unless you got something else than PACKAGE_LIMIT you should be fine.
GeorgesGiralt
30 Posts
0
May 9th, 2020 07:00
Thank you for your answer.
If I suppress PACKAGE_LIMIT errors from the logs, I still get some trouble :
ACPI Error: Aborting method \_SB.PCI0.SPI1.FPNT._CRS due to previous error (AE_AML_INVALID_RESOURCE_TYPE) (20190703/psparse-529)
ACPI Error: Method execution failed \_SB.PCI0.SPI1.FPNT._CRS due to previous error (AE_AML_INVALID_RESOURCE_TYPE) (20190703/uteval-68)
ACPI Error: Aborting method \_SB.PCI0.SPI2.FPNT._CRS due to previous error (AE_AML_INVALID_RESOURCE_TYPE) (20190703/psparse-529)
ACPI Error: Method execution failed \_SB.PCI0.SPI2.FPNT._CRS due to previous error (AE_AML_INVALID_RESOURCE_TYPE) (20190703/uteval-68)
ACPI Warning: \_SB.PCI0.PEG0.PEGP._DSM: Argument #4 type mismatch - Found [Buffer], ACPI requires [Package] (20190703/nsarguments-59
And a lot of errors every time I hit the brightness keyboard buttons or which I know are "harmless"...
So I would like to get your opinion of these errors as well...
Thanks a lot in advance for your help !
Have a nice day and stay safe !
Gilbou92
77 Posts
0
May 9th, 2020 09:00
First you need to report this to Dell
I have seen this in the Github dedicated to the firmware upgrade tool. Maybe they can give us advice or they have a contact @Anonymous ?
https://github.com/fwupd/fwupd/issues/2020
GeorgesGiralt
30 Posts
0
May 10th, 2020 00:00
Report this to Dell ?
I would if I could ! When you phone the French Dell support about _anything_ they want you to test under Windows before even accepting your call.
Or they say that the software you bought your device with is unsupported and you are on your own...
So I thought I could ask the Dell Community hoping that Dell was listening as other makers do in their community to get a hint at how their products are perceived by their customers.
Apparently, this is not the way Dell is running the show. And yes, I'm on my own.
And if you look at the repo Dell is "maintaining" for Linux, you'll see it is no more maintained. So I thought the patches needed to make the Linux Kernel and the Dell hardware had made it's way into the mainstream kernel (as Intel or HP or Lenovo do) but apparently it is not the case.
So if, by any chance, you have a way to make Dell aware of bugs in their software/machines, I would be delighted to know how to report it !
For now, I'm so vastly disappointed.
Gilbou92
77 Posts
0
May 10th, 2020 02:00
Go ask on the Linux kernel mailing-lists.
Perhaps someone from Dell is reading those. That's where kernel work is discussed.
I dont view support people as very competent, sorry. They are most of the time reading scripts on a screen, some are good, most are not. And if you talk of anything but Windows their incompetence shows.
Keep it to US people for anything serious and technical. I would try the mailing-lists for kernel work.
GeorgesGiralt
30 Posts
0
May 15th, 2020 03:00
So, here i am again for an update.
Got a private message from a Bot asking if I wanted to get help from a Tech Expert. I aswered "yes" and got another Bot asking the very same question. Answered yes, also, and got another question about the same subject. Maybe I did something wrong ?
Anyway, a couple of days later i got an answer, and I quote : "
Hi Georges,
Please go to below steps provided
Restart the computer.
Press and hold the CTRL key + ESC key on the keyboard until the BIOS Recovery page appears.
On the BIOS Recovery screen, select Reset NVRAM (if available) and press the Enter key. Select Disabled and press the Enter key to save the current BIOS settings.
Select Recover BIOS and press the Enter key to start the recovery process.
also you can visit the below link for further clarification
https://dell.to/2LuoPm2
and confirm. Thanks".
I tried, but does nothing on a Dell G3 3579. So I answered this. And asked what was the rational for this BIOS reset.
You know what ? I got a Bot asking me if I wanted a Tech Expert look at my problem....
Of course, I answered yes.
A couple of hours after, i got another message "
Hi GeorgesGiralt,
trick for BIOS recovery option.also it is behind the operating system.
Also suggest you go below link follow page 99 for BIOS Flash
https://dell.to/2X0c4oq "
So I wonder why they ask me to recover or flash the BIOS on this machine. I _already_ have the latest BIOS available and I bet, flashing it again won't solve anything.... if the utility allows it.
I wonder if I need a user manual to use the community support from Dell ? Or if something is broken at Dell ?
I still have my problems. They are not getting better. And no one at Dell seems to care. I though a Tech Expert could have a way to ask people at Dell or could have privileged contact at Dell; I was wrong.
I wonder what is the purpose of all this, if nobody listen ?
Have a nice and bright day and stay safe.
GeorgesGiralt
30 Posts
0
May 15th, 2020 08:00
So,
After googling, I found the relevant Dell docuentaion about restoring the BIOS using CTRL ESC.
Done that.
Guess what ?
Changed nothing. Still the same set of errors :
ACPI Error: Aborting method \_SB.PCI0.SPI1.FPNT._CRS due to previous error (AE_AML_INVALID_RESOURCE_TYPE) (20190703/psparse-529)
ACPI Error: Method execution failed \_SB.PCI0.SPI1.FPNT._CRS due to previous error (AE_AML_INVALID_RESOURCE_TYPE) (20190703/uteval-68)
ACPI Error: Aborting method \_SB.PCI0.SPI2.FPNT._CRS due to previous error (AE_AML_INVALID_RESOURCE_TYPE) (20190703/psparse-529)
ACPI Error: Method execution failed \_SB.PCI0.SPI2.FPNT._CRS due to previous error (AE_AML_INVALID_RESOURCE_TYPE) (20190703/uteval-68)
ACPI Warning: \_SB.PCI0.PEG0.PEGP._DSM: Argument #4 type mismatch - Found [Buffer], ACPI requires [Package] (20190703/nsarguments-59)
So I'm left with the same problem but I've gort the Expert Advice and Help ™
Come one, Dell, try again.
GeorgesGiralt
30 Posts
0
May 17th, 2020 01:00
So, yesterday I've got another message from a Tech Expert. Here it is (I still have problems responding to the private messages) :
=======================================================
Hi GeorgesGiralt,
Please follow below link and suggest you forgo those steps for how to disable ACPI in BIOS
https://dell.to/2Lz8tZq
If not found then advise also make BiOS default and save changes and check
Also suggest you
turn on your computer press F2 goto your BIOS
Then go to Advance Select ATA Instead Of AHCPI Save the setting then try to reboot.
if Not solved you can check this options
==========================================================
This time the hint is to DISABLE the ACPI subsystem entirely. If yo do not want to hear the message, kill the messenger. Brilliant !
And, you suggest I reinstall my whole system to solve a bug which is embedded in the machine software. Do you think this will work ?
Have you, Sir, tried to use a modern computer without ACPI ? And what was your experience ? Nice ? Fair, Poor ? Terrible ? or not usable at all....
Please do not try to solve a bug by killing the software containing it.
Report these bugs to Dell Labs and ask them, kindly, as I do, to solve them and provide a correct and functional BIOS and corresponding Kernel patches for the mainstream kernel.
While waiting, I sincerely wish you a nice and bright day.
And stay safe.
GeorgesGiralt
30 Posts
0
May 17th, 2020 05:00
So got a new message. It says :
=========================================
Hi GeorgesGiralt,
Advice to check if Ubuntu 16.04LTS version compatible with your Hardware. Please go below link from ubuntu. You can find your hardware or model supported or not.
https://dell.to/2WWLLiQ
Also suggest for Install ubuntu with older version and check. if persist same error then advise you Recover the BIOS as earlier suggested.
==========================================
First of all, I bought this machine directly from Dell. I bought it with Ubuntu 16.04LTS installed. It had an OEM kernel and some customized modules installed. When I bought it, the version of Ubuntu installed was already obsolete (18.04LTS was then current, so 16.04 was near end of life) but despite this, Dell delivered a machine with it. On these machine some hardware was non functional.... Cool....
But I guess it was supported, because Dell won't sell a machine with unsupported software ? Or am I wrong ?
And Dell banned software upgrade. Really cool !
As I need this machine, I decided to do what Dell did not : upgrade to get the latest security software and a current Ubuntu OS. Are you still running Windows Vista ? I presume not....
I was thinking that Dell did not provide specific Kernel or software because it had been merged in the main kernel line. So going to newer Ubuntu would/could solve issues.
Alas, I'm very wrong. Dell decided to drop it's machine altogether and let their customers in the wild. Fine.
Now, there is a new long term support available : 20.04 and 16.04 is dying.
I _do_ hope Dell finish the job it has started and fix their software to provide decent ACPI support on their machines. And make them usable... It is quite time....
as per the BIOS recover, I say it again. I did it. It changes nothing. The bug are still here.It is a waste of time.
So please, I _do_repeat myself. Ask Dell Labs to fix their software. Or provide the code to make it work in the mainstream Linux kernel.
Have a nice day.
Gilbou92
77 Posts
0
May 19th, 2020 03:00
You can re-apply the BIOS. Then, it is advised to go into the bios and reset it to default values.
Then redo any changes you might have done if you wanted to have something turned off there.
Not sure NVRAM reset will help but why not. It won't kill the machine, so you can try that.
The reported message will only be fixed with a proper BIOS fix so it doesn't trigger the kernel parsing which is done according to UEFI spec.
drmhv
12 Posts
0
May 24th, 2020 07:00
Seeing similar in a Vostro 3491, with BIOS 1.8.0 (dated 24 March 2020), kernel 5.6.13 on Fedora 32:
No idea what the adverse effect of this is (\_SB.TBFP seems to be related to Thunderbolt, which this machine doesn't have), or how to provoke it. Otherwise the notebook hasn't put a foot wrong (sleeps and resumes, etc.).
I've opened a kernel bug against this to have the ACPI experts look it over, but as it says this likely is a coding defect in the ACPI tables which Dell should fix -- and no amount of fiddling in UEFI setup will change this. There are other ACPI bugs in the firmware related to fan control via sysfs (the fan works normally automatically though).
Gilbou92
77 Posts
0
May 27th, 2020 05:00
Each ACPI entry reports its size. Then, the kernel parses each and if the contents are smaller than the declared size, you will see those messages. They are Warnings, essentially. The fix can only be done in the BIOS and since it's warnings but not really missing entries or something very wrong... this is low priority (they might even never fix it, to tell the truth).