DELL Precision 7530 BIOS update problems on Ubuntu 18.04

Question

Hi all!there is an annoying problem due to the updating of my precision bios (from 1.10.1 to 1.11.1 or 1.12.1) with Ubuntu 18.04 on board: after upgrade, some functions key (Wifi, Brightness Up/Down, Microphone On/Off and probability others) no longer work.Looking in the syslog I see some errors correlated to ACPI Bios component:atkbd serio0: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0x88 on isa0060/serio0). atkbd serio0: Use 'setkeycodes e008 ' to make it known. ACPI BIOS Error (bug): Could not resolve [\_SB.PCI0.PEG0.NHDA], AE_NOT_FOUND (20181213/psargs-330) ACPI Error: Method parse/execution failed \NEVT, AE_NOT_FOUND (20181213/psparse-531) ACPI Error: Method parse/execution failed \_SB.PCI0.LPCB.ECDV._Q66, AE_NOT_FOUND (20181213/psparse-531) This forced me to reinstall the bios version 1.10.1.Could you please verify?Thanks in advance.

delem · Answer

Same for ME !!!!

How to revert to the older bios ???

snipped from dmesg

Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262503] ieee80211 phy0: Hardware restart was requested
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262513] iwlwifi 0000:3b:00.0: FW error in SYNC CMD GEO_TX_POWER_LIMIT
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262514] CPU: 3 PID: 1237 Comm: NetworkManager Tainted: G OE 4.15.0-1065-oem #75-Ubuntu
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262515] Hardware name: Dell Inc. Precision 5540/03G9D9, BIOS 1.4.0 11/11/2019
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262516] Call Trace:
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262519] dump_stack+0x63/0x8e
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262526] iwl_trans_pcie_send_hcmd+0x4f2/0x540 [iwlwifi]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262528] ? wait_woken+0x80/0x80
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262532] iwl_trans_send_cmd+0x6e/0xf0 [iwlwifi]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262538] iwl_mvm_send_cmd+0x32/0xb0 [iwlmvm]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262541] iwl_mvm_send_cmd_pdu+0x58/0x80 [iwlmvm]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262544] iwl_mvm_up+0x98d/0xa00 [iwlmvm]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262547] ? iwl_mvm_up+0x98d/0xa00 [iwlmvm]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262550] __iwl_mvm_mac_start+0x255/0x2f0 [iwlmvm]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262553] iwl_mvm_mac_start+0x4a/0x110 [iwlmvm]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262554] ? wireless_nlevent_flush+0x54/0x90
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262563] drv_start+0x48/0x110 [mac80211]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262571] ieee80211_do_open+0x214/0x8c0 [mac80211]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262577] ieee80211_open+0x52/0x60 [mac80211]
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262578] __dev_open+0xd3/0x160
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262579] __dev_change_flags+0x17e/0x1c0
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262580] dev_change_flags+0x29/0x60
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262581] do_setlink+0x337/0xed0
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262582] ? find_next_bit+0xb/0x10
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262583] ? nla_parse+0x35/0x110
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262584] rtnl_newlink+0x5f3/0x930
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262585] ? update_load_avg+0x57f/0x6e0
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262588] ? security_capget+0x70/0x70
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262589] ? ns_capable_common+0x68/0x80
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262589] ? ns_capable+0x13/0x20
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262590] rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x221/0x2b0
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262591] ? __wake_up_common+0x73/0x130
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262592] ? _cond_resched+0x19/0x40
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262594] ? rtnl_calcit.isra.25+0x110/0x110
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262595] netlink_rcv_skb+0x54/0x130
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262596] rtnetlink_rcv+0x15/0x20
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262597] netlink_unicast+0x19e/0x240
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262597] netlink_sendmsg+0x2d1/0x3d0
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262599] sock_sendmsg+0x3e/0x50
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262600] ___sys_sendmsg+0x2a0/0x2f0
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262601] ? touch_atime+0x36/0xe0
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262603] ? _crng_backtrack_protect+0x60/0x80
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262604] ? memzero_explicit+0xe/0x10
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262605] ? urandom_read+0x119/0x280
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262606] __sys_sendmsg+0x54/0x90
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262607] ? __sys_sendmsg+0x54/0x90
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262608] SyS_sendmsg+0x12/0x20
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262609] do_syscall_64+0x73/0x130
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262610] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x3d/0xa2
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262611] RIP: 0033:0x7f75019ab607
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262612] RSP: 002b:00007ffd745d2a00 EFLAGS: 00000293 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002e
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262613] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000007 RCX: 00007f75019ab607
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262613] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00007ffd745d2a60 RDI: 0000000000000007
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262614] RBP: 00007ffd745d2a60 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000557db9196600
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262614] R10: 0000557db8fde010 R11: 0000000000000293 R12: 0000000000000000
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262614] R13: 00007ffd745d2a60 R14: 00007ffd745d2be4 R15: 0000000000000000
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262616] iwlwifi 0000:3b:00.0: Collecting data: trigger 2 fired.
Dec 13 08:58:12 cactus kernel: [ 142.262622] iwlwifi 0000:3b:00.0: Firmware not running - cannot dump error

delem · Answer

Looks like the iwlwifi issue is not releated to the dell firmware update ! It is releated to the new iwlwifi driver.

I was able to solve the issue by removing the new driver for the "Intel Wireless-AC 9260"

see:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1188350/ubuntu-not-recognizing-wifi-chip-intel-ac-9260/1195350#1195350

pindi · Answer

This seems to be a different problem.

However, after contacting the assistance service, I was assured that at the end of December there will be released a new BIOS update that will fix the problem I encountered.

Stay tuned!

mtsn · Answer

Thanks for the update!  I'm getting the same thing on 19.10, with bios 1.12.1, where [fn]+[up|down] doesn't adjust brightness.  I'll look forward to a fix soon.  I expect a linux firmware update with resolve the brightness issue.

arashi01 · Answer

Similar issues. Anyone know of a workaround until the firmware update arrives?

wizebt · Answer

Simply forget about bios 1.12 and revert back to 1.11 do not upgrade ubuntu to 19.10. I tried for a month without success with multiple reinstal this is waisting your time . The latest bios 1.12 simply doesn't work. It causes error message acpi at boot time CPU thermal threshold and once booted loss of second screen or lock on external monitor only.  Total nightmare. Since I reverted back to bios 1.11 and reinstall 18.04 everything works just flawless and back to productivity.

pindi · Answer

I sent 2 reminder emails, no reply. Great professionalism.... I will remember this at the next notebook purchase.

delta78561 · Answer

I have a Dell Precision 7530, without the option to enable or disable GPU switching and just have an internal GPU. I've been experiencing the same problem and have managed to fix it by modifying the DSDT (which I would not recommend to others) and removing "External (_SB_.PCI0.PEG0.NHDA, UnknownObj)" and "External (NHDA, UnknownObj)" and anything trying to read or write those. After those, it works like a charm on latest BIOSes.

The reason backlight switching worked in BIOS version 1.10.1 was that the keypresses were passed to the OS instead of being handled in ACPI, and now it's different. Dell should be more succint in the changelogs on what's happening, rather than "Fix backlight...", which they haven't. The reason we buy Dell HW is because of its quality and compliance with standards which usually leads to great Linux support. I hope this will help someone escalate to managers on what's important...

Precision Mobile Workstations

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