Errors in dmesg with Intel NIC (Gigabyte G481-HA0)

Document Scope

This document addresses an issue reported by dmesg regarding a firmware error with the onboard 10GB NIC. The solution involves updating the NIC's firmware using a utility provided by Intel. Additionally, a detailed example of the update process is included below.

Error Example

[root@c113900 ~]# dmesg |grep -i error 
[ 3.932382] ERST: Error Record Serialization Table (ERST) support is initialized. 
[ 5.081121] BERT: Boot Error Record Table support is disabled. Enable it by using bert_enable as kernel parameter.
[ 8.173656] ixgbe 0000:86:00.0: Warning firmware error detected FWSM: 0x0118801F 
[ 9.254564] ixgbe 0000:86:00.1: Warning firmware error detected FWSM: 0x0118801F 
[ 18.695153] ixgbe 0000:86:00.0: Warning firmware error detected FWSM: 0x0118801F 
[ 18.794741] ixgbe 0000:86:00.0: Warning firmware error detected FWSM: 0x0118801F 
[ 18.894672] ixgbe 0000:86:00.0: Warning firmware error detected FWSM: 0x0118801F 
[ 18.994714] ixgbe 0000:86:00.0: Warning firmware error detected FWSM: 0x0118801F 
[ 19.094620] ixgbe 0000:86:00.0: Warning firmware error detected FWSM: 0x0118801F

Cause

Linux Kernel 4.x and higher had a firmware check that wasn't previously implemented in the Intel Chipset firmware.

Solution

To resolve this issue, please download the Intel NVM update utility and update the NIC's firmware. 

Download Link - Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) Update Utility for Intel® Ethernet Adapters 550 Series—Linux*

Usage Example

[root@c113900 ~]# cd X550/ 
[root@c113900 X550]# ls 
Linux_x64 
[root@c113900 X550]# cd Linux_x64/ 
[root@c113900 Linux_x64]# ls 
dSGVL_0.txt dSGVL_B0_AT_SP_MCTP_3p30.bin dSGVL_B0_BT2_noMNG_3p30.bin license.txt Retail_SagePond_B0_AT2_noMNG_H86377_3p30.bin 
dSGVL_1.txt dSGVL_B0_AT_SP_NCSI_3p30.bin dSGVL_B0_BT2_SMB_3p30.bin nvmupdate64e Retail_SagePond_B0_AT_SP_noMNG_H92506_3p30.bin 
dSGVL_B0_AT2_MCTP_3p30.bin dSGVL_B0_AT_SP_noMNG_3p30.bin file_license.txt nvmupdate.cfg version.txt 
dSGVL_B0_AT2_NCSI_3p30.bin dSGVL_B0_AT_SP_SMB_3p30.bin Intel_firmware_license.txt OEMG_sagePond_B0_AT2_MCTP_H49289_3p30.bin 
dSGVL_B0_AT2_noMNG_3p30.bin dSGVL_B0_BT2_MCTP_3p30.bin Intel_Proprietary_License.pdf OEMG_sagePond_B0_AT_MCTP_H89173_3p30.bin 
dSGVL_B0_AT2_SMB_3p30.bin dSGVL_B0_BT2_NCSI_3p30.bin license.pdf readme.txt 
[root@c113900 Linux_x64]# ./nvmupdate64e 
Intel(R) Ethernet NVM Update Tool 
NVMUpdate version 1.37.1.1 
Copyright(C) 2013 - 2021 Intel Corporation. 
WARNING: To avoid damage to your device, do not stop the update or reboot or power off the system during this update. 
Inventory in progress. Please wait [*****-....] 
Num Description Ver.(hex) DevId S:B Status 
=== ================================== ============ ===== ====== ============== 
01) Intel(R) I350 Gigabit Network 1.99(1.63) 1521 00:001 Update not 
Connection available 
02) Intel(R) Ethernet Converged 1.134(1.86) 1563 00:094 Update 
Network Adapter X550-T2 available 
03) Intel(R) Ethernet Controller 1.85(1.55) 1563 00:134 Update 
X550-T2 available 
Options: Adapter Index List (comma-separated), [A]ll, e[X]it 
Enter selection: 03 
Would you like to back up the NVM images? [Y]es/[N]o: y 
Update in progress. This operation may take several minutes. 
[.*********] 
Num Description Ver.(hex) DevId S:B Status 
=== ================================== ============ ===== ====== ============== 
01) Intel(R) I350 Gigabit Network 1.99(1.63) 1521 00:001 Update not 
Connection available 
02) Intel(R) Ethernet Converged 1.134(1.86) 1563 00:094 No update 
Network Adapter X550-T2 
03) Intel(R) Ethernet Controller 3.48(3.30) 1563 00:134 Update 
X550-T2 successful 
Please Power Cycle your system now and run the NVM update utility again to complete the update. Failure to do so will result in an incomplete NVM update. 
Tool execution completed with the following status: Take requested reset action and run the NVM update utility again to complete the update. 
Press any key to exit.