Warning: Latest Ubuntu Alpha Kernel May Damage Your Intel NICs

malware · Sep 29, 2008

This is a warning to all Linux users that are currently using the latest Ubuntu OS. Reports claim that some users may damage their Intel network adapters using Ubuntu's latest 2.6.27-rc kernel. Although this is an alpha release and bugs are expected, it might even damage your hardware to a state where you can't repair your NIC. In bug #263555 posted on the bugs.launchpad.net experts say: "In some circumstances it appears possible for the 2.6.27-rc kernels to corrupt the NVRAM used by some Intel network parts to store data such as MAC addresses. This is limited to the new e1000e driver, and reports have only appeared from users of "82566 and 82567 based LAN parts (ich8 and ich9)". The reports seem to be isolated to laptops, but it is not clear if this is because desktop/server parts are not vulnerable, or if use cases simply increase the chances of laptop users being hit. Once this corruption has occurred, recovery may be possible via a BIOS update, but may well require replacement of the hardware. Use of Intel's IABUTIL.EXE is strongly discouraged, as it will worsen the problem to the point where the network part will no longer appear on the PCI bus."

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

Dark_Webster · Sep 29, 2008

God, that is bad news for some Intel/Ubuntu systems

.

Mussels · Sep 29, 2008

hmmm. someone did a boo boo.

Luke · Sep 29, 2008

good thing i did not try and run this version of ubuntu on my laptop because my laptop has that network chip

wolf2009 · Sep 29, 2008

never thought a software could damage hardware, unless its overclocked

mdm-adph · Sep 29, 2008

Yeah, this isn't just Ubuntu -- this bug affects all Linux distros that use the 2.6.27 RC kernel.

Guess this means Ubuntu's getting big enough to finally get picked on big time before anyone else, though.

FatForester · Sep 29, 2008

Yea, this is any distro that uses 2.6.27 RC, not just Ubuntu. It has something to do with the Intel driver allowing the kernel to write over the EEPROM on the NIC.

mdm-adph · Sep 29, 2008

FatForester said:
Yea, this is any distro that uses 2.6.27 RC, not just Ubuntu. It has something to do with the Intel driver allowing the kernel to write over the EEPROM on the NIC.

That's something that I've been trying to figure out, too, but couldn't find the information about it anywhere -- was it specifically Intel's driver allowing this to happen? They actually produce a lot of Linux-specific stuff, and I wouldn't be surprised if this was directly Intel-supplied. If so, then it's not even a Linux problem at all, and all these fear-mongering news stories are getting it wrong. :laugh:

Should be, "Intel Driver causing damage to Intel NIC's."

AddSub · Sep 30, 2008

Something similar to this happened before. Few years ago with a Mandrake distro where it was found that it permanently killed certain brand of CD-ROM drives. (links below)

Mandrake Linux 9.2 'kills' some CD-ROM drives
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39117461,00.htm

LG CD-ROMs Destroyed by Mandrake 9.2
http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/10/25/1737244

It happens every now and then in the Linux world and it is the primary reason I don't install Linux OS's on any system worth more than $100 or outside of VM realm.

Processor	Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 VID: 1.2125
Motherboard	GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3P rev.2.0
Cooling	Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme + Noctua NF-S12 Fan
Memory	4x1 GB PQI DDR2 PC2-6400
Video Card(s)	Colorful iGame Radeon HD 4890 1 GB GDDR5
Storage	2x 500 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 32 MB RAID0
Display(s)	BenQ G2400W 24-inch WideScreen LCD
Case	Cooler Master COSMOS RC-1000 (sold), Cooler Master HAF-932 (delivered)
Audio Device(s)	Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic + Logitech Z-5500 Digital THX
Power Supply	Chieftec CFT-1000G-DF 1kW
Software	Laptop: Lenovo 3000 N200 C2DT2310/3GB/120GB/GF7300/15.4"/Razer

System Name	Lil'Lighty
Processor	Intel Core i3 530 @ Stock
Motherboard	Asus P7P55D
Cooling	Artic Cooling Freezer Pro Rev.2
Memory	Gskill Ripjaw 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 8GB
Video Card(s)	MSI GeForce GTX650 OC 1GB
Storage	WD Blue 500GB AAKS
Display(s)	ASUS 20'
Case	Aerocool Aeroengine II // Two 120mm Blue Fans
Audio Device(s)	Creative SoundBlaster LE // Logitech X-230
Power Supply	Corsair VX450W
Software	Windows 8.1 Pro x64

System Name	Rainbow Sparkles (Power efficient, <350W gaming load)
Processor	Ryzen R7 5800x3D (Undervolted, 4.45GHz all core)
Motherboard	Asus x570-F (BIOS Modded)
Cooling	Alphacool Apex UV - Alphacool Eisblock XPX Aurora + EK Quantum ARGB 3090 w/ active backplate
Memory	2x32GB DDR4 3600 Corsair Vengeance RGB @3866 C18-22-22-22-42 TRFC704 (1.4V Hynix MJR - SoC 1.15V)
Video Card(s)	Galax RTX 3090 SG 24GB: Underclocked to 1700Mhz 0.750v (375W down to 250W))
Storage	2TB WD SN850 NVME + 1TB Sasmsung 970 Pro NVME + 1TB Intel 6000P NVME USB 3.2
Display(s)	Phillips 32 32M1N5800A (4k144), LG 32" (4K60) \| Gigabyte G32QC (2k165) \| Phillips 328m6fjrmb (2K144)
Case	Fractal Design R6
Audio Device(s)	Logitech G560 \| Corsair Void pro RGB \|Blue Yeti mic
Power Supply	Fractal Ion+ 2 860W (Platinum) (This thing is God-tier. Silent and TINY)
Mouse	Logitech G Pro wireless + Steelseries Prisma XL
Keyboard	Razer Huntsman TE ( Sexy white keycaps)
VR HMD	Oculus Rift S + Quest 2
Software	Windows 11 pro x64 (Yes, it's genuinely a good OS) OpenRGB - ditch the branded bloatware!
Benchmark Scores	Nyooom.

System Name	Desktop Rig\Laptop HP 8510P
Processor	Intel Core i7 970 @ 4.2ghz 24/7 \Intel T9300 @ 2.5Ghz
Motherboard	ASUS P6X58D Premium Motherboard\HP 8510P
Cooling	Custom Water\Laptop cooling
Memory	6x2GB DDR3 PC3-16000\3Gb of 667
Video Card(s)	2 x GTX 680 SLI \HD2600 256Mb
Storage	Intel 240GB, WD 1TB Black \OCZ Vertex 2 120GB
Display(s)	3 x 27" 2560x1400 \15.4" laptop widescreen
Case	Xigmatek Elysium\it's a laptop
Audio Device(s)	Auzentech X-Fi Bravura 7.1\SoundMAX onboard
Power Supply	Corsair TX850W\90W power brick
Software	Windows 7 Pro x64\Windows 7 Pro x64

System Name	Jupiter-2
Processor	Intel i3-6100
Motherboard	H170I-PLUS D3
Cooling	Stock
Memory	8GB Mushkin DDR3L-1600
Video Card(s)	EVGA GTX 1050ti
Storage	512GB Corsair SSD
Display(s)	BENQ 24in
Case	Lian Li PC-Q01B Mini ITX
Audio Device(s)	Onboard
Power Supply	Corsair 450W
Mouse	Logitech Trackball
Keyboard	Custom bamboo job
Software	Win 10 Pro
Benchmark Scores	Finished Super PI on legendary mode in only 13 hours.

Warning: Latest Ubuntu Alpha Kernel May Damage Your Intel NICs

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Storage	constantly upgrading/downgrading [prefer Hitachi/Samsung]
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