Realtek 8139 ethernet interface fails in Ubuntu (and several other Linux distros) after changes made to interface by Windows Update

I think this is the follow bug:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=538448

I solved the problem ( with Realtek 8139 driver updated to version 5.6751.822.2007) enabling the feature "Wake-on-lan after shutdown." in windows, as explained in Ubuntu Forum.

bye

Yes you're right. The Windows driver update had disabled "Wake on LAN after shutdown" and the Linux driver couldn't bring the interface up properly. I've now applied the Windows update, enabled the "Wake on LAN after shutdown" feature in Windows device manager and now the card is up and working normally when booting into Xubuntu 7.04. Thank you very much for the info. I had spent a lot of time trying to solve this but had never known what to look for.

This workaround with Windows driver setting also worked for my no-name desktop with RTL-8100B/8139D chipset.
Changing package to Linux kernel (7.10 version) as Linux kernel should properly initialize HW even if Windows sets some strange settings.

I am assigning this bug to the 'ubuntu-kernel-team' per their bug policy. For future reference you can learn more about their bug policy at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies .

Beginning with the Hardy Heron 8.04 development cycle, all open Ubuntu kernel bugs need to be reported against the "linux" kernel package. We are automatically migrating this bug to the new "linux" package. However, development has already began for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. It would be helpful if you could test the upcoming release and verify if this is still an issue - http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . If the issue still exists, please update this report by changing the Status of the "linux" task from "Incomplete" to "New". We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Thanks!

I downloaded Intrepid Alpha 3 and burned it to CDROM. Both booting from CDROM, and when I install it to my HD I am unable to access the network. eth0 gets disabled and I am unable to make it work. It worked when Wake-On-Lan After Shutdown was enabled, but not when disabled. I need instruction what to provide to help make it work. This is on a Toshiba S2435-S255 laptop and a hardwired connection.

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

I have updated my intrepid install with the latest updates. To test, I had Windows up and restarted with kernel 2.7.27.2 and the interface worked fine, they restarted with each older kernel down to 2.6.26.4 and the interface worked fine. Then I shutdown and booted with Windows and restarted with 2.6.26.4 and it failed to start the interface. Then I restarted with each of the four kernels through 2.6.27.2 and it failed on each of them. So I still depend on Windows to get the interface "primed" before running Ubuntu no matter which kernel I use.
Incidentally, on 2.6.26.5 and 2.6.27.1 the very first two messages that appear on the screen after Grub is finished say something to the effect that my device is not an 8139C and then to try to use the 8239too instead.

Hi mbudd,

Thanks for testing,

Can you attach your dmesg output for 2.6.27 when this issue occurs. Thanks.

Here is the dmesg output when the interface fails to start.

Hi mbudd,

Can we get a quick confirmation that this is still an issue with the most recent 2.6.27-9 kernel? Thanks.

Per a decision made by the Ubuntu Kernel Team, bugs will longer be assigned to the ubuntu-kernel-team in Launchpad as part of the bug triage process. The ubuntu-kernel-team is being unassigned from this bug report. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies for more information. Thanks.

Yes, this is still a problem in the 2.6.27-9 kernel.

This bug report was marked as Triaged a while ago but has not had any updated comments for quite some time. Please let us know if this issue remains in the current Ubuntu release, http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download . If the issue remains, click on the current status under the Status column and change the status back to "New". Thanks.

[This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

This issue still remains a problem in uBuntu kernel 2.6.31. It looks like someone has not finished this. Why do you keep asking if it is fixed when no one has done anything?

This bug report was marked as Incomplete and has not had any updated comments for quite some time. As a result this bug is being closed. Please reopen if this is still an issue in the current Ubuntu release http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download . Also, please be sure to provide any requested information that may have been missing. To reopen the bug, click on the current status under the Status column and change the status back to "New". Thanks.

[This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

This problem still exists for me using the 10.04 release.

Confirmed, this problem still exists in the 10.04 release.

This is a nasty issue, which took me a day to find out and work around.
Quite unexpected that a Windows driver setting would affect operability under Linux.

Unfortunately, this bug looks like not to get any attention of the ubuntu-kernel-team :(

Yes. The only reason I keep the issue open is that anyone (like me) wanting
to use uBuntu could be negatively impressed with such poor implementation.
The device should be completely controlled by the OS.

Marvin Budd

On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 6:19 PM, Martin Zaun <email address hidden> wrote:

> Confirmed, this problem still exists in the 10.04 release.
>
> This is a nasty issue, which took me a day to find out and work around.
> Quite unexpected that a Windows driver setting would affect operability
> under Linux.
>
> Unfortunately, this bug looks like not to get any attention of the
> ubuntu-kernel-team :(
>
> --
> Realtek 8139 ethernet interface fails in Ubuntu (and several other Linux
> distros) after changes made to interface by Windows Update
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/156496
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

This is still a bug as of Ubuntu 10.04. Details can be referenced here:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-networking-3/realtek-8139-8168-8169-on-2-6-21-3-or-newer-593495/

The network driver 8139too needs to be modified to fix this problem.

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

I am still waiting on a solution for this. If someone cal tell me what to fix, maybe I can do it myself?? Hope so.