WIFI not available after anx7688 update failure

[frimmel]

I recently got my 3GB/32GB MAINBOARD - "special offer for BraveHeart and UBPorts owners"

Please note, I have read the discussions wrt anx7688
(e.g. https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=12506 ) prior to submission. It might be related, but not overlapping.

If anyone could suggest e.g. how to re-write the possible wrong flashed fw for gc2145 (or whatever might be the actual problem) I would be happy to try it out as I am kind of stuck right now. The support team extended the warranty for some time for me to be able to try to resolve these issues.

I replaced the motherboard, installed Manjaro on eMMC, could boot, also Manjaro and postmarket can boot from SD. All worked fine incl. wifi etc. However, the anx7688 firmware step failed (anx7688-fw.bin downloaded ok, 32752 bytes,  and copied to /lib/firmware/; timeout during writing according to dmesg, just as others have experienced in separate thread; I did try postmarket and manjaro, recent and older, with usb charging on and off, from eMMC and from SD).


However, on top of that, AFTER the anx7688-attempts suddenly WIFI does NOT work anymore and BLUETOOTH adapter is not found at all (if I understand it correctly). This wifi/bluetooth error is the same for all 3 bootable OSes I have - for which it worked flawlessly until my anx7688 update mess. I even tried re-flashing the eMMC-firmware with an older postmarketOS version, still no WIFI.

I have triple-checked the mainboard connectors. I even replaced the motherboard with the old (ubports) mainboard and when using that, wifi etc works fine just as expected.

In dmesg I can find errors related to writing the anx7688-fw.bin. Furthermore, there are other types of errors related to gc2145-init.bin, Goodix_917S_cfg.bin,  platform regulatory.db - might it be some problem writing the firmware?

dmesg (cut outs) which (at least for me) looks like related to possible errors:

...
[    0.931868] hub 5-0:1.0: USB hub found
[    0.931918] hub 5-0:1.0: 1 port detected
[    0.933920] input: gpio-vibrator as /devices/platform/vibrator/input/input2
[    1.036223] Goodix-TS 1-005d: ID 917S, version: 0200
[    1.039915] Goodix-TS 1-005d: Direct firmware load for goodix_917S_cfg.bin failed with error -2
[    1.045448] sun50i-a64-pinctrl 1c20800.pinctrl: supply vcc-pe not found, using dummy regulator
[    1.046393] input: Goodix Capacitive TouchScreen as /devices/platform/soc/1c2ac00.i2c/i2c-1/1-005d/input/input3

...
[    6.676581] Bluetooth: Core ver 2.22
[    6.676760] NET: Registered protocol family 31
[    6.676765] Bluetooth: HCI device and connection manager initialized
[    6.676796] Bluetooth: HCI socket layer initialized
[    6.676806] Bluetooth: L2CAP socket layer initialized
[    6.676832] Bluetooth: SCO socket layer initialized

[    6.683059] cfg80211: Loaded X.509 cert 'sforshee: 00b28ddf47aef9cea7'
[    6.687264] platform regulatory.0: Direct firmware load for regulatory.db failed with error -2
[    6.687281] cfg80211: failed to load regulatory.db
[    6.695279] FAT-fs (mmcblk0p1): Volume was not properly unmounted. Some data may be corrupt. Please run fsck.
[    6.698914] sun4i-drm display-engine: [drm] fb0: sun4i-drmdrmfb frame buffer device

[    6.721740] Bluetooth: HCI UART driver ver 2.3
[    6.721767] Bluetooth: HCI UART protocol H4 registered
[    6.721862] Bluetooth: HCI UART protocol LL registered
[    6.721929] Bluetooth: HCI UART protocol Three-wire (H5) registered
[    6.722326] Bluetooth: HCI UART protocol Broadcom registered
[    6.722453] dw-apb-uart 1c28400.serial: failed to request DMA
[    6.726313] sun6i-mipi-dsi 1ca0000.dsi: Attached device xbd599

...
[  24.390254] modem-power serial1-0: Your modem has an outdated firmware. Latest know version is EG25GGBR07A08M2G_01.002.07. Consider updating.
...
[  25.997612] sun6i-csi 1cb0000.csi: Direct firmware load for gc2145-init.bin failed with error -2
[  25.997654] gc2145 4-003c: Failed to read firmware gc2145-init.bin, continuing anyway...
...
[  30.871035] sun6i-csi 1cb0000.csi: Direct firmware load for gc2145-init.bin failed with error -2
[  30.871049] gc2145 4-003c: Failed to read firmware gc2145-init.bin, continuing anyway...
...several such fails...


This is what happens when I try to flash anx7688:

[  123.277492] anx7688 1-0028: cable removed
[  123.295868] anx7688 1-0028: power disabled
[  123.296173] anx7688 1-0028: setting vbus_in current limit to 500000 mA
[  123.296445] anx7688 1-0028: disabling vbus_in power path
[  123.296580] anx7688 1-0028: enabling USB BC 1.2 detection
[  123.343891] anx7688 1-0028: power enabled
[  123.445847] anx7688 1-0028: eeprom wr 10 02 00 26 02 19 fb 00 00 00 00 00 02 02 57 90 72
[  123.447429] anx7688 1-0028: eeprom wr 20 05 e4 f0 a3 e0 44 02 f0 e0 54 fd f0 12 76 65 02
[  123.457601] anx7688 1-0028: timeout waiting for eeprom
[  123.479855] anx7688 1-0028: power disabled
[  123.481039] anx7688 1-0028: BC 1.2 result: SDP
[  123.481071] anx7688 1-0028: cable inserted
[  123.527908] anx7688 1-0028: power enabled

[frimmel]

Update: I ran the automated test (part of "factorytest v0.64.0" on pine64-pinephone-20201130-factorytest64.img) and got the following results

mpu-6050  ok
lis3mdl  ok
stk3335  ok
rtl8723cs failed
eg25      ok (later during the test it changes to "no sim" even though there is a sim)
anx7688  ok
ov5640    ok
gc2145    ok

I tested three times with the described result. However, on a fourth (and repeated) test, nothing more happens after eg25 test("Upgrading EG25") started (at least 10 minutes waiting).

The "Debugging modem" test option stops at "Waiting for modem"

The failure of rtl8723cs is considered a "serious defect" according to the following thread: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=12126

As hinted in that thread, I tried re-installing the coaxial cable, however it made no difference.


'

[nas]

Have you tried swapping back the braveheart board to see if wifi works on there? Would rule out the cable as the culprit at least.

[frimmel]

Have you tried swapping back the braveheart board to see if wifi works on there? Would rule out the cable as the culprit at least.

Yes I did that earlier, and all OSes worked as expected including wifi.

[nas]

I guess it goes back to the firmware issue. Tried reflashing it with the same or older version?

[frimmel]

I guess it goes back to the firmware issue. Tried reflashing it with the same or older version?

I am not sure I understand your suggestion. Should I try using an older firmware version for anx7688 (that I have not tried, I do not even know which is the "original" version), or do you mean I should try flashing the anx7688 fw from an older version of e.g. postmarketOS (that I have tried already)? Or should I use an older version of the factorytest? Or, did I misunderstand you completely (if so I apologize, I am not experienced in this field)?

[nas]

I am not sure I understand your suggestion. Should I try using an older firmware version for anx7688

I'm not technical either, just suggesting ideas. I see a couple versions but try reflashing the latest one first.

[frimmel]

I am not sure I understand your suggestion. Should I try using an older firmware version for anx7688

I'm not technical either, just suggesting ideas. I see a couple versions but try reflashing the latest one first.

I now tried booting from the postmarket factory test image. Test results (multiple tries, same result):
"RTL8723CS"    failed
EG25                no modem

Cameras, usb etc works (the computer can see the pine64 pinephone). The wifi and modem fails as usual.

I assume either the modem *is* broken or the proprietary firmware was somehow wiped during firmware flashing. I cannot find any information on flashing the RTL8723CS firmware (if at all possible) so I cannot try that.

I have now switched back to the old mainboard, which works, as I cannot be in limbo forever. I guess I must return the new main board as if I do continue to switch boards I will end up breaking the cables. However, I really need the OTG so I guess in the end I must take the risk fixing the old main board.

Anyway, thanks for all suggestions.

[frimmel]

I now also updated the EG25 software using the following tool:
https://github.com/Biktorgj/quectel_eg25_recovery
The process seemed to work fine. However, it made no difference wrt RTL8723CS (as expected I guess).

Also, I tried flipping the on/off switches in case it was bad connection. No difference.

[nas]

It's possible that the firmware issue is a red herring. Not sure how it would disable the wifi/bt chip unless related to power supply somehow? Probably best to file a support ticket to see if they can point you in the right direction at least.