mellanox driver install fails

[4evernoob]

Mellanox driver (mlnx-en-4.2-1.0.1.0-ubuntu16.04-x86_64) fails with "Current operation system in not supported!"
uname -a = Linux store 4.13.0-26-generic #29~16.04.2-Ubuntu SMP Tue Jan 9 22:00:44 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
How can I get this working. Only thing I know to do is install ubuntu 16.04 and do the install there which worked for me before but then I wanted to try out Mint. Always found some other way on so many flavors of linux but now lets try to do it the right way.

[ClixTrix]

Interesting......

I searched on the error and found this file.

http://bgate.mellanox.com/openstack/mel ... fedinstall

If you search for the error, it shows a section of code that checks "distro" and if not correct produces the error. It specifically checks for ubuntu or debian. I'm betting that's why the error, i.e. linux mint is a different distro.

[4evernoob]

Thanks for you reply.
There is a file in the root of the driver pack called distro and inside that txt file is ubuntu16.04.
I thought Mint was ubuntu just,,, Mint flavored. My current version is 16.04.2 so I thought that was the hangup. ???
Turns out that my connection issue was I had jumbo frames enabled on all the nics but I think when I setup the switch I didn't write the jumbo frames setting to memory and the switch got rebooted and thus setting MTU back to 1500.
This driver issue is still an open question for me. Lets say I installed ubuntu 16.04 and then installed this driver what happens when the kernel gets updated does the driver stop functioning? Or would it be a ubuntu version change like 16.10 that would cause it to stop working?

[ClixTrix]

In looking at the Perl code that produced the error, it simply is checking distro name, and not the version or release level. I believe the distro name for Mint is linuxmint.

There is a section of code in the file I linked that checks for distro. It appears to use the lsb-release file.

If you run the following command from Terminal, I believe you'll see the answer on why it's not finding ubuntu or debian.

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cat /etc/lsb-release

One comment in the code does catch my attention.

# don't auto-detect distro if it's provided by the user.

That does suggest there is the potential to set or pass the name, i.e. pass it ubuntu. I would need to see documentation on the package to better understand exactly what's possible.

[gene0915]

In looking at the Perl code that produced the error, it simply is checking distro name, and not the version or release level. I believe the distro name for Mint is linuxmint.

There is a section of code in the file I linked that checks for distro. It appears to use the lsb-release file.

If you run the following command from Terminal, I believe you'll see the answer on why it's not finding ubuntu or debian.

Code: Select all

cat /etc/lsb-release

One comment in the code does catch my attention.

# don't auto-detect distro if it's provided by the user.

That does suggest there is the potential to set or pass the name, i.e. pass it ubuntu. I would need to see documentation on the package to better understand exactly what's possible.

Sorry to necro an old thread but I recently bought some Mellanox X3 cards and I'd like to install the latest driver but running into the same problem. Product download/documentation is at: https://www.mellanox.com/page/products_ ... _family=27

Click on the 'Download' button then Ubuntu, 18.04, x86_64 and you'll get the ISO, tgz, source and documentation. Would appreciate any and all help with this. Right now, when I copy files over my 10 gig network with these cards (using a DAC cable to hook both PCs directly to each other), I'm getting about 250MB/s instead of 500MB/s. I know that with a 10 gig connection, I should see about 1,000MB/s but my RAID 6 array maxes out with a write speed of around 500-600MB/s.

I tried following the instructions of using the DEBS_ETH folder I extracted as the source to install the ethernet only drivers (don't need RDMA) and it LOOKED like the apt command was successful but when I check the driver version after a reboot.... still on 4.0_0 instead of 4.7. Guess I need to get THEIR install.sh file working maybe?!

[gene0915]

I figured it out!

Log in as root and edit the lsb-release file: nano /etc/lsb-release:

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DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=18.04

Make those two changes.

Then, the installer needs these packages so install them first:

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apt install debhelper swig libltdl-dev graphviz autoconf dpatch autotools-dev automake quilt chrpath

Then, use the instructions Mellanox provides to mount the ISO and run the installer and presto chango......

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Below is the list of mlnx-en packages that you have chosen
(some may have been added by the installer due to package dependencies):

ofed-scripts
mlnx-en-utils
mlnx-en-dkms
mstflint

This program will install the mlnx-en package on your machine.
Note that all other Mellanox, OEM, OFED, RDMA or Distribution IB packages will be removed.
Those packages are removed due to conflicts with mlnx-en, do not reinstall them.

Do you want to continue?[y/N]:y

Checking SW Requirements...
Removing old packages...
Uninstalling the previous version of mlnx-en
Installing new packages
Installing ofed-scripts-4.7...
Installing mlnx-en-utils-4.7...
Installing mlnx-en-dkms-4.7...
Installing mstflint-4.13.0...
Selecting previously unselected package mlnx-fw-updater.
(Reading database ... 294625 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../mlnx-fw-updater_4.7-1.0.0.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking mlnx-fw-updater (4.7-1.0.0.1) ...
Setting up mlnx-fw-updater (4.7-1.0.0.1) ...
Attempting to perform Firmware update...
Querying Mellanox devices firmware ...

Device #1:
----------

  Device Type:      ConnectX3
  Part Number:      MCX311A-XCA_Ax
  Description:      ConnectX-3 EN network interface card; 10GigE; single-port SFP+; PCIe3.0 x4 8GT/s; RoHS R6
  PSID:             MT_1170110023
  PCI Device Name:  05:00.0
  Port1 MAC:        f4521426b110
  Port2 MAC:        f4521426b111
  Versions:         Current        Available     
     FW             2.42.5000      2.42.5000     
     PXE            3.4.0752       3.4.0752      

  Status:           Up to date


Log File: /tmp/mlnx-en.11137.logs/fw_update.log
Configuring /etc/security/limits.conf.
Device (05:00.0):
	05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Mellanox Technologies MT27500 Family [ConnectX-3]
	Link Width: x4
	PCI Link Speed: 5GT/s

Installation passed successfully
To load the new driver, run:
/etc/init.d/mlnx-en.d restart
root@rosewill:/var/lib/apt# /etc/init.d/mlnx-en.d restart
Unloading NIC driver:                                      [  OK  ]
Loading NIC driver:                                        [  OK  ]
root@rosewill:/var/lib/apt# exit
exit
gene@rosewill:~$ ethtool -i enp5s0
driver: mlx4_en
version: 4.7-1.0.0
firmware-version: 2.42.5000
expansion-rom-version: 
bus-info: 0000:05:00.0
supports-statistics: yes
supports-test: yes
supports-eeprom-access: no
supports-register-dump: no
supports-priv-flags: yes
gene@rosewill:~$ 

Quick edit.... don't forget to switch the lsb-release info back to the original setting:

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DISTRIB_ID=LinuxMint
DISTRIB_RELEASE=19.2

I rebooted the box and the 4.7 driver is installed!

[MrEen]

Hi gene0915.

Nice work figuring out a solution! Be aware that the change you made might produce trouble with other installations. I'd suggest to test if changing /etc/lsb-release back to what it was allows proper use of everything now that the driver is installed. I have no idea if the change will ever impact you, but if it does, nobody is ever going to think to look at /etc/lsb-release as part of the issue without looking at your posting history unless the errors produced specifically indicate that's where the issue lies.

[gene0915]

Hi gene0915.

Nice work figuring out a solution! Be aware that the change you made might produce trouble with other installations. I'd suggest to test if changing /etc/lsb-release back to what it was allows proper use of everything now that the driver is installed. I have no idea if the change will ever impact you, but if it does, nobody is ever going to think to look at /etc/lsb-release as part of the issue without looking at your posting history unless the errors produced specifically indicate that's where the issue lies.

Whoops, I'll edit my 'solution' post as I forgot a step. The missing step was editing that file and switching it back to 'LinuxMint' and the version # back to '19.2' Good catch!

[MrEen]

Great work, gene0915! I'm sure this will help others with the same issue.

[gene0915]

Great work, gene0915! I'm sure this will help others with the same issue.

I've gotten a lot of help from the folks on here over the years..... feels good to finally be able to give something back.