[Solved] Missing Ethernet and Linux Mint thinks my PC is a Laptop

[shallybu]

Hi Linux Mint forum

Hoping someone can help me to resolve a couple of issues I'm having. I recently updated an older PC, with a new motherboard and new Intel I5 chip. I dual booted it with Windows 10 and the latest version of Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.1. Installation went fine - no issues.

First issue Is that the on-board ethernet on the motherboard is not working? I plugged a usb wifi dongle in and at least I can connect to the internet using that, but it's slow and would rather use a wired connection. When using Windows 10 the enthernet is working fine, so I know it's not an issue with the connection. Do I have to download/install some driver to get this working? If so where do I go to find this?

Second issue is that after installing mint the video resolution was fine, but I was getting a message stating that the system wasn't using a graphics driver on startup. So I applied all of the latest updates in the update manager thinking that that might help get rid of this message, but now the system thinks it's a laptop, and my monitor has reverted to a very coarse resolution. When I go to display the only resolution that's available is 1024x768 and it looks crap. Again do I have to download/install a graphics driver? I started poking around the intel site for downloads, but it was saying that most distributions come with drivers already included?

Here's the output from inxi -Fxz

System:
Kernel: 5.4.0-74-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0
Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa
base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal
Machine:
Type: Desktop System: ASUS product: N/A v: N/A serial: <filter>
Mobo: ASUSTeK model: PRIME B560M-K v: Rev 1.xx serial: <filter>
UEFI: American Megatrends v: 0402 date: 01/18/2021
CPU:
Topology: 6-Core model: 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11500 bits: 64 type: MT MCP
arch: N/A L2 cache: 12.0 MiB
flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
bogomips: 65088
Speed: 800 MHz min/max: 800/4600 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 800 2: 800
3: 800 4: 801 5: 800 6: 801 7: 801 8: 800 9: 801 10: 800 11: 801 12: 801
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel vendor: ASUSTeK driver: N/A bus ID: 00:02.0
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: fbdev unloaded: modesetting,vesa
resolution: 1024x768~76Hz
OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 11.0.0 256 bits) v: 4.5 Mesa 20.2.6
direct render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: Intel vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
bus ID: 00:1f.3
Device-2: Logitech Webcam C270 type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo
bus ID: 1-8:5
Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-74-generic
Network:
Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-V vendor: ASUSTeK driver: N/A port: efa0
bus ID: 00:1f.6
Device-2: Realtek RTL8188CUS 802.11n WLAN Adapter type: USB
driver: rtl8192cu bus ID: 1-7:4
IF: wlx90f6520f21bb state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 3.87 TiB used: 7.58 GiB (0.2%)
ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 980 PRO 250GB
size: 232.89 GiB
ID-2: /dev/sda vendor: Seagate model: ST3000DM001-1ER166 size: 2.73 TiB
ID-3: /dev/sdb vendor: Seagate model: ST1000DM003-9YN162 size: 931.51 GiB
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 54.75 GiB used: 7.02 GiB (12.8%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
ID-2: /home size: 1.28 TiB used: 270.6 MiB (0.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda4
ID-3: swap-1 size: 7.45 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 27.8 C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
Processes: 293 Uptime: 5m Memory: 15.43 GiB used: 1.10 GiB (7.1%)
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17
inxi: 3.0.38

Any help you can suggest for these two issues would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Stephen

[DPM]

When using Windows 10 the enthernet is working fine

Try booting into Windows and disable the power saving options for the LAN controller. Also make sure that you have Windows Fast Boot disabled, and also in your UEFI. Then boot back into Linux and see whether that improves things.

but I was getting a message stating that the system wasn't using a graphics driver on startup.

That's because you are on kernel 5.4, but your i5-11500 CPU is so new that its integrated graphics will need kernel 5.11 or newer, and even then you'll probably need to edit the file /etc/default/grub and add i915.force_probe=4c8a like this in line 10:

Code: Select all

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash i915.force_probe=4c8a"

Afterwards, run the following command in a terminal window:

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub

[SMG]

but I was getting a message stating that the system wasn't using a graphics driver on startup.

That's because you are on kernel 5.4, but your i5-11500 CPU is so new that its integrated graphics will need kernel 5.11 or newer, and even then you'll probably need to edit the file /etc/default/grub and add i915.force_probe=4c8a like this in line 10:

Code: Select all

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash i915.force_probe=4c8a"

Afterwards, run the following command in a terminal window:

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub

I'm curious as to where you obtained this advice?

Most people with Mint and 11th gen Intel processors have been able to get the i915 driver to install by using the 5.10-oem kernel. It can be installed by running sudo apt install linux-oem-20.04b in a terminal and then rebooting. There is a bug with the i915 driver and many newer mainline kernels will not work. The 5.10-oem kernel has a fix for that bug.

Graphics:
Device-1: Intel vendor: ASUSTeK driver: N/A bus ID: 00:02.0
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: fbdev unloaded: modesetting,vesa
resolution: 1024x768~76Hz
OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 11.0.0 256 bits) v: 4.5 Mesa 20.2.6
direct render: Yes

Second issue is that after installing mint the video resolution was fine, but I was getting a message stating that the system wasn't using a graphics driver on startup.

Your system is too new to be using the 5.4 kernel. There is no driver installed for your graphics which is why I advise you to install the 5.10-oem kernel. That should install your graphics driver and that may help with some of the other issues.

You can either open a terminal and run sudo apt install linux-oem-20.04b in a terminal and then reboot for that kernel to take effect. Or you can install that kernel using Synaptic Package Manager.

Network:
Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-V vendor: ASUSTeK driver: N/A port: efa0
bus ID: 00:1f.6
Device-2: Realtek RTL8188CUS 802.11n WLAN Adapter type: USB
driver: rtl8192cu bus ID: 1-7:4
IF: wlx90f6520f21bb state: up mac: <filter>

I'm not sure why this driver did not load, but try the newer kernel and see if the driver installs.

[DPM]

I'm curious as to where you obtained this advice?

UHD 750 was only added with 5.11, and I read that hint with the force-enable on Phoronix, but that was the mainline kernel. Apparently, it's still the same even with 5.12 because Intel forgot to enable it. However, support may have been backported into the 5.10-OEM kernel. If so, 5.10-OEM would indeed be the better option here.

I'm not sure why this driver did not load

Either because the kernel is too old, but that's unlikely because the 219 isn't new, either. Or, and that's not too uncommon with a dual boot setup and some Intel controllers, because Windows changes the power saving options for the adaptor, and Linux then doesn't pick it up. Remember that modern desktop PCs aren't actually powered off when shutting down, and in particular not the ethernet adaptor so that wake-on-LAN is possible. Not sure if the Windows power saving is the culprit for the 219, but it's easy to try out.

[SMG]

UHD 750 was only added with 5.11, and I read that hint with the force-enable on Phoronix, but that was the mainline kernel. Apparently, it's still the same even with 5.12 because Intel forgot to enable it. However, support may have been backported into the 5.10-OEM kernel. If so, 5.10-OEM would indeed be the better option here.

Thanks for that information.

Based on the investigation in the thread Black Screen Z590 Chipset i7-10700k Intel UHD 630 Graphics, we found the 5.10-oem kernel resolved the issue. The error messages referenced Tiger Lake and Rocket Lake and apparently Canonical worked with Intel to get the bugs addressed. I do not know if that also applies for the UHD 750, but the 5.10-oem kernel has permitted the i915 driver to install on quite a few 10th gen and 11th gen Intel processors which were otherwise coming up N/A even on 5.11 and 5.12 mainline kernels.

I did a quick search on my threads and this is the only 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11500, so maybe the 5.10-oem may not work. However, it is an easy option to try.

Thanks also for the Ethernet driver info.

[shallybu]

Thanks so much SMG and DPM for your discussion. Really impressed by your fast response.

Ok, I first tried logging into Windows and disabled the following options on the Ethernet controller:

* Allow this device to turn off to save power.
* Energy Efficient Ethernet
* Low Power mode

I also confirmed that the fast boot options was disabled in UEFI.

On reboot this had no effect.

But I then updated the kernal with the command...

sudo apt install linux-oem-20.04b

...and updated/rebuilt grub to include the line...

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash i915.force_probe=4c8a"

... and on restart, "Presto": Ethernet now working and displays are now recognized.

Thanks so much for your help.

Cheers

Stephen Hallyburton

[SMG]

But I then updated the kernal with the command...

sudo apt install linux-oem-20.04b

...and updated/rebuilt grub to include the line...

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash i915.force_probe=4c8a"

... and on restart, "Presto": Ethernet now working and displays are now recognized.

My expectation was that one or the other would be needed. I would not think both the 5.10-oem and the kernel parameter would be needed. (The kernel parameter was advised to be used with the 5.11 or newer kernels and not with the 5.10-oem kernel.)

Did you try the kernel first and then find out you needed to also add the kernel parameter to get things to work or did you just try both at once?

It's really best to use as few kernel parameters as possible as there are pluses and minuses to using kernel parameters. This bug report drm/i915: Drop force_probe requirement for Rocket Lake indicates, But we've had this enabled for oem-5.10 since the start" so it appears the kernel parameter should not be needed.

[wowa]

sudo apt install linux-oem-20.04b

Big thanx!
I spend a lot of time to setup monitor and NIC with new hardware Intel i5 11600 + H570 mother.
Your suggestion solves all problems.

[chippywood]

...the on-board ethernet on the motherboard is not working

This setup (PRIME B560M-K + 11th Gen Intel Core i5) is what I was planning for a rebuild, with just LM 20.1 and no dual boot. The non-working ethernet makes updating with the fixes problematic to say the least. Is there any way to avoid having to get hold of a usb wifi dongle?

If I decided to stay within what the current LM20.1 kernel supports, what Intel chipset and processor gen would that be?

Thanks.

[Moem]

If I decided to stay within what the current LM20.1 kernel supports, what Intel chipset and processor gen would that be?

Hello,
That is a new question, and this thread is about shallybu's issue, which is solved. So please start a new topic for your question. If you feel that this topic is relevant for reference, you can always link to it in your new topic.

[chippywood]

If I decided to stay within what the current LM20.1 kernel supports, what Intel chipset and processor gen would that be?

Hello,
That is a new question, and this thread is about shallybu's issue, which is solved. So please start a new topic for your question. If you feel that this topic is relevant for reference, you can always link to it in your new topic.

[sparkery]

Thank you all for this solution. I had trudged the internet trying to find a solution to the B560 chipset and all I found was other people having the same problem. your advice on the new kernel helped me and I am now up and running a dual boot gigabyte B560 machine now.