Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8105e-1.fw for module r8169 with 2.6.39 kernel

I've been getting an issue since upgrading to 2.6.39 in Natty from the Kernel-PPA repository.

When I do a sudo update-initramfs -u I get the following error message.

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-0-generic-pae
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8105e-1.fw for module r8169

I did notice that firmware wasn't in the allocated directory. Does anyone know where to get the firmware files for this.

Solution 1:

Do sudo apt-get install firmware-realtek and the problem should be solved

Solution 2:

There's a solution at http://www.davidgis.fr/blog/index.php?2011/05/06/800--resolu-solved-w-possible-missing-firmware-lib-firmware-rtl_nic-rtl8105e-1fw-for-module-r8169. Essentially you need to do:

git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/romieu/linux-firmware.git
sudo cp -r linux-firmware/rtl_nic/ /lib/firmware/

and then sudo update-initramfs -u works without errors.

Solution 3:

I had the same problem whit Ubuntu 12.04.5 LTS. Today I have tested, but the old "git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/romieu/linux-firmware.git" is a broken link.

I have searched the new git url for dowload the firmware of realtek. The commands that I have tested (and works very well) are:

git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
sudo cp -r linux-firmware/rtl_nic/ /lib/firmware/
sudo update-initramfs -u

and

rm -rf linux-firmware

For deleting the directory that git has downloaded.

Solution 4:

Perhaps a better answer is to install linux-firmware package and if necessary linux-firmware-nonfree package.

Solution 5:

Recently I have faced the similar issue, but when I have followed the Rocko method, the link is broken. So it was not making it download the linux-firmware.

Also I have tried to do: sudo apt install firmware-realtek, still it didn't worked out.

After searching it online, found a new link of git. git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git

Steps to follow:

Download the linux-firmware: $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
copy the missing firmware to /lib/firmware: $ sudo cp -r linux-firmware/rtl_nic/ /lib/firmware/ $ sudo cp -r linux-firmware/i915 /lib/firmware/ (In my case i915 was also missing)
update the initramfs: $ sudo update-initramfs -u

Note: After update, if still see that, some of the firmware are missing, then search it in linux-firmware and copy those folders into /lib/firmware.