laptop iwlwifi suddenly not working

Thu Jul 8 13:45:19 EDT 2021

Solved !

On Fri, Jul 2, 2021 at 7:39 AM <jim.cromie at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 9:53 PM Connor Kuehl <cipkuehl at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Maybe there’s a hardware switch that toggles airplane mode? Might not be, since I’d think that would be kind of redundant if there’s a fn key dedicated to it, but I remember my previous laptops had a physical slider switch for airplane mode. Might be worth checking to see if your laptop has one and if it was accidentally toggled.
> >
>
> nope.  2 older laptops have that switch, but not this one.
> One of the leds on the edge is a wifi indicator,
> it turns on/off when I hit F12, they are in sync with WM-screen notifications
>
> There is a bios update, but it requires windows to install, long gone
> with dead hd.
> Im trying to download a windows iso, I'll try sticking it on a Usb and
> try booting it,
> but Im not optimistic
>
> > Connor
> >
> thanks

So, to close this out, I'll report

I found fix on toms-hardware, from 2013, for another toshiba laptop.

pull the battery and plug-power, hit the power button, to attempt turn-on
reinstall battery, boot
thats it.

heres when it was broken

[jimc at frodo ~]$ journalctl -b-1 | grep -P 'iwl|rfkill'
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo systemd[1]: Listening on Load/Save RF Kill
Switch Status /dev/rfkill Watch.
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Found debug
destination: EXTERNAL_DRAM
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Found debug configuration: 0
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: loaded firmware
version 29.4063824552.0 7265D-29.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: audit: type=1130
audit(1625760958.369:115): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295
subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0 msg='unit=systemd-rfkill
comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=?
terminal=? res=success'
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0
auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0
msg='unit=systemd-rfkill comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd"
hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Detected Intel(R)
Dual Band Wireless AC 3165, REV=0x210
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: reporting RF_KILL
(radio disabled)
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Applying debug
destination EXTERNAL_DRAM
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Allocated
0x00400000 bytes for firmware monitor.
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: base HW address:
00:db:df:4e:ca:f0
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: ieee80211 phy0: Selected rate control
algorithm 'iwl-mvm-rs'
Jul 08 10:15:58 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0 wlp7s0: renamed from wlan0
Jul 08 10:16:02 frodo NetworkManager[883]: <info>  [1625760962.0689]
rfkill2: found Wi-Fi radio killswitch (at
/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.1/0000:07:00.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill2)
(driver iwlwifi)
Jul 08 10:16:02 frodo NetworkManager[883]: <info>  [1625760962.0714]
manager[0x5604d91ba030]: rfkill: Wi-Fi hardware radio set enabled
Jul 08 10:16:02 frodo NetworkManager[883]: <info>  [1625760962.0721]
manager[0x5604d91ba030]: rfkill: WWAN hardware radio set enabled
Jul 08 10:16:02 frodo NetworkManager[883]: <info>  [1625760962.1109]
manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi disabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state
file
Jul 08 10:16:02 frodo NetworkManager[883]: <info>  [1625760962.1111]
manager: rfkill: WWAN enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state
file
Jul 08 10:16:03 frodo systemd[1]: systemd-rfkill.service: Deactivated
successfully.
Jul 08 10:16:03 frodo audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0
auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0
msg='unit=systemd-rfkill comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd"
hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Jul 08 10:16:13 frodo kernel: rfkill: input handler disabled
Jul 08 10:16:14 frodo gsd-media-keys[1298]: Failed to grab accelerator
for keybinding settings:rfkill
Jul 08 10:16:25 frodo kernel: rfkill: input handler enabled
Jul 08 10:16:28 frodo kernel: rfkill: input handler disabled
Jul 08 10:16:29 frodo gsd-media-keys[1965]: Failed to grab accelerator
for keybinding settings:rfkill
Jul 08 11:16:33 frodo kernel: rfkill: input handler enabled
Jul 08 11:16:33 frodo systemd[1]: systemd-rfkill.socket: Deactivated
successfully.
Jul 08 11:16:33 frodo systemd[1]: Closed Load/Save RF Kill Switch
Status /dev/rfkill Watch.
[jimc at frodo ~]$

theres a lot of rfkill toggling going on there,
but oddly in working version too, just less (not the early reported one)
other diffs might be cuz i fiddled with systemd disable rfkill, which
didnt fix it

[jimc at frodo ~]$ journalctl -b-0 | grep -P 'iwl|rfkill'
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo systemd[1]: Listening on Load/Save RF Kill
Switch Status /dev/rfkill Watch.
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0
auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0
msg='unit=systemd-rfkill comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd"
hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Found debug
destination: EXTERNAL_DRAM
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Found debug configuration: 0
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: loaded firmware
version 29.4063824552.0 7265D-29.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Detected Intel(R)
Dual Band Wireless AC 3165, REV=0x210
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Applying debug
destination EXTERNAL_DRAM
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Allocated
0x00400000 bytes for firmware monitor.
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: base HW address:
00:db:df:4e:ca:f0
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: ieee80211 phy0: Selected rate control
algorithm 'iwl-mvm-rs'
Jul 08 11:23:19 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0 wlp7s0: renamed from wlan0
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo NetworkManager[893]: <info>  [1625765001.5260]
rfkill1: found Wi-Fi radio killswitch (at
/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.1/0000:07:00.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill1)
(driver iwlwifi)
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo NetworkManager[893]: <info>  [1625765001.5268]
manager[0x5584de761030]: rfkill: Wi-Fi hardware radio set enabled
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo NetworkManager[893]: <info>  [1625765001.5268]
manager[0x5584de761030]: rfkill: WWAN hardware radio set enabled
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo NetworkManager[893]: <info>  [1625765001.5397]
manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state
file
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo NetworkManager[893]: <info>  [1625765001.5398]
manager: rfkill: WWAN enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state
file
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Applying debug
destination EXTERNAL_DRAM
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Applying debug
destination EXTERNAL_DRAM
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: FW already
configured (0) - re-configuring
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Applying debug
destination EXTERNAL_DRAM
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: Applying debug
destination EXTERNAL_DRAM
Jul 08 11:23:21 frodo kernel: iwlwifi 0000:07:00.0: FW already
configured (0) - re-configuring
Jul 08 11:23:24 frodo systemd[1]: systemd-rfkill.service: Deactivated
successfully.
Jul 08 11:23:24 frodo audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0
auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0
msg='unit=systemd-rfkill comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd"
hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Jul 08 11:23:30 frodo kernel: rfkill: input handler disabled
Jul 08 11:23:31 frodo gsd-media-keys[1320]: Failed to grab accelerator
for keybinding settings:rfkill
Jul 08 11:23:36 frodo kernel: rfkill: input handler enabled
Jul 08 11:23:38 frodo kernel: rfkill: input handler disabled
Jul 08 11:23:38 frodo gsd-media-keys[2018]: Failed to grab accelerator
for keybinding settings:rfkill
[jimc at frodo ~]$

Note, this is some sort of super-factory-reset,
cuz plain old bios factory-reset didnt work (unless impossibly delayed)

Now to decide whether to keep the shiny new replacement,
this keyboard is getting a little crusty.