After 2025-05-04 system update I had an issue with my Wi-Fi module rtw8814a

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1

I have the Wi-Fi adapter TP-Link Archer T9UH v1 [Realtek RTL8814AU], and to have it functional, I have to use the package rtw88-dkms-git.
I installed this package, for the firts time, on 5 February 2025, and during the months, during a system update, I never had an issue.

But after applying the 2025-05-04 Update I encountered an issue about this module.

I received an error message about the fact that the file /usr/lib/firmware/rtw88/rtw8814a_fw.bin already exists on the file system.

So I had to uninstall the package rtw88-dkms-git, and after the reboot the device wasn’t recognized as expected.

So, connecting via USB Tethering of my phone, I had to reinstall the package rtw88-dkms-git.

I repeat: since 5 February 2025 I never encountered this issue.
Maybe, to avoid this error for the next system update, should I add
NoExtract = /usr/lib/firmware/rtw88/rtw8814a_fw.bin in the config file /etc/pacman.conf ?

Just for the record:
the file /usr/lib/firmware/rtw88/rtw8814a_fw.bin is owned by linux-firmware 20250408.c1a774f3-1 package.

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2

rtw8814a_fw.bin was installed through the AUR Package, but is now removed: Use rtw8814a_fw.bin provided by linux-firmware - aur.git - AUR Package Repositories

Now it is part of linux-firmware. Maybe because rtw88_8812a and rtw88_8812au is now part of the kernel? Maybe rtw88_8814au will come soon, when ready…

Read the pinned comments: AUR (en) - rtw88-dkms-git

Just overwrite it one time and it is done.

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3

Thank you for the suggestion, but the comment which you mentioned, suggests to update the firmware, not to overwrite the file (sorry: surely I haven’t been able to properly understand).

However, I reinstalled rtw88-dkms-git (is the git version, so is up-to-date), so, there is the chance that now is properly updated? How can I check?

EDIT:

the comment also say:

try upgrading linux-firmware to 20250408.c1a774f3-1

And the stable update has installed exactly this version.

4

I have a somewhat similar issue. After the upgrade and a restart the WiFi device seems to be lost.

5

Was also my case, but I reinstalled rtw88-dkms-git and has starts to work again.

6

A post was merged into an existing topic: WiFi Device not found after upgrade

7

So you have a different problem: open a dedicated topic.

8 
Branch         : archlinux
Name           : linux-firmware
Version        : 20250408.c1a774f3-1
Repository     : core
Build Date     : Thu 10 Apr 2025 15:22:12 
Packager       : Tobias Powalowski <tpowa@archlinux.org>
Branch         : unstable
Name           : linux-firmware
Version        : 20250408.c1a774f3-1
Repository     : core
Build Date     : Fri 11 Apr 2025 17:23:40 
Packager       : Mark Wagie <mark@manjaro.org>
Branch         : testing
Name           : linux-firmware
Version        : 20250408.c1a774f3-1
Repository     : core
Build Date     : Fri 11 Apr 2025 17:23:40 
Packager       : Mark Wagie <mark@manjaro.org>
Branch         : stable
Name           : linux-firmware
Version        : 20250408.c1a774f3-1
Repository     : core
Build Date     : Fri 11 Apr 2025 17:23:40 
Packager       : Mark Wagie <mark@manjaro.org>

Oh well… and what package do we have here?

Look, the file /usr/lib/firmware/rtw88/rtw8814a_fw.bin was already there, installed by rtw88-dkms-git. Now linux-firmware tries to install /usr/lib/firmware/rtw88/rtw8814a_fw.bin` and says: “Oh wait! It is already there! I stop here.”

Now you have 2 options:

  1. Overwrite:
pamac update --overwrite "/usr/lib/firmware/rtw88/rtw8814a_fw.bin"
reboot
  1. Remove, Update, reboot, reinstall, reboot:
pamac remove rtw88-dkms-git
pamac update
reboot
pamac build rtw88-dkms-git
reboot

I guess you did the later one…

2 Likes
9

The version 20250408.c1a774f3-1 as suggested here:
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/rtw88-dkms-git#comment-1019463

And indeed the lastest stable updated has updated linux-firmware to this version.

Yeah, I executed the second method:

Remove, Update, reboot, reinstall, reboot:

Also if the last reboot hasn’t been necessary: I unplugged/plugged in the Wi-Fi adapter and has been immediately recognized.

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