Ubuntu 18.04 add e1000e Intel driver to dkms

Ubuntu 18.04 add e1000e Intel driver to dkms

May 25, 2019

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Note: The compile process appears to be broken for driver version 3.8.4. So the following steps will not work for that version. This post will be updated when a suitable fix is found for the same.

Here’s a quick guide on how to add the Intel e1000e driver to DKMS (Dynamic Kernel Module Support) so that it gets installed / uninstalled automatically with future kernel updates and removals.

Download the driver from Intel website https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/15817

As of my writing this article, the e1000e version is 3.4.2.1. On download the tarball I get e1000e-3.4.2.1.tar.gz.

Extract it to /usr/src:

tar -xzf e1000e-3.4.2.1.tar.gz -C /usr/src

Create a dkms.conf in /usr/src/e1000e-3.4.2.1 with following contents:

PACKAGE_NAME="e1000e"
PACKAGE_VERSION="3.4.2.1"
AUTOINSTALL=yes
MAKE[0]="make -C src/"
BUILT_MODULE_NAME="e1000e"
BUILT_MODULE_LOCATION="src/"
DEST_MODULE_LOCATION="/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e"

Next, we have to tell DKMS that such a module has been added and build it for each of the kernels we have on the system:

dkms add -m e1000e/3.4.2.1
for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do
  dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-} e1000e/3.4.2.1
done

Finally, reboot the system and the new module should be live.

21 responses to “Ubuntu 18.04 add e1000e Intel driver to dkms”

Pablo Enrique Llorach

Aug 7, 2019 at 6:07 pm

Sory, where i need to put The dkms add -m configuration?

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1. nilesh
  
  Sep 12, 2019 at 3:05 pm
  
  You have to run it on command line. Sorry for late reply btw!
  
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Pablo Enrique Llorach

Aug 7, 2019 at 8:23 pm

Hello, where i need to put The dkms add -m configuration?

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Jerry Hoffmeister

Sep 27, 2020 at 1:44 pm

Any chance you could update this for 3.8.4?

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1. nilesh
  
  Sep 27, 2020 at 2:04 pm
  
  I think the process remains same for newer versions too
  
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2. Jerry Hoffmeister
  
  Sep 27, 2020 at 2:23 pm
  
  I get a no targets error from make. I can get the exact error tomorrow.
  
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3. jhoff909
  
  Sep 27, 2020 at 10:50 pm
  
  when I try to do the dkms install step, I get:
  for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-} e1000e/3.8.4; done
  
  Kernel preparation unnecessary for this kernel. Skipping…
  
  Building module:
  cleaning build area…(bad exit status: 2)
  make -j4 KERNELRELEASE=5.4.0-47-generic -C src/…(bad exit status: 2)
  ERROR (dkms apport): binary package for e1000e: 3.8.4 not found
  Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 5.4.0-47-generic (x86_64)
  Consult /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/make.log for more information.
  
  Kernel preparation unnecessary for this kernel. Skipping…
  
  Building module:
  cleaning build area…(bad exit status: 2)
  make -j4 KERNELRELEASE=5.4.0-48-generic -C src/…(bad exit status: 2)
  ERROR (dkms apport): binary package for e1000e: 3.8.4 not found
  Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 5.4.0-48-generic (x86_64)
  Consult /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/make.log for more information.
  
  then the log:
  
  DKMS make.log for e1000e-3.8.4 for kernel 5.4.0-48-generic (x86_64)
  Sun Sep 27 10:17:44 PDT 2020
  make: Entering directory ‘/var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/src’
  make: *** No targets. Stop.
  make: Leaving directory ‘/var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/src’
  
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  1. nilesh
    
    Sep 28, 2020 at 6:44 am
    
    It appears you did not execute the dkms add command that you have run before dkms install?
    
    I just checked the 3.8.4 driver structure (though did not try installing it), it is the same as earlier so there should be no change in steps.
    
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4. jhoff909
  
  Sep 28, 2020 at 6:53 am
  
  I ran:
  dkms add -m e1000e/3.8.4
  then
  for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-} e1000e/3.8.4; done
  and I’m running as root (sudo bash)
  and here’s my dkms.conf file:
  cat /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4/dkms.conf
  PACKAGE_NAME=”e1000e”
  PACKAGE_VERSION=”3.8.4″
  AUTOINSTALL=yes
  MAKE[0]=”make -C src/”
  BUILT_MODULE_NAME=”e1000e”
  BUILT_MODULE_LOCATION=”src/”
  DEST_MODULE_LOCATION=”/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e”
  
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  1. nilesh
    
    Sep 29, 2020 at 12:13 pm
    
    Ok it seems there is indeed some issue. I’ll update the post once I’m able to fix it.
    
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5. jhoff909
  
  Sep 29, 2020 at 11:27 pm
  
  Thank you!
  
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Erick Maeda

Oct 11, 2020 at 3:55 pm

Hello, thanks for tutorial…

Actually I’m trying to install the last step and getting failed with the command:

Could you help me please?

Error! DKMS tree already contains: e1000e-3.8.4
You cannot add the same module/version combo more than once.

Kernel preparation unnecessary for this kernel.  Skipping...

Building module:
cleaning build area...(bad exit status: 2)
make -j8 KERNELRELEASE=5.4.0-48-generic -C src/...(bad exit status: 2)
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 5.4.0-48-generic (boot/vmlinuz)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/make.log for more information.

Kernel preparation unnecessary for this kernel.  Skipping...

Building module:
cleaning build area...(bad exit status: 2)
make -j8 KERNELRELEASE=5.4.0-26-generic -C src/...(bad exit status: 2)
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 5.4.0-26-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/make.log for more information.

Kernel preparation unnecessary for this kernel.  Skipping...

Building module:
cleaning build area...(bad exit status: 2)
make -j8 KERNELRELEASE=5.4.0-48-generic -C src/...(bad exit status: 2)
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 5.4.0-48-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/make.log for more information.

Kernel preparation unnecessary for this kernel.  Skipping...

Building module:
cleaning build area...(bad exit status: 2)
make -j8 KERNELRELEASE=5.4.0-48-generic -C src/...(bad exit status: 2)
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 5.4.0-48-generic (boot/vmlinuz.old)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/make.log for more information.

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nilesh

Oct 11, 2020 at 3:58 pm

Hi Erick,

Something has changed with the driver and I haven’t been able to dig into the build process yet to fix it. Few days ago another visitor Jerry has posted same issue.

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Alex

Oct 21, 2020 at 10:53 pm

Hi
thank you for instructions, but I got the same error as above:
root@xxx:/usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4/src# for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-} e1000e/3.8.4; done

…
Kernel preparation unnecessary for this kernel. Skipping…

Building module:
cleaning build area…(bad exit status: 2)
make -j4 KERNELRELEASE=5.4.0-52-generic -C src/…(bad exit status: 2)
ERROR (dkms apport): binary package for e1000e: 3.8.4 not found
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 5.4.0-52-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/make.log for more information.
root@xxx:/usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4/src# cat /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/make.log
DKMS make.log for e1000e-3.8.4 for kernel 5.4.0-52-generic (x86_64)
Wed Oct 21 13:11:25 EDT 2020
make: Entering directory ‘/var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/src’
make: *** No targets. Stop.
make: Leaving directory ‘/var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/build/src’

Same error for all kernels installed.
But following instruction in README to “make install” was successful, results:
root@xxx:/usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4/src# modinfo e1000e
filename: /lib/modules/5.4.0-52-generic/updates/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/e1000e.ko
version: 3.8.4-NAPI
license: GPL
description: Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Driver
author: Intel Corporation, linux.nics@intel.com

Thank you

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Alexis Wilke

Jan 1, 2021 at 3:16 am
I also ran into problems with the build step. Actually, looking closely it was the cleanup step at first.

I had to add:
```
CLEAN="make -C src/ clean"
```
and also change the source location directory like so:
```
BUILT_MODULE_LOCATION="../source/src/"
```
Then it worked like a charm, which is great.

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1. nilesh
  
  Jan 1, 2021 at 11:18 am
  
  Hi Alexis, thanks for taking the time to post the fix as a comment on my blog!
  
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Neil Paisnel

Jul 5, 2021 at 2:40 pm

Could you let me know if I now have the dkmf conf file correct please

CKAGE_NAME=”e1000e”
PACKAGE_VERSION=”3.8.4″
CLEAN=”make -C src/ clean”
AUTOINSTALL=yes
MAKE[0]=”make -C src/”
BUILT_MODULE_NAME=”e1000e”
BUILT_MODULE_LOCATION=”../source/src/”
DEST_MODULE_LOCATION=”/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e”

I really do not know what I am doing , apart from trying to fix a non working ethernet port

Here is what I have tried

neil@neil-linux ~/Downloads $ sudo tar -xzf e1000e-3.8.4.tar.gz -C /usr/src
[sudo] password for neil:
neil@neil-linux ~/Downloads $ cd /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4/

neil@neil-linux /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4 $ sudo nano dkms.conf
neil@neil-linux /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4 $ sudo dkms add -m e1000e/3.8.4

Creating symlink /var/lib/dkms/e1000e/3.8.4/source ->
/usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4

DKMS: add completed.
neil@neil-linux /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4 $ sudo for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `do’

neil@neil-linux /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4 $ sudo dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-} e1000e/3.8.4
Error! Invalid number of arguments passed.
Usage: add / or
add -m / or
add -m -v

neil@neil-linux /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4 $ sudo dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-} e1000e/3.8.4
Error! Invalid number of arguments passed.
Usage: add / or
add -m / or
add -m -v

edit and add Alexis fix as per his post..then try again..

neil@neil-linux /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4 $ sudo nano dkms.conf
neil@neil-linux /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4 $ for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-}

dkms add -m e1000e/3.8.4
for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-}; dkms add -m e1000e/3.8.4

exit
^C
neil@neil-linux /usr/src/e1000e-3.8.4 $ for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do dkms install -k ${k##vmlinuz-}; dkms add -m e1000e/3.8.4; for k in /boot/vmlinuz; do dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-}; dkms add -m e1000e/3.8.4; exit
exit
^C

After pasting in the command string

for k in /boot/vmlinuz*; do dkms install -k ${k##*vmlinuz-}

the system just dumps me at the cursor > with no further action till I Ctrl-C out of there.

I am going to post thi snow, do a reboot and see what happens..

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1. nilesh
  
  Jul 5, 2021 at 6:30 pm
  
  You are missing a ; done in the line you entered finally before getting the > prompt.
  
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andy

Jun 20, 2022 at 10:47 pm

Hey, thank for the post. I am having a similar issue.
I am unable to install e1000e driver 3.8.4 on Ubuntu 18.04 with kernel 4.15.0-187.
Did you find a way to install it?

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1. nileshgr.com
  
  Jun 21, 2022 at 5:59 am
  
  I haven’t tried it. Can you share what’s the error? Also may be your error is already covered above in comments left by other folks.
  
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  1. andy
    
    Jun 22, 2022 at 6:21 pm
    
    I was trying to directly compile the driver manually.
    make -C /opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src install
    
    And getting error:
    make: Entering directory ‘/opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src’
    *** The target kernel has CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_ALL enabled, but
    *** the signing key cannot be found. Module signing has been
    *** disabled for this build.
    make[1]: Entering directory ‘/usr/src/linux-headers-4.15.0-187-generic’
    CC [M] /opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src/netdev.o
    In file included from /opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src/e1000.h:14:0,
    from /opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src/netdev.c:30:
    /opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src/kcompat.h:7061:28: error: redefinition of ‘skb_frag_off’
    static inline unsigned int skb_frag_off(const skb_frag_t * frag)
    ^~~~~~~~~~~~
    In file included from ./include/linux/if_ether.h:23:0,
    from ./include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h:19,
    from ./include/linux/ethtool.h:18,
    from ./include/linux/netdevice.h:41,
    from /opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src/netdev.c:13:
    ./include/linux/skbuff.h:2763:28: note: previous definition of ‘skb_frag_off’ was here
    static inline unsigned int skb_frag_off(const skb_frag_t *frag)
    ^~~~~~~~~~~~
    scripts/Makefile.build:333: recipe for target ‘/opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src/netdev.o’ failed
    make[2]: *** [/opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src/netdev.o] Error 1
    Makefile:1590: recipe for target ‘_module_/opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src’ failed
    make[1]: *** [_module_/opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src] Error 2
    make[1]: Leaving directory ‘/usr/src/linux-headers-4.15.0-187-generic’
    Makefile:73: recipe for target ‘default’ failed
    make: *** [default] Error 2
    make: Leaving directory ‘/opt/drivers/e1000e-3.8.4/src’
    
    I was on Ubuntu 18.04 kernel 4.15.0-187. But I was able to use an old kernel 4.15.0-112 and compile the driver on that.
    
    My goal was to upgrade OS from Ubuntu 16.04 to 20.04 on this new hardware. By pin the kernel to the working version (4.15.0-112), I was able to upgrade to 20.04 and upgrade to latest kernel 5.13.0.51 which supports my hardware out of the box.
    
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