You are upgrading your Debian server when you get an error about missing tigon firmware like this one:
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3_tso5.bin for module tg3 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3_tso.bin for module tg3 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3.bin for module tg3
What do you do?
Fear not citizen, we got you covered. The error is brought on by systems that have a Tigon Gigabit ethernet controller installed. Here is how to fix it.
- Make sure you have your sources file setup properly with the non-free repos, click here to get the right one for your distro.
- Update apt and install the “firmware-linux-nonfree” package.
apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-linux-nonfree
To find out what firmwares are included in this non-free package run:
aptitude show firmware-linux-nonfree
Which should return a bunch of firmwares like:
Package: firmware-linux-nonfree New: yes State: installed Automatically installed: no Multi-Arch: foreign Version: 0.41 Priority: optional Section: non-free/kernel Maintainer: Debian Kernel Team <debian-kernel@lists.debian.org> Architecture: all Uncompressed Size: 4,772 k Suggests: initramfs-tools Breaks: firmware-ivtv (< 0.38~), firmware-linux (< 0.19) Replaces: firmware-ivtv (< 0.38~), firmware-linux (< 0.19) Description: Binary firmware for various drivers in the Linux kernel This package contains the binary firmware for various drivers in the Linux kernel. This is a collection of firmware blobs which are not individually large enough to warrant a standalone package. Contents: * 3Com Typhoon firmware, version 03.001.008 (3com/typhoon.bin) * AdvanSys ASC-3550 firmware (advansys/3550.bin) * AdvanSys ASC-38C0800 firmware (advansys/38C0800.bin) * AdvanSys ASC-38C1600 firmware (advansys/38C1600.bin) * AdvanSys SCSI controller microcode (advansys/mcode.bin) [...] more firmware [...] * Radeon HD 7700 series PFP microcode (radeon/VERDE_pfp.bin) * Radeon HD 7700 series RLC microcode (radeon/VERDE_rlc.bin) * Radeon HD 7700 series SMC microcode (radeon/VERDE_smc.bin) * Tehuti network card firmware (tehuti/bdx.bin) * Broadcom BCM5703/BCM5704 TSO firmware (tigon/tg3_tso.bin) * Broadcom BCM5701A0 firmware (tigon/tg3.bin) * Broadcom BCM5705 TSO firmware (tigon/tg3_tso5.bin) * Broadcom BCM57766 firmware (tigon/tg357766.bin) * Conexant CX231xx core firmware (v4l-cx231xx-avcore-01.fw) * Conexant CX23418 APU firmware (v4l-cx23418-apu.fw) * Conexant CX23418 CPU firmware (v4l-cx23418-cpu.fw) * Conexant CX23418 ADEC firmware (v4l-cx23418-dig.fw) * Conexant CX25840 firmware (v4l-cx25840.fw) * Conexant CX23885 core firmware (v4l-cx23885-avcore-01.fw) * VIA VT6656 firmware (vntwusb.fw) Homepage: http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
As you can see, the Tigon firmware is listed for Broadcom BCM57* devices
If you want or need to download the firmware-linux-nonfree file, go here … make sure you pick the right Debian version to ensure you are getting the correct package version.
Update for Jessie Specific
Because Jessie is no longer stable you’ll have to copy and paste the following into the sources file:
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------# # OFFICIAL DEBIAN REPOS #------------------------------------------------------------------------------# ###### Debian Main Repos deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ oldstable main contrib non-free deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ oldstable main contrib non-free deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ oldstable-updates main contrib non-free deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ oldstable-updates main contrib non-free deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security oldstable/updates main deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian-security oldstable/updates main deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main
Once you have that updated do:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
Once the updates are done, install the firmware again:
apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-linux-nonfree
MrTechBot 
OK nice but what HOW DO YOU DOWNLOAD the driver on PC when at system install the driver is missing therefore your Net card cant function ?
I cannot find a way to download /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3_tso5.bin on windows computer to use it to install the second PC with Debian live…
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Hi guest, thanks for the note. I have updated the article with a link to the file. Make sure you pick the right version you are using to ensure you get the correct package.
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aptitude show firmware-linux-nonfree
E: Unable to locate package firmware-linux-nonfree
apt-get install firmware-linux-nonfree
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
E: Unable to locate package firmware-linux-nonfree
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Querty,
Can you try running this command and let me know the results:
apt-cache policy linux-firmware-nonfreeAlso, what specific driver are you looking for? Newer versions of Linux Distros may not include this file but rather a more specific firmware.
Also, can you provide the OS and it’s version you are running? It’s hard to troubleshoot with just this bit of information.
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apt-cache policy linux-firmware-nonfree
N: Unable to locate package linux-firmware-nonfree
> Also, what specific driver are you looking for?
apt-get install btrfs-tools
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
liblzo2-2
The following NEW packages will be installed:
btrfs-tools liblzo2-2
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 490 kB of archives.
After this operation, 3,251 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://mirror.yandex.ru/debian/ jessie/main liblzo2-2 amd64 2.08-1.2 [54.6 kB]
Get:2 http://mirror.yandex.ru/debian/ jessie/main btrfs-tools amd64 3.17-1.1 [435 kB]
Fetched 490 kB in 0s (4,073 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package liblzo2-2:amd64.
(Reading database … 47240 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack …/liblzo2-2_2.08-1.2_amd64.deb …
Unpacking liblzo2-2:amd64 (2.08-1.2) …
Selecting previously unselected package btrfs-tools.
Preparing to unpack …/btrfs-tools_3.17-1.1_amd64.deb …
Unpacking btrfs-tools (3.17-1.1) …
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.0.2-5) …
Setting up liblzo2-2:amd64 (2.08-1.2) …
Setting up btrfs-tools (3.17-1.1) …
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-18+deb8u10) …
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.120+deb8u3) …
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-4-amd64
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3_tso5.bin for module tg3
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3_tso.bin for module tg3
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3.bin for module tg3
HPE ProLiant DL360p Gen8 with 10GbE and SSD
uname -a
Linux msk2 3.16.0-4-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 3.16.7-ckt25-2+deb8u3 (2016-07-02) x86_64 GNU/Linux
cat /etc/*release
PRETTY_NAME=”Debian GNU/Linux 8 (jessie)”
NAME=”Debian GNU/Linux”
VERSION_ID=”8″
VERSION=”8 (jessie)”
ID=debian
HOME_URL=”http://www.debian.org/”
SUPPORT_URL=”http://www.debian.org/support”
BUG_REPORT_URL=”https://bugs.debian.org/”
cat /proc/version
Linux version 3.16.0-4-amd64 (debian-kernel@lists.debian.org) (gcc version 4.8.4 (Debian 4.8.4-1) ) #1 SMP Debian 3.16.7-ckt25-2+deb8u3 (2016-07-02)
lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Debian
Description: Debian GNU/Linux 8.10 (jessie)
Release: 8.10
Codename: jessie
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Question, did you make sure to update your apt sources (/etc/apt/sources.list)?
Backup your original sources file:
mv /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.origCreate a new sources file:
vi /etc/apt/sources.listBecause Jessie is no longer stable you’ll have to copy and paste the following into the sources file:
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------## OFFICIAL DEBIAN REPOS
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
###### Debian Main Repos
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ oldstable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ oldstable main contrib non-free
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ oldstable-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ oldstable-updates main contrib non-free
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security oldstable/updates main
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian-security oldstable/updates main
deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main
Once you have that updated do:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgradeOnce the updates are done, install the firmware again:
apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-linux-nonfreeLet me know if this works.
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It works, thanx!
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Glad to know, thanks for following up. I updated the article to reflect this.
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