rtw8852c-fedora-fix — the kernel update that broke my headphones
2025·02 · archived · shell · linux
the bug
fedora 41, kernel 6.11.4 → 6.12.9. suddenly bluetooth audio stutters whenever wifi is busy — the rtw8852c chipset ships wifi and bluetooth on one die, and the new kernel picked a firmware that couldn't share.
days of journalctl archaeology narrowed it to the firmware blob: rtw8852c_fw.bin 0.27.56.14 worked; the newer -1/-2 variants didn't.
the workaround
two shell scripts: back up the active firmware, symlink the known-good blob in place, survive kernel updates by being trivially re-runnable. the readme is honest that it's a stopgap, links the fedora discussion thread, and ships a revert script.
not glamorous. but 24 stars on a repo this niche means 24 other people got their headphones back — plus a companion repo (rtw8852ce-bluetooth-debug, 11★) documenting the diagnosis for the next person.
facts
status: workaround · superseded by kernel fix
affected: fedora 41 · kernel ≥ 6.12
pinned firmware: rtw8852c_fw.bin 0.27.56.14
companion: rtw8852ce-bluetooth-debug · 11★
links
github · debug notes
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