Orange Pi Zero 3 | Kernel errors: "Error applying setting, reverse things back"

[lonewolf-jp]

Open Beta v9.14 | Orange Pi Zero 3 dmesg error

• I have searched the existing open and closed issues

Required Information

• DietPi version | cat /boot/dietpi/.version
  G_DIETPI_VERSION_CORE=9
  G_DIETPI_VERSION_SUB=14
  G_DIETPI_VERSION_RC=1
  G_GITBRANCH='beta'
  G_GITOWNER='MichaIng'

• Distro version | echo $G_DISTRO_NAME $G_RASPBIAN
  bookworm

• Kernel version | uname -a
  Linux DietPi 6.12.23-current-sunxi64 SMP Thu Apr 10 12:39:41 UTC 2025 aarch64 GNU/Linux

• SBC model | echo $G_HW_MODEL_NAME
  Orange Pi Zero 3 (aarch64)

• Power supply used
  Original power supply 5V 3A

• SD card use
  KIOXA EXCERIA 32GB

Additional Information (if applicable)

• Software title
  DietPi Open Beta v9.14
  DietPi v9.13 shows same error message on dmesg.

Steps to reproduce

1. install DietPi on microSD.
2. Turn on Orange Pi Zero 3
3. login.
4. dmesg.
5. I didn't change uart, spi, mmc setting. But dmesg shows error message as below.
   [ 1.772502] dw-apb-uart 5000000.serial: Error applying setting, reverse things back
   [ 1.772759] sun6i-spi 5010000.spi: Error applying setting, reverse things back
   [ 1.774874] axp20x-i2c 1-0036: AXP20x variant AXP313a found
   [ 1.776556] axp20x-i2c 1-0036: AXP20X driver loaded
   [ 1.777943] sunxi-mmc 4020000.mmc: Error applying setting, reverse things back
   [ 1.778402] sunxi-mmc 4021000.mmc: Error applying setting, reverse things back
   [ 1.778589] dw-apb-uart 5000000.serial: Error applying setting, reverse things back
   [ 1.778840] sun6i-spi 5010000.spi: Error applying setting, reverse things back

dmesg-log.txt

Expected behaviour

It should show no error message.

Actual behaviour

• nothing

Extra details

• nothing

[MichaIng]

It seems to be originating from regulator code, similar reports for sunxi boards exist: https://lkml.org/lkml/2020/10/21/558

Might be related to device tree nodes which are disabled, or not in use. To debug, one can traverse the device tree to find the nodes from the log: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/tree/arch/arm64/boot/dts/allwinner/sun50i-h618-orangepi-zero3.dts?h=linux-6.12.y

And in case check back Armbian patches: https://github.com/armbian/build/tree/main/patch/kernel/archive/sunxi-6.12/patches.armbian

Support in Linux 6.12 is still somewhat new, so latest edge kernel might enhance things.

I will have a look into it when I find time. But low priority until there is an actual issue aside of error messages in the logs. I agree that there should be no "expected errors to ignore", but it is sadly reality for a lot of SBCs, and solving it potentially very time consuming.

[lonewolf-jp]

@MichaIng
OK. I understand that there is no harmful behavior with such messages from your explanation.
I will wait until kernel mainteiner or armbian maintainer fixes it.