Safe Mode

Adapters based on the Intel® Ethernet 800 Series require a Dynamic Device Personalization (DDP) package file to enable advanced and performance features. If the driver detects a missing or incompatible DDP package file, the driver will go into Safe Mode. Safe Mode supports only basic traffic and minimal functionality, such as updating the NVM or downloading a new driver or DDP package.

Note:

Safe Mode only applies to the affected physical function and does not impact any other PFs.
Firmware Recovery Mode takes precedence over Safe Mode.

Safe Mode Errors and Messages

When the driver is in Safe Mode, the device drivers and utilities may log or display messages to help with troubleshooting. The following conditions may cause the driver to enter Safe Mode:

The DDP package file was not found or couldn’t be read.
The DDP package file’s version number, signature, or other metadata either aren’t valid or aren’t supported by the driver.
An unknown error occurred when loading the DDP package.
The driver couldn’t load the DDP package file because a compatible DDP package is already present on the device.
The device has a DDP package that isn’t supported by the driver.

Resolving Safe Mode Issues

The device drivers and utilities may display the action to take to get out of Safe Mode, depending on the underlying cause. Possible actions could include the following:

Wait for the device to reset.
Install the latest driver.
Download a new DDP package.
Restart the adapter. If the problem persists, install the latest driver.
Reboot the system. If the problem persists, update the NVM.

You can download the latest drivers and DDP packages from the Intel support website.

PF Message Queue Overflow

Health Status Messages PF Message Queue Overflow