Patching Intel X520 EEPROM to unlock all SFP+ transceivers

[NRoach44]

Jumping in with another case of a card that seems to ignore the driver option and the EEPROM flags:

:~$ sudo python3 ixgbe_unlock.py enp5s0f1
Verifying interface enp5s0f1.
Recognized an Intel manufactured card.
Recognized the 82599ES 10-Gigabit SFI/SFP+ Network Connection card.
EEPROM Value at 0x58 is 0xfd (0b11111101).
Card is already unlocked for all SFP modules. Nothing to do.

:~$ sudo python3 ixgbe_unlock.py enp5s0f0
Verifying interface enp5s0f0.
Recognized an Intel manufactured card.
Recognized the 82599ES 10-Gigabit SFI/SFP+ Network Connection card.
EEPROM Value at 0x58 is 0xfd (0b11111101).
Card is already unlocked for all SFP modules. Nothing to do.

:~$ sudo ethtool -e enp5s0f0 offset 0x58 length 1
Offset          Values
------          ------
0x0058:         fd

:~$ sudo ethtool -e enp5s0f1 offset 0x58 length 1
Offset          Values
------          ------
0x0058:         fd

:~$ sudo lspci -nn | grep -i netwo
05:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Intel Corporation 82599ES 10-Gigabit SFI/SFP+ Network Connection [8086:10fb] (rev 01)
05:00.1 Ethernet controller [0200]: Intel Corporation 82599ES 10-Gigabit SFI/SFP+ Network Connection [8086:10fb] (rev 01)
:~$ sudo ethtool -E enp5s0f0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x58 value 0xfe length 1
:~$ sudo ethtool -E enp5s0f1 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x58 value 0xfe length 1

So far the only thing that works is loading the module without the SFP attached, then attaching it. This is a Debian 13 server with the problematic card, connected via a DAC to an X520-DA2 in a Proxmox VE machine.

Edit: The plot thickens. The 0xfe value suggested above meant that I couldn't even hotplug the SFP in, the driver would disappear the interface.

I decided to call it and just swap the card with a known good working card from the machine it was replacing (also Debian 13, a SuperMicroX10SLL-F) and it also didn't work, and also didn't allow hotplugging. The new machine is a Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 [v1] for the record.