Re: frustrating problem with networking encountered while installing "Woody"
--- Darik Horn <dajhorn@vanadac.com> wrote:
> > In addition to Windows, KNOPPIX networks just fine
> > with no problems.
>
> If your computer runs Windows 98 and Knoppix properly, then your
> Debian
> installation isn't loading drivers for all of your hardware.
This seemed to be the most likely culprit, but I couldn't rule out the
possiblity that the problem is with the DHCP setup. Is there anything
I can try to make sure?
> First, install a recent kernel:
>
> # apt-get install kernel-image-2.4.18-386
>
> Second, install the discover package:
>
> # apt-get install discover
>
> The discover package will autodetect the devices in your computer and
>
> load appropriate drivers when the system starts.
>
> Past that, you can install Knoppix to your hard disk with this
> command:
>
> # knx-hdinstall
>
> Knoppix is a derivative of Debian that is a good alternative of the
> official Debian distribution for casual users. You can upgrade the
> current version of Knoppix to Debian/sarge after your computer is
> working properly.
I love Knoppix, but it is a bit bloated for the Pentium 200. I used it
for testing purposes to determine that networking can work properly,
but I loath to use it regularly. If the discover package is what
allowed Knoppix to handle networking so effortlessly, then I'm a happy
camper.
Thanks for your help Darik.
-Ren
>
>
> Renhao Zhang wrote:
> > I'm trying to dual boot an old Pentium box with Debian
> > "Woody" and win98. The few bugs I've encountered are
> > falling one by one as I work on the new installation.
> > However, one persistant mystery has remained stuborn.
> > Here is the problem: booting from Windows, I can get
> > onto my home LAN and reach the internet just fine with
> > a dial-up gateway (the Actiontec dual pc modem) as the
> > DHCP server. But if the Linux partition boots, the
> > network vanishes. It pauses for an unusually long
> > time at "configuring network interfaces......" By all
> > indications, networking on the box is functional:
> > there are no hardware related error messages during
> > boot or in the kernel logs. loop-back is fine when I
> > ping 127.0.0.1, but no other IPs are reachable.
> > conversely, the box can't be pinged by any other
> > machines on the network either. Flashing LEDs on my 8
> > port switch seems to indicate there is a signal
> > present, but nothing is getting through in either
> > direction when Woody is running. The NIC is a netgear
> > FA 310TX for which I'm using the tulip driver.
> >
> > In addition to Windows, KNOPPIX networks just fine
> > with no problems.
> >
> > An experienced collegue suggested that there might be
> > a IRQ conflict with another device. Debian boot lists
> > the NIC as using IRQ 12. In windows, the diagnostic
> > tool AIDA32 returned the following:
> >
> > IRQ 0C shared NETGEAR FA310TX fast
> > ethernet PCI adapter
> > IRQ 0C shared IRQ Holder for PCI
> > Steering
> >
> > First of all, what is PCI steering? Is there a way to
> > uncouple the two so they use different IRQs?
> >
> > My own suspicion is that an old USR Sportster ISA
> > winmodem might have something to do with it. The
> > thing is useless with Linux but I don't want to trash
> > it because it still works well under Win98. I think
> > it is worth keeping for those rare emergencies. does
> > anyone know if an IRQ would be assigned by Linux to
> > hardware it doesn't recognize?
> >
> > The last time I handled Linux was when Redhat 5.2 was
> > new. Back then I don't remember having much hardware
> > headaches. At the end of my ropes, I even tried a few
> > days ago to explicitly declare an IP, hoping the DHCP
> > server might back down and just let the damn NIC talk
> > to somebody-anybody.
> >
> > After some googling, I found one other account of
> > almost the same problem:
> >
>
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?threadid=110910
> > the only difference is the router being used.
> >
> > The guy who started the thread never said if his
> > problem was solved. I've tried everything suggested
> > to him to no avail. Everthing that is, except the
> > last one, which I didn't quite understand. I quote
> > the following:
> >
> > "I have the exact same network card that you do, and
> > have had the same problem. I have never been able to
> > do a net install with dhcp using the bf2.4 kernel. So
> > what I do is just install the base system with the
> > vanilla kernel. Then just apt-get the 2.4.18 kernel
> > source and compile it with the tulip driver and MAKE
> > SURE you also have packet filtering and socket
> > filtering enabled as well. They are under the network
> > options. You must have those two options enabled for
> > dhcp to work with that card. So the bf2.4 kernel
> > probably doesn't have them enabled."
> >
> > I'm not sure I understand what is being said. Are you
> > supposed to apt-get the 2.4.18 kernel with the 'Woody'
> > iso disc set as the source? I'll try to learn how to
> > recompile the kernel to see if that solves the
> > problem, but I wanted to see if anyone else has
> > encountered similar problems and suceeded in solving
> > it.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any new insight.
> > -Ren
> >
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>
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