Hey all.

I'm just experimenting with mandrake 6.1 kernel 2.1.13-7 and during the installation I decided to forgo the installation of the network service. another words I didn't want any network options available for this machine even though it has a DFE-500TX Dlink card installed. Now I want the kernel or startup services to probe for the ethernet and install the approriate driver which I believe should be Tulip.

I've tried modifying the /etc/sysconfig/network and the /etc/rc.d/init.d/network for the Networking= yes line. Still during the boot up nothing. I can post the dmesg file.

Thanks for reading

Just do not use such old kernel and distro....

Take a look at lsmod and dmidecode | less.

thanks for the reply. i'll take a look into what you suggested. i know i should be working a much later distro but thats just me.

Forgot about lspci command - it is good too.

i tried all three commands as you suggested and unforntunately the first two weren't found anywhere on the filesystem. I last one runs but dispays the hard drive vfat and fat information.

1. dmidecode | less
2. lspci
3. lsmod


thanks again for the help.

I was about to post this, and then reread your post. More to follow.

OK, bearing kernel 2.1 in mind. I don't think it had lspci back then. Try instead:
cat /proc/pci

and the ls /sys/class/net wont work prior to the 2.6 kernel. Good luck.

gd2shoe thanks for the reply. when i previous ran the lspci it said command not found. maybe i made a mistake or this utility was not installed. i'll try it again and let you know.

Kernel 2.1 on Mandrake 6.1 ????
Do you really understand this distribution is ~10 years old? (Kernel 2.1.13 date on kernel.org is : 23-Nov-1996)

My god, I REALLY hope you are not going to connect this thing on the internet and that you are only trying to get on a local network... this old-timer wouldn't stand 5 minutes before getting rooted. And I don't like spam.

Whatever... I really doubt your thing can support the latest dlink card (it wasn't even planned 9 years ago!), my guess would be to upgrade the kernel, AT LEAST to 2.2 (but 2.4 would be the best choice atmo). But unless you can't get any other distribution or planning so test on old middle-aged distro, I really suggest to choose something more recent!

ok gd2shoe. the lspci is not part of the 2.2.13-7mdk Mandrake 6.1 distro. Same for the file /sys/class/net not part of the distribution.

But the /proc/pci file shows the dlink (DEC) PCI card there

Bus 1, device 10, function 0:
Ethernet controller: DEC DC21140 (rev 34).
Medium devsel. Fast back-to-back capable. IRQ 4. Master Capable. Latency=64. Min Gnt=20.Max Lat=40.
I/O at 0xd800 [0xd801].
Non-prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xe2800000 [0xe2800000].

Ok, that will mean that you are looking for a driver for "DEC DC21140".

That said, I think the others here have a decent point, unless there really is a reason for needing Mandrake 6. Unless you have a decent firewall, it is only a matter of time before you get rooted. (Not that I think it will happen nearly as fast as 5 min on linux. If we were talking win95, I'd give you much less than 5.)

The other problem is support. You will find far fewer people who will be able to help with an older distro. There are lightway current distro's. I've never tried it, but I hear that Vector is designed for such. Slackware can also be used that way if you are willing to tinker.

Thanks gd2shoe.

With the help of others I actually was able to figure out with the help of others here at LQ what the issue was. I'm up and running very much appreciated.