[SOLVED] Looking for a distribution for low-spec PC

ukiuki · 04-07-2012, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colinetsegers

Just for the record, and not to rub it in ;o) Debian 4 does allow easy network connections and features also sound support.

Just for the record that machine is running Debian 6.0.3 !

Regards

linuxnoob2012 · 04-07-2012, 07:47 PM

When I try to install the firmware-b43-installer package (.deb) via dpkg, I get this:

Code:

Preparing to replace firmware-b43-installer 4.150.10.5-4 (using .../firmware-b43-installer_4.150.10.5-4_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement firmware-b43-installer ...
Setting up firmware-b43-installer (4.150.10.5-4) ...
--2012-04-07 20:40:36--  http://mirror2.openwrt.org/sources/broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.tar.bz2
Resolving mirror2.openwrt.org... failed: Name or service not known.
wget: unable to resolve host address “mirror2.openwrt.org”
dpkg: error processing firmware-b43-installer (--install):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 4
Errors were encountered while processing:
 firmware-b43-installer

Maybe I can somehow redirect wget to a local file downloaded from my main PC and transferred via USB drive. Does anyone here know how to do this?

rokytnji · 04-07-2012, 11:50 PM

First off. You will need the b43 legacy firmware because You broadcom chip and laptop is so old.

http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/...ported_devices

So this link is the firmware you need

http://packages.debian.org/firmware-b43legacy-installer

Explanation:

Quote:

b43 and b43legacy
These drivers are included as modules in Debian kernel images. Firmware from userspace is required for device operation.

Firmware must be downloaded and extracted, which can be performed by the firmware-b43-installer, firmware-b43legacy-installer or firmware-b43-lpphy-installer packages during their installation. An Internet connection is required.

Pick the Debian version you are running for the right firmware and kernel match, which should be Debian Squeeze stable if running Debian Stable. If running AntiX. Pick the Wheezy download instead.

In the next link you go to . You will need to download to pendrive or cd the

Quote:

dep: b43-fwcutter (>= 1:012)

as it is a required dependency for installing

Quote:

Package: firmware-b43legacy-installer (4.178.10.4-4)

Then down load firmware-b43legacy-installer to usb or cd. Copy them over or cut and past to your internal hardrive and follow instructions for installing.

to check if needed dependencies are installed already like lets say dep: libc6 (>= 2.1) [i386] which is a dependency needed to install b43-fwcutter . You can use the terminal to do

Code:

~$ apt-cache policy libc6
libc6:
  Installed: 2.11.1-0ubuntu7.10
  Candidate: 2.11.1-0ubuntu7.10
  Version table:
 *** 2.11.1-0ubuntu7.10 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2.11.1-0ubuntu7 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Packages

even though I am on Ubuntu right now. That command will work in Antix and Debian also to find installed or non installed packages.

Make sure all dependencies are satisfied and installed before trying to install b43-fwcutter and firmware-b43legacy-installer.

Now to pop your bubble. Broadcom requires you to download their firmware from the net to install their firmware on the computer in question. That is what the firmware-b43legacy-installer which is just a text file only

Quote:

Package Size Installed Size
4.9 kB 48.0 kB [list of files]

That is just the way it is. Unless someone else knows a way around it. I dont know of a way to get around this other than using the ethernet pcmcia cardbus I suggested.

TobiSGD · 04-08-2012, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

First off. You will need the b43 legacy firmware because You broadcom chip and laptop is so old.

http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/...ported_devices

I am somewhat astonished about your advice. When I look at the table this link provides it clearly states that for the BCM4318 the b43, not the b43legacy is needed.
But anyways, I have made tarballs of both, the legacy and the normal firmware and uploaded them to my web-server. I will send a mail with the links to the OP, so that he can download those tarballs and try them on that machine.

linuxnoob2012 · 04-08-2012, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD

I am somewhat astonished about your advice. When I look at the table this link provides it clearly states that for the BCM4318 the b43, not the b43legacy is needed.
But anyways, I have made tarballs of both, the legacy and the normal firmware and uploaded them to my web-server. I will send a mail with the links to the OP, so that he can download those tarballs and try them on that machine.

How would one go about using the files anyways? My best guess is to extract them to the /lib/ directory, but then what?

That assumes these files turn out to be legal in the U$A.

TobiSGD · 04-08-2012, 11:38 AM

Since you are owning the devices I see no problem in using that firmware.

Quote:

How would one go about using the files anyways?

Open a termianl and become root

Code:

su -

Change to the /-directory

Code:

cd /

Extract the tarballs

Code:

tar -xvf /path/to/b43-firmware.tgz

The firmware should be extracted to the correct directories automatically, just restart the machine and try again to get a connection.

rokytnji · 04-08-2012, 12:25 PM

Quote:

I am somewhat astonished about your advice.

My bad Tobi.

Quote:

Yesterday, 11:50 PM

I shouldn't post after coming back from the bar. My eyes plays tricks on me I guess. I thought his gear was wireless B. Again apologies to the OP.

Quote:

That assumes these files turn out to be legal in the U$A.

Broadcom released those for USA users also. Not a problem as far as I know.

Quote:

My best guess is to extract them to the /lib/ directory

I'll defer to Tobi on that one. Anytime I needed a .ko installed. I put it in /aufs/lib/modules/(whatever your kernel is)/drivers/net/wireless/.

Like I said. I defer on Tobi for this one.

TobiSGD · 04-08-2012, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

Anytime I needed a .ko installed. I put it in /aufs/lib/modules/(whatever your kernel is)/drivers/net/wireless/.

This is a good advice when it comes to kernel modules. The tarballs i created contain only the firmware. That firmware has to be in /lib/firmware. To avoid problems with the location I created the tarballs in that way that the files will be extracted automatically into the correct directory when the archive is extracted in the /-directory.

linuxnoob2012 · 04-08-2012, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD

Since you are owning the devices I see no problem in using that firmware.
Open a termianl and become root

Code:

su -

Change to the /-directory

Code:

cd /

Extract the tarballs

Code:

tar -xvf /path/to/b43-firmware.tgz

The firmware should be extracted to the correct directories automatically, just restart the machine and try again to get a connection.

Extracted as instructed and rebooted. Still no dice. Ifconfig and iwconfig still showing the same outputs as before (loopback and nothing, respectively). I cannot help but think that there is something I am missing here. Should the drivers "just work" after doing the installation, or is there more to it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

I shouldn't post after coming back from the bar. My eyes plays tricks on me I guess. I thought his gear was wireless B. Again apologies to the OP.

Seriously? There is no need to apologize for this. No harm was done, and you are all helping without pay and on your own time. Give yourselves a break.

TobiSGD · 04-08-2012, 06:30 PM

May be for some reasons the firmware was not found or the driver module was not loaded:
At first try to load the driver module. You need to be root for that:

Code:

modprobe -v b43

See if it works now. If not, search for errors in your /var/log/messages.

linuxnoob2012 · 04-08-2012, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD

May be for some reasons the firmware was not found or the driver module was not loaded:
At first try to load the driver module. You need to be root for that:

Code:

modprobe -v b43

See if it works now. If not, search for errors in your /var/log/messages.

And we have... a winner!

This worked like a charm.
Now all that remains is to (maybe) find some way to get my sound working. This is not a priority, however.
Also, can anyone suggest a faster replacement for the default Iceape browser?

Given that I titled this topic "Looking for a distribution for low-spec PC", I would say this community has exceeded my expectations. Not only did I get plenty of OS suggestions, but I also got support for solving some frustrating hardware/driver issues. Thank you.

Total time elapsed between my first post on this thread and this one: 13 days, 14 hours, 7 minutes.
[solved]

TobiSGD · 04-09-2012, 06:09 AM

From what I have heard Midori should be very lightweight.
For your sound issues: I would recommend to open a new thread, containing info about the actual hardware and your distro.

cascade9 · 04-10-2012, 06:34 AM

Solved, well, at least the wireless. Lucky, the guy I asked couldnt figure out if its possible to do what I was intending (which was d/l the whole 'non-free' and possibly 'contrib' repos for debian onto CD/DVD).

I'd agree with TobiSGD, start a new thread on the sound issues. I'd post your laptop make/model as well, as I couldnt see anything in your lspci output that looks like a sound card/chip.

linuxnoob2012 · 04-11-2012, 08:17 PM

Also, regarding Slitaz: I have installed Slitaz with the loram-cdrom CD. It seems to have both better performance and better appearance on the notebook. However, I am unable to get the wireless card working. I extracted the firmware tarball as instructed and did modprobe -v b43. However, the built in Wirless Netowrk Manager is not recognizing my card/settings. I have tried selecting "b43" and "b43-firmware" for the dirver and firmware settings on the driver page of the utility, but the utility freezes and crashes whenever I try to apply/load these. When I logout and log back on, I find that the settings were not changed. What am I doing wrong here?

ukiuki · 04-12-2012, 07:00 PM

This might be of interest to you: http://vanilla.slitaz.org/index.php?...n-dell-d400/p1
http://doc.slitaz.org/en:guides:wifi-easy
also take a look at this: https://kmandla.wordpress.com/2010/0...om-slitaz-3-0/

Regards