Why does eth0 disappear (on VMware) ?

efranz · 08-21-2007, 02:24 AM

I have made a fresh (slim) installation of Slackware 12.0 with VMware on my Windows XP notebook. I use only one network interface card on my VMware host (eth0). Everything works fine as expected, but I have a problem when I create a VMware clone from my VMware image.

When I boot the cloned image I have lost the eth0 interface. Restarting with "rc.inet1 start" results in "SIOCADDRT: no such process".

ifconfig -a shows the eth0 interface but ifconfig does not because eth0 it is not active.

I have seen another thread on this issue (why does eth0 disappear, by nyloc) but could not find any solution. Are there any news or ideas?

I now compared the log-files (/var/log/dmesg and /var/log/messages) of both boot processes (original host and cloned host). The only difference is at starting the interfaces in /var/log/messages.

In the original host /var/log/messages I find the two lines:
- sip logger: /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1: /sbin/ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.5 broadcast 192.168.0.255 netmask 255.255.255.0
- sip kernel: eth0: link up

In the cloned hosts /var/log/messages the above two lines are missing, and there is a line instead
- sip logger: SIOCADDRT: No such process

Why does this process not start from a cloned image?
Does anyone have an idea? Or how to repair the situation on the cloned host?

Any help highly appreciated!

regards
Franz

efranz · 08-21-2007, 02:32 AM

I used the default kernel (2.6.21.5-smp).

Lx4l720 · 05-29-2008, 12:51 AM

I know this is WAY late, but I had a similar problem with ubuntu and debian, and I found the solution.

I'll post the url in my next post.

Lx4l720 · 05-29-2008, 12:51 AM

Here's the url:
http://www.twoideas.org/wordpress/category/ubuntu/

efranz · 05-29-2008, 11:22 PM

Meanwhile I already use a more simple solution:
Delete delete the file “/etc/udev/rules.d/z25_persistent-net.rules” and reboot the VM.

Lx4l720 · 05-31-2008, 01:17 AM

Oh yeah that's the instructions in that url. This problem really had me for a while!

zeroberto · 09-08-2008, 06:28 AM

I removed the /etc/udev/rules.d/70_persistent-net.rules, but it is being created every time I start the VM, and the eth0 is still not visible in ifconfig.
Any hints?
I'm using slackware 12.1 on vmware.

onebuck · 09-08-2008, 10:58 AM

Hi,

Try 'ifconfig -a' to see what is recognized. 'man ifconfig' to get a better understanding.

zeroberto · 09-08-2008, 11:12 AM

ifconfig -a gives:

Code:

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:0c:29:1b:50:bb
          BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:3 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:7 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:1041 (1.0 KiB)  TX bytes:4130 (4.0 KiB)
          Interrupt:16 Base address:0x2000

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

onebuck · 09-09-2008, 05:16 AM

Hi,

If that is after the vm boot then the eth0 device is known to the kernel but does not have a IP assigned. What does your '/etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf show for the eth0 device. You did run 'netconfig' or physically setup the eth0 in the 'etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf' file?

zeroberto · 09-09-2008, 08:23 AM

/etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf

Polling for DHCP server on interface eth0:
dhcpd: MAC address = 00:0c:29:1b:50:bb

and I have to wait half minute until prompt appears.

I did a netconfig during the install, and I selected dhcp from the list.

zeroberto · 09-10-2008, 01:58 AM

Solved. I changed bridged to nat in vmware network configuration, and now it works.

Lx4l720 · 09-11-2008, 12:10 AM

I wonder what would happen if you switched back.