no usb support, how can it be added

sir-lancealot · 12-15-2007, 07:33 AM

Hey guys, I am running DSL 4.0 (installed to local hard disk). The last step in a project I am running is to hookup a serial device to collect data. I have a changer from usb-serial as the device has no serial ports (I actually have 2) and I get the following messages when I plug them in;

1. box user.notice usb.agent[972]: ... no modules for USB product 5ad/fba/300
2. box user.notice usb.agent[1020]: missing kernel or user mode driver pl2303

I installed the USB viewer extention which worked and I can see the device but it seems I need more to acutally use the device. I looked in the extensions for more USB items and don't see any. I have tried devices such as simple as a USB mouse which doesn't work so I know it's not the device but rather a dsl/usb issue.

Any help is appreciated.

: lr :

Simon Bridge · 12-15-2007, 07:53 AM

Quote:

missing kernel or user mode driver pl2303

Well... it is telling you that this adapter needs a driver.
http://www.madingley.org/james/resources/pl2303/
... hacked driver - discontinued. Author directs us to the Prolific web page.
http://www.prolific.com.tw/eng/downloads.asp?ID=31
... driver provided for RH9- in a rar file only!

But this is probably because the driver is supposed to be in the kernel...

modprobe pl2303

It should be:
linux-`uname -r'/drivers/usb/serial/pl2303.c

... you may have to recompile your kernel.

xlq · 12-15-2007, 12:36 PM

DSL uses a 2.4 series kernel, which is quite old. Try DSL-N, which is a slightly larger version, but has a 2.6 series kernel.

I won't ask why you want to install DSL to a hard disk.

sir-lancealot · 12-15-2007, 10:06 PM

Thanks for the updates. Unfortunately I didn't bring the machine home to update, but will look at DSL-N Monday morning.

The reason, well these are tiny ebox's you can find info at (http://www.wdlsystems.com/ebox/ebox.shtml). They have compact flash to boot off (but studies show the r/w life on these are not all that long) so the box also has an embedded 512mb drive.

Played with Fedora and some higher end distro's, and way to slow. All I really need is a small distro, glflash player and a working usb device to monitor data fed from a hardware device.

Actually did have knoppix up which I was semi-happy with, but again was a little more than what was needed.

Simon Bridge · 12-16-2007, 06:33 AM

Quote:

DSL uses a 2.4 series kernel, which is quite old.

The 2.4 series is current, and has usb support (2.4.35.4 out Nov 11 07). The 2.6 series has a slightly different philosophy.

http://www.2cpu.com/articles/98_1.html
... benchmark comparison:

From DSL FAQ:

Quote:

All major improvements that have occurred to the 2.6.x tree have been, and are being backported to the 2.4.x tree, by a very active backporting team. And even though Linus said he would not participate in the backporting process this time, the demand for 2.4.x kernel maintenance is about the same as the demand for updates and improvements to the 2.6.x kernel, so even he has helped in the process, though not as much as what he does toward 2.6 development. For evidence of this activity, take a look at kernel.org, where you can see, the 2.4.30 kernel was released, just a few days after 2.6.10.

sir-lancealot · 12-17-2007, 02:00 PM

Thanks, I am looking around and here is the hurdle.

I did download the 2.4 newest kernel and on the untar ran out of space. So I can compile on anohter box (I think) but an eaiser solution if possible is to take the driver and insert it into the running kernel.

Is that possible? I thought there was a way to pass things to the kernel, so wonder if that is possible.

Tnx

Simon Bridge · 12-17-2007, 07:46 PM

The driver needs to be built against that kernel, but you should be able to just copy the binary driver.o or driver.ko over to the appropriate directory and modprobe driver

Another approach is to keep your source tree /usr/src/linux on removable media.