Hello Everyone,

Because of some problem with the installer, I had to use a net install to get Debian installed. The install seemed to go flawlessly. However, after the install, I attempted to start performing the post-install configs and find that my on-board ethernet is not recognized, which I find strange because I installed from the net, so it certainly recognized it then.

The GUI tools do not find it. Command line doesn't find it (ifconfig eth0 up). However, lspci DOES show it listed. The same is true for the sound. ALSA config fails to find a soundcard.

Anyone have any idea what is going on? Any command line or GUI tools that I haven't tried?

Any help appreciated.

Regards

Bob

Are the correct modules loaded? Post lspci and lsmod outputs.

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, I cannot post from Debian because I can't get online. lspci lists all the correct hardware for both sound and network (Realtek controller and AC97.) However, lsmod give no output at all. So, I guess that may be the problem.

I should be more knowledgable about these issues, but I am just returning to linux after a two year absence. What modules should be loaded?

Thanks for the help.

Bob

Would be easier to guess the modules from the actual lspci output. Can you transfer files via usb?

Try ...
# dhclient3
... and see if that gets your network activated.


Or, maybe on Etch, it's ... # dhcp ... or dhcp-client or dhcp3-client

Thanks again. I am learning that NOTHING is loaded. USB does not work, so can't transfer the output of lspci. However, I have copied it:

00:13.0 Ethernet Controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev.10)

00:11.0 Multimedia Audio Controller: VIA Technologies, VT8233/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller

I can see that there are no modules loaded by the blank output of lsmod. Had no idea that Debian had to be built from the ground up by loading every single module after the install. I used Deb a few years back and don't remember this being the case.

Anyway, thank you for your help

Bob

lsmod output should not be empty AFAIK. Try as root. Otherwise something might be borked with your install.
For net I would try "modprobe 8139too", "ifup eth0"
For audio: "modprobe snd-via82xx", "apt-get install alsa-utils alsa-base alsa-oss", "alsaconf"

That is not the case.. Sounds like something went seriously wrong during your install, because there should definitely be some modules loaded by default.

What install media did you use ? Etch netinstall , Testing netinstall, other ?

Thanks rickh, but that command yields:

No broadcast interfaces found - exiting

makuyl:

The modprobe yields:

Could not load: /lib/modules/2.6.18.8.tex5/modules.dep: no such file or directory

However, I know this module exists (as well as the snd module) because they are located in the modules folder. Something is wrong with the modprobe command not finding the modules.

I installed Debian to "re-learn linux", but this is getting a little tiresome now. While I know Debian is an excellent and stable distribution, I had no idea that hardware recognition during the install was so weak. Virtually no hardware is found: usb/printer, sound, network.

It is noteworthy that during boot up (which is very quick, just like I remember Debian being), the avahi daemon fails. This probably, at least in part, the problem.

Thanks for your help.

Bob

farslayer, thank you for your input.

I downloaded the 160mb Etch netinstall from the Debian site. I tried using the Etch full install CD, but it would not cooperate with my partitioning instructions (wiped the drive and another linux distro in the process.) I had no difficulty with the install process, seemed to go as planned.

Thanks

Bob

Well, it is no surprise that CD drive fails, hotplugging doesn't work (usb stick not seen), usb in general doesn't work.

All of the normal softwarre that comes with the desktop and Gnome works fine. It appears that no hardware modules were loaded during the install and subsequent boot process. It will be a real accomplishment in my efforts to fix this mess if I can get it right. But, in the end, I may have to admit defeat and re-install.

Bob

What the.... You don't by chance have a faulty grub line pointing to a PCLinux kernel or some such?
Output of "uname -a" if you please, and check your /boot/grub/menu.lst

SOLVED. Thank you for saving me hours of work trying to figure this out. But, now I feel really stupid. Of all things: pointing Debian to boot in grub with a PCLinux kernel!

Everything seems to be working now, and I am very appreciative of your patience in reading my posts. Hopefully, any future requests for help will not be because of such stupid errors on my part.

Thanks again,

Bob

Glad it's sorted out, and don't worry about it. Besides, managing to boot like that does show how flexible linux is.

Yes, I learned something even with this silly error. I would not have thought it possible to boot into one distro with another distro's kernel, but obviously it is.

Regards

Bob