Calling all Linux masters. At this point, it's really getting confusing.
 

First, the output of 'lspci' :
----------------------------------------------------------
linux:~ # lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 82845 845 (Brookdale) Chipset Host Bridge (rev 11)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 82845 845 (Brookdale) Chipset AGP Bridge (rev 11)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801DB USB (Hub #1) (rev 01)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801DB USB (Hub #2) (rev 01)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801DB USB (Hub #3) (rev 01)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801DB USB EHCI Controller (rev 01)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 82801BA/CA/DB PCI Bridge (rev 81)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp. 82801DB ISA Bridge (LPC) (rev 01)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82801DB ICH4 IDE (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation: Unknown device 0281 (rev a1)
02:03.0 Multimedia audio controller: C-Media Electronics Inc CM8738 (rev 10)
02:0a.0 Communication controller: Conexant HCF 56k Data/Fax/Voice/Spkp (w/Handset) Modem (rev 08)
02:0c.0 Ethernet controller: D-Link System Inc RTL8139 Ethernet (rev 10)
linux:~ #

-----------------------------------------------------------

Now, the KDE Control Module 'Unknown' branch :
-----------------------------------------------------------

Unknown

Asustek 8245 (Brookdale) Chipset Host Bridge
BIOS
DIGICOM HCF Data/Fax/Voice/Spkp (w/Handset) Modem
Hub
Hub
Hub
Intel 82801BA/CA/DB PCI Bridge
Intel 82801DB ISA Bridge (LPC)
Intel 82845 845 (Brookdale) Chipset AGP Bridge
Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1.70 GHz, 1716 MHz
Linux 2.4.19-4GB ehci-hcd PCI device 8086:24cd
Linux 2.4.20 ehci-hcd Intel Corp. 82801DB USB EHCI Controller
Linux 2.4.20-4GB ehci-hcd Intel Corp. 82801DB USB EHCI Controller
Main Memory
System
THRUSTMASTER FireStorm Dual Analog 2
USB UHCI Root Hub
USB UHCI Root Hub
USB UHCI Root Hub
-----------------------------------------------------------

What is confusing me is that 'lspci' shows no problems, yet KDE Control clearly shows problems.Please ignore the display and modem, I can fix those. My real concern is that my chipset is not being used properly.

I have read countless posts in this forrum and other places such as Google/Linux and Yahoo etc.
I see in many posts that people claim to have a properly functioning system. But what I suspect is that if they would look at KDE Control module they would more than likely see the same problem in the 'Unknown' branch.

This equates (in my thinking) that the system is behaving like a Windows install with the yellow exclamation points next to devices in the Device Manager, indicating misconfigured hardware.

I have kernel 2.4.20 installed, and that has not fixed the problem. The kernel was compiled on my machine with a default kernel configuration accept for the processor and chipset options which I set for my system in particular.

In any case, does anyone have a solution to this problem ?
Would a 2.5.65 patch solve this ? Or is that too risky ? Otherwise, I will simply have to wait for the next kernel that will support my board.

Distro = Suse 8.1
Kernel = 2.4.20 custom
Motherboard = Asus P4B533 (Intel 845E/ICH4)

Thanks,

JC

At the risk of sounding dim - what isn't working?

If anyone is dim, it would be me as far as Linux. I have experience in DOS and Windows,and when I see things like this I have to set them straight.But it's difficult for me to apply my knowledge to Linux.

When critical parts of my motherboard are showing up in the 'Unknown' catagory of the KDE Control module it alarms me.I don't know much about Linux, but my experience tells me that things are not well. I have no way of knowing for certain, but I believe that my system is crippled as far as performance.If my hunch is right, then the hard drive will be using a slow mode of transfer, and my AGP card (Nvidia Ti4200) will be in PCI mode. I also believe that because of this problem, that my USB will not function properly, and I have a USB gamepad.I cannot confirm any of that at this point because of my lack of knowledge in Linux. That's why I'm asking all the questions. I haven't even gotten arround to trying to do something that would stress the system (like playing Quake 3 or something).

The point is that I just want things set straight before I move on to trying to solve the other problems. In my way of thinking I should have, at the very least, a Linux system that properly recognizes and uses the mainboard.If I can't get that straight, then I see no point in doing anything else.Like I stated, I certainly would not run a Windows system with problems in the Device manager - I would fix the problems.I would never leave the system in such a state because it is "working".
And I am not satisfied with simply being able to "run" Linux. I want things in propper order so that I can move onto other things like C++/OpenGL programming and know, that when I am testing my latest creations, that I am in no way being robbed of performance without knowing it.

I hope that I am not asking too much of Linux. That might be the case. If I can't get things right here, then I will just have to stick with Windows98/XP to do my work. I was really hoping that I could ditch Microsoft and do everything in Linux. But as it appears to me right now, I have tried to switch too soon. Maybe down the road Linux will work properly with my board. It seems that Linux works perfectly with the last generation of hardware(PIII boards like CUSL2).

Well, I hope that explains things.

JC

To be honest, this could well be a bug in KDE. I would not assign it much importance. In particular, integration between KDE and the distro with regards to low level stuff like hardware is still being worked on.

By all means, ask around, maybe other people know why that occurs. But like I said, this could simply be a false alarm. I'd just get on with things.

If KDE has something to do with it, would it help to install 3.1 ? I have 3.0.
Or, would Gnome be better at handling this ? So many variables.It would be like Windows having more than one GUI.

JC

Lots of KDE 3.0 bugs has been ironed out in 3.1

I think 3.1.1 is worth to try ;-)


Have a lot of fun :-)

i'm with mcleodnine on this as lspci seems to have it down, i wouldn't be worried about kde control. i don't believe the unknown whatever is quite the same as the yellow things in device manager where a misconfiguration or driver inadequacy is indicated-i still get no information available on your sound server from kde while i've run the sblive card on an asus and a gigabyte mb with the commercial oss driver and then the emu10k1 module in the distro. hdparm should tell you about your harddrive and glxinfo should give you some word on your graphics. there are other commands for info,which i forget or don't know, but go with them and i think you will get where you want to go.

Ok, thanks guys. Maybe KDE is screwy. I'll try your suggestions. And I will update KDE to 3.1 .

JC

I wouldn't worry about the kde output as long as things work.Stay away from 2.5.65 kernels if you don't want to get into some major reconfiguring action.

For the benefit of anyone who reads this series of posts, it appears that there is a bug in KDE 3.0x. I got the same results on an older computer which is an i815 board (CUSL2), with an 850mhz Celery. When I pull up the KDE Control Module, I get 'Unknown' harware at the bottom of the list. However, when I type at a bash prompt 'lspci' everything looks good.

So even with an older computer, which is fully supported in the present kernel, I get the same results in KDE. It appears to be bogus info in the KDE Control Module.

If anyone knows more about this, please elaborate.

JC