Debian Woody 3.02 wont recognize RealTech8139 NIC - 8139too
 

Newbie here, please forgive....

I've loaded Debian Woody 3.0r2 on HP pavilion 9895. It doesn't recognized the network card, RealTek 8139. Sound doesn't work either but that will be another thread.

Knoppix 3.3 CD recognizes both NIC and sound card so I assume the hardware can run Linux.

ifconfig shows only loopback. ifconfig eth0 sees the card. ifconfig eth0 up fails.

lspci -v shows the network card.

The output when booting shows the IRQ of the network card as 0. In windows and Knoppix the IRQ is 9. The message is:
eth0: RealTek RTL8139 Fast Ethernet Board found at .... IRQ 0

When configuring the boot process pauses and gives this:

Configuring network interfaces. SIOCSIFFLAGS: Device or resource busy.

I've been googling this problem for three evenings. I have learned there are no supported options to specify the IRQ. I don't want to move the board because it is a multi-operating system machine and I don't want to break something else (besides Knoppix CD can cope with it).

This link maybe helpful, the symptoms are the same, it indicates the problem may be with DHCP. "I guess that dhcpcd sends out raw ethernet packets as part of the dhcp protocol and so needed the packet socket module." and "As nothing of the hints worked, I finally found out that no dhclient was running. That was all!" The link is http // kerneltrap.org / node / view / 2292 (remove spaces, had to cheat -- this is not a spam, just a link I think is pertinant to the problem)

I have apt-get installed pump, bootp and dhcp. I don't know how to force pump or bootp/dhcp to install.

I am really stuck. This is my first Linux install (PC and iSeries/AS400 guy).

Thanks all

Oh yes, about my network. I have cable modem and a firewall switch. The gateway to the switch is 192.168.0.1, the IP the switch generally assigns to this PC is 192.168.0.2. The broadcast is 192.168.0.255. The mask is 255.255.255.0.

These are the values Windows and Knoppix see.

The /etc/network/interfaces file looks like this:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dchp

I found a post here about how to install pump

made /etc/init.d/pump script file. code:
#/bin/sh
echo Starting pump DHCP client...
/sbin/pump/
exit 0

then update-rc.d pump start 80 2 3 4 5 .

That worked. On next boot stil had same messages plus

/etc/init.d/rc: /etc/rc2.d/S80pump: Permission denied.

That should be a simple matter of setting permissions for it.
Unfortunately, I don't know what user boot-scripts are run as :(
I will therefor assume that it runs as root :

chown root /etc/rc2.d/S80pump
cmod u+x /etc/rc2.d/S80pump

However, I am a little surprised that root doesn't have permission to run it now.
If that fails, a catch all solution is
chmod a=rx /etc/rc2.d/S80pump

Thank you ... the first two lines worked ... but no joy.

Start up attempts to start pump at end, "echo Starting pump DCHP client..." is executed, then "operation failed" is displayed. That makes sense (to me a newbie) in that the network card failed before so pump doesn't have anything to work with.

Since Knoppix 3.3 CD boots, and it is Debian based, would comparing what Knoppix is doing to what Debian Woody is doing help? If so, how do I go about doing that?

Any other help please....... I am getting kind of discouraged here after four evenings working on this.

Thanks all!

Knoppix is different from debian in a couple of ways.
The largest difference is the age of the packages -
Standard Debian Woody still runs on a 2.2 kernel (2.4 is available if you select
the bf2.4 option)

Maybe the 2.2 kernel is too old for those realtec cards?
/me wonders about the release date on realtec 8139 vs the release date of 2.2...

Could you post the results of :
uname -a
lsmod
from both knoppix & your debian system. Thanks.

urzumph:

Sorry for the delay in getting back ... long day at work. You are right about the version differences:

Debian uname -a --
Linux debian 2.2.20 #1 Sat Apr 20 11:45:28 EST 2002 i686 unknown

lsmod --
Module Size Used by
lockd 42420 0 (autoclean) (unused)
sunrpc 57816 0 (autoclean) [lockd]
8139too 12600 0
af_packet 6152 1
unix 11352 16 (autoclean)

Knoppix uname -a --
Linux Knoppix 2.4.24-xfs #1 SMP Mi Feb 4 01:03:50 CET 2004 i686 GNU/Linux

lsmod --
Module Size Used by Not tainted
autofs4 8756 1 (autoclean)
af_packet 13512 0 (autoclean)
ext3 64164 0 (autoclean)
jbd 46356 0 (autoclean) [ext3]
ntfs 50944 0 (autoclean)
msdos 4652 0 (autoclean)
nls_iso8859-1 2876 1 (autoclean)
nls_cp437 4380 0 (autoclean)
agpgart 42628 0 (unused)
es1371 30152 0
gameport 1404 0 [es1371]
ac97_codec 11916 0 [es1371]
soundcore 3428 4 [es1371]
8139too 12776 1
mii 2256 0 [8139too]
crc32 2832 0 [8139too]
serial 51972 0 (autoclean)
usb-uhci 21868 0 (unused)
usbcore 57824 1 [usb-uhci]
apm 9768 2
rtc 6972 0 (autoclean)
cloop 8740 2

--

Should I re-install Debian or upgrade? Where can I find clear instructions. I followed the instructions I found on debian.org and installed the vanilla version.

Thanks lots
Bill B.

Hmmmm

The size of your 8139too modules shows that they have changed between kernel versions, so it may be that your network card was not supported properly under 2.2.x, or, it could have something to do with the 'mii' module, which relies upon your 8139too module. Pitty I have no Idea what 'mii' would do.

As for Upgrading debian, that would be a snap :
Edit /etc/sources.list to add testing & / or unstable mirrors
[EDIT] that should be /etc/apt/sources.list
execute :
apt-get update
check for error messages, and remove non-working mirrors.
repeat untill you have a working sources list.
apt-get dist-upgrade
This should then download a whole lot of packages for you. The only thing I can't remember is if apt-get dist-upgrade downloads a new kernel for you. If so, then booting that kernel should solve your problems. If not, then you get the fun of compiling a new kernel on your very first experiance with linux :D Seriously, it's not as hard as it sounds.

I'll be back after I check if upgrading your dist upgrades your kernel.

[EDIT2] Upgrading your Dist doesn't upgrade your kernel. Would you like to compile this for yourself?

If so, there are 2 ways :
The debian-specific way or
The standard way.

If you need help doing that (don't worry, 3 recomiled kernels down, I am still asking for help), feel free to post again to this topic, or another one.

Thanks urzumph!

but remember its the network card we are trying to fix. I don't think adding references to mirrors (I assume you mean Internet sites which mirror Debian releases) will do much good in sources.list since my computer can't access the internet :)

I do have the 8 cds of the 3.0 r2 Woody to work with!

I'll see what I can do with that. All suggestions appreciated.

Check to see if there are any newer source or binary kernels on the CDs, anything in the 2.4.x range would be great.

This is the sources.list file

deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 3.0r2 Update CD 20031209: i386]/ woody contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main non-US/non-free non-free
deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 r2 _Woody_ - Official i386 Binary-7 (20031201)]/ unstable contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main
deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 r2 _Woody_ - Official i386 Binary-6 (20031201)]/ unstable contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main
deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 r2 _Woody_ - Official i386 Binary-5 (20031201)]/ unstable contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main
deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 r2 _Woody_ - Official i386 Binary-4 (20031201)]/ unstable contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main
deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 r2 _Woody_ - Official i386 Binary-3 (20031201)]/ unstable contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main
deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 r2 _Woody_ - Official i386 Binary-2 (20031201)]/ unstable contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main
deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 r2 _Woody_ - Official i386 Binary-1 (20031201)]/ unstable contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main

It lists the 8 CDs I have. What does
unstable contrib main non-US/contrib non-US/main
after each CD mean? Do changes need to be made to tell it to go to "testing?"

Thanks
Bill B

That doesn't make any sense... Woody is the *stable* release, not unstable....
I don't know why that's there.
Just try apt-get installing a kernel.
The Debian Mirror says it has :
kernel-image-2.4.16-i386/ 09-Mar-2002 06:46 -
kernel-image-2.4.16-lart/ 12-Feb-2002 06:30 -
kernel-image-2.4.16-netwinder/ 13-Jan-2002 06:02 -
kernel-image-2.4.16-riscpc/ 13-Jan-2002 06:03 -
kernel-image-2.4.17-hppa/ 03-Apr-2002 06:59 -
kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64/ 25-Feb-2004 06:21 -
kernel-image-2.4.17-s390/ 20-Feb-2004 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.18-1-alpha/ 23-Feb-2004 06:26 -
kernel-image-2.4.18-1-i386/ 23-Feb-2004 06:26 -
kernel-image-2.4.18-alpha/ 23-Apr-2002 05:54 -
kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/ 31-Aug-2003 05:57 -
kernel-image-2.4.18-i386/ 30-Nov-2002 06:57 -
kernel-image-2.4.18-i386bf/ 23-Feb-2004 06:26 -
kernel-image-2.4.18-powerpc-xfs/ 23-Apr-2002 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.19-arm/ 07-Dec-2003 06:58 -
kernel-image-2.4.19-ia64/ 14-Mar-2004 06:14 -
kernel-image-2.4.19-s390/ 07-Dec-2003 06:58 -
kernel-image-2.4.20-3-i386/ 10-Aug-2003 05:58 -
kernel-image-2.4.20-amiga/ 11-Jul-2003 05:48 -
kernel-image-2.4.20-atari/ 11-Jul-2003 05:48 -
kernel-image-2.4.20-bvme6000/ 11-Jul-2003 05:48 -
kernel-image-2.4.20-mac/ 11-Jul-2003 05:48 -
kernel-image-2.4.20-mvme147/ 11-Jul-2003 05:47 -
kernel-image-2.4.20-mvme16x/ 11-Jul-2003 05:48 -
kernel-image-2.4.21-1-i386/ 17-Sep-2003 05:52 -
kernel-image-2.4.21-s390/ 12-Mar-2004 06:26 -
kernel-image-2.4.22-alpha-udeb/ 15-Mar-2004 06:22 -
kernel-image-2.4.22-alpha/ 01-Mar-2004 06:16 -
kernel-image-2.4.22-i386/ 01-Mar-2004 06:16 -
kernel-image-2.4.22-xfs/ 17-Jan-2004 07:00 -
kernel-image-2.4.24-alpha/ 06-Mar-2004 06:22 -
kernel-image-2.4.24-amiga/ 28-Feb-2004 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.24-atari/ 28-Feb-2004 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.24-bvme6000/ 28-Feb-2004 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.24-i386/ 12-Mar-2004 06:28 -
kernel-image-2.4.24-mac/ 28-Feb-2004 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.24-mvme147/ 28-Feb-2004 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.24-mvme16x/ 28-Feb-2004 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.25-alpha/ 28-Feb-2004 05:53 -
kernel-image-2.4.25-arm/ 12-Mar-2004 05:54 -
kernel-image-2.4.25-i386/
kernel-image-2.4.25-ia64/

So try some of those (only select the -i386 ones)

EG
apt-get install kernel-image-2.4.25-i386

but depending on the age of the CDs, you will probably have to go further back than that.

thanks urzumph for all the help ...

I found 2.4.18 as the latest on the CD using apt-cache search kernel-image-2.4. When I started to install it a waring came up about putting "initrd=/initrd.img" in the lilo.cong file, in the image=vmlinuz stanza.

I added the line and ran lilo but got an error to the effect that there is no initrd.img file. I did some googling and read the message carefully. I got the impression that the system wouldn't boot if the new kernal was installed without initrd line.

Is the message lilo gave a warning or error. Would lilo find an /initrd.img file after the 2.4.18 kernal was installed and be happy? Or would lilo not "compile" the change and the system no boot.

Confusing -- makes the 200+ user, 3/4 terabyte system I work on for a living seem less daunting :)

Good night and thanks again for all the help!!!!

I doubt the initrd file is called 'initrd.img' - theis file should be located in /boot, and it will probably be called initrd-2.4.18.img or similar.

At a guess, the documentation you were reading was thinking that /initrd.img is a symlink to your current initrd image. I prefer to avoid symlinks in lilo config files, because /initrd.img tells me almost nothing. /boot/initrd.2.4.18.img means something, however.

That section of your lilo.conf should read something like this :
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.18.img
label=Linux-2.4.18


Of course, you will have to edit those file names for whatever your system has.

2 things.
Wow. Nice. - Some kinda Unix on that (I don't think windows could handle it ;) )?
I guess that's why you seem to know a lot more than normal newbies :D

no initrd-anything in /boot. sigh :(

Use /sbin/mkinitrd to build one? (couldn't sleep, been doing some reading to find out what this initd thing was). Anything special in the params? The required files indicated in man seem to be there.

But if initrd.img is built under 2.2.20 will it work under 2.4.18?

!Light bulb!

quoting you ...

That section of your lilo.conf should read something like this :
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.18.img
label=Linux-2.4.18

That seems to imply that apt-get kernel-image-2.4.18-386 will create these files. So should i run apt-get...., then modify lilo.conf confiming the file names? I was trying to modify lilo.conf before running apt-get.... That might be the problem.

yawnnnnnnnnnnnnn. Im going to wonder why I am still doing this in the morning. I work on an iSeries or AS400 (IBM). Linux or AIX (IBM's flavor of Unix) can be installed on a partition (making it a split-personality machine). Has some unix-like features. We have a 4-processor system and as little as 5% of one processor could be allocated to a Linus partition. It grew out of the system 38.

Yes, apt-get install ing the kernel image should create the kernel image, the initrd and a system map. I am not exactly sure what a system map does, but I seem to have stumbled along blindly OK.

** If the initrd is not created, then the command for mkinitrd is a little different on debian - for starters, you need the initrd-tools package installed.
mkinitrd is also located in /usr/bin (or was it sbin? it's in my path so I forget, lol)
You also need to specify the -o option before the output file (to let it know that that is the output file)

The point of modifying lilo.conf is so that when you run lilo again, it will write to the MBR that you have a second kernel installed - not much use if you don't actually install the kernel :D

I like your job - hope I get something that interesting once I leave school
(Not installing Ms workstation as my IPT teacher seems to think we will, sigh)