Atheros AR8132 Ethernet not detected in BIOS or Ubuntu Linux on Acer Aspire One D250.

lupusarcanus · 01-14-2010, 12:00 PM

Code:

leopard@brokenbox:~$ lspci | grep Ethernet
01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR5001 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)

Code:

leopard@brokenbox:~$ ethtool -i eth0
Cannot get driver information: No such device

Code:

leopard@brokenbox:~$ ifconfig -a
lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          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)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr XX:XX:XX:XX:XX 
          inet addr:xx.xx.xx.xx  Bcast:192.xx.xx.xx  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: xx:xx:xx:xx.xx/xx Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:1681 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:1446 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:1865882 (1.8 MB)  TX bytes:255285 (255.2 KB)

wmaster0  Link encap:UNSPEC  HWaddr XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX  
          UP RUNNING  MTU:0  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:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

The Insyde H20 BIOS should show in the boot order:

Quote:

Network Boot: Atheros Boot Agent

Right now its showing:

Quote:

Network Boot:

I have had this issue before, and fixed it by booting into Windows XP SP3 and pressing and holding the power button down until the computer shuts down. (e.g. "Unclean or "Illegal" or "Cold" boot.)

Unfortunately, not having Windows XP SP3 on my system anymore, I have to do this in Ubuntu. I have tried several times, and it is clearly not working. I don't want to try too many times more for fear of damaging my ext4 file system.

I looked for this issue on Google and found only driver problems, not device problems. There is no Ethernet option in the BIOS, except for the Network Boot, which should always show the device whether its in use or not.

Is it silly to ask if Windows in a VM in an unclean shutdown may solve the problem?

The driver for the device is currently supported by the kernel out of the box:

Code:

Linux brokenbox 2.6.31-17-generic #54-Ubuntu SMP Thu Dec 10 16:20:31 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux

It uses/used the atl1c driver. It was working on the same install just about a day ago!

What do I do? Just keep doing unclean shutdowns until it works?

I have no idea what to do...

rjwilmsi · 01-14-2010, 04:37 PM

One of the posters on PlanetSuse complained of similar intermittent problems with his network card on one of these aspire netbooks. He found out accidentally that by removing the cover of the netbook and simply checking that the network card was seated correctly it resolved his problems. If your BIOS is not recognising the air the net card then it sounds like a hardware connection fault.

lupusarcanus · 01-14-2010, 06:37 PM

Arg! I don't wanna take this thing apart... then again I'd rather NOT give it to Acer...

Last time I had this problem it was suggested to me that because of how the issue was resolved (hard reset), that the CMOS has bad data. Is there a way to flush that?

lupusarcanus · 01-15-2010, 01:50 PM

Anyone have some ideas?

lupusarcanus · 01-15-2010, 10:01 PM

Perhaps I could have some here?

lupusarcanus · 01-16-2010, 03:02 AM

Help...

Davno · 01-16-2010, 03:34 AM

You should be looking for wlan0 not eth0, and i think you need madwifi.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/madwifi/

lupusarcanus · 01-16-2010, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davno

You should be looking for wlan0 not eth0, and i think you need madwifi.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/madwifi/

wlan0 works fine. I am on a wireless network now. The problem is the Ethernet.

lupusarcanus · 01-17-2010, 07:34 AM

Look, I know it seems obvious, but the last time I had the issue, it was resolved in a very obscure way.

Trying to take apart an Acer Aspire One is difficult and not something I would want to do. I would and will only resort to this when my warranty runs out. of course I don't want to do that either because this is my only computer and sending it off for 1 week or two is very saddening.

Please, I have been hoping for someone nice to answer my question for a few days now and no one wants to help. At least an attempt is very much appreciated as opposed to none at all.

lupusarcanus · 01-18-2010, 02:37 AM

bump.....